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Waanyi, also spelt Wanyi, Wanji or Waanji, is an endangered Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Waanyi people of the lower gulf area of Northern Queensland, Australia. Although earlier thought to be extinct, as of the 2016 Australian census there were 16 speakers of the language. This was down from the recorded peak of 40 in the 2011 Australian census.

The language region includes the western parts of Lawn Hill Creek and Nicholson River, from about the boundary between the Northern Territory and Queensland, westwards towards Alexandria station, Doomadgee, and Nicholson River. It includes the local government area of the Aboriginal Shire of Doomadgee.

Words and phrases from this language are used by novelist Alexis Wright in her 2013 novel, The Swan Book.

Phonology

Consonants

Vowels

Phonemic long vowels are rare.

References

1. ^ G23 Wanyi at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
2. "G23: Waanyi". AIATSIS Collection: AUSTLANG. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
3. This Misplaced Pages article incorporates CC BY 4.0 licensed text from: "Waanyi". Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages map. State Library of Queensland. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
4. ^ Breen, Gavan (2003). "Wanyi and Garrwa comparative data". In Evans, Nicholas (ed.). The Non-Pama-Nyungan Languages of Northern Australia: comparative studies of the continent’s most linguistically complex region. Pacific Linguistics. Vol. 552. Canberra. pp. 425–462. doi:10.15144/PL-552.425.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

• Garawan languages