Lesson 2 – Sounds and Spelling

The Adnyamathanha alphabet, as described by Dorothy Tunbridge (Flinders Ranges Dreaming, 1988) has 30 characters:

a b d dh dy g i k l lh ly m n ng nh ny p r rd rl rn rr rt t th ty u v w y

CONSONANTS

b

b – as in bug.

Try saying:

ambada

cooking

d

d – this character represents two different sounds. Firstly, this is a ‘flapped’ or ‘tapped’ sound which doesn’t exist in English. It is common in other languages like Spanish. The tip of your tongue taps quickly on the ridge behind your front teeth. Try saying ladder quickly to practice.

Try saying:

wida

river red gum

Secondly, it sounds like a ‘d’ as in dog.

Try saying:

warndu

good

g

g – as in good.

Try saying:

iga

Native Orange

k

k – as in king.

Try saying:

nhaku

yes

l

l – as in lunch.

Try saying:

yurndu ala-ala

afternoon

m

m – as in mad.

Try saying:

ngami

mother

n

n – as in nice.

Try saying:

minaka

eye

p

p – as in pour.

Try saying:

vapi

father

r

r – as in run. This isn’t a common sound in Adnyamathanha.

Try saying:

miru

man

t

t – as in time.

Try saying:

nhita

still, quiet

v

v – as in very. This sound is in between an English ‘v’ (very) and an English ‘b’ (but).

Try saying:

virdni

no good

w

w – as in wing.

Try saying:

warndu

good

y

y – as in yellow

Try saying:

yapa

road

SOUNDS WHICH ARE WRITTEN WITH TWO LETTERS

dh

dh – as in dog but with the tip of your tongue between your teeth.

Try saying:

aldha-aldha

happy, joyful

dy

dy – as in fudge and judge.

Try saying:

andyitaka

look after (him)!

lh

lh – as in label but with the tip of your tongue between your teeth.

Try saying:

ulha

a bit

ly

ly – as in million. Never like silly.

Try saying:

milyara

wind

ng

ng – as in sing.

Try saying:

ngurru

grass

nh

nh – as in name but with the tip of your tongue between your teeth.

Try saying:

nhaku

yes

ny

ny – as in onion or canyon. Never like pony.

Try saying:

amanyi

softly, carefully

rd

rd – as in hard said in a North American accent.

Try saying:

urdlu yardli

male red kangaroo

rl

rl – as in curl said in a North American accent.

Try saying:

arlayapi

hand, finger

rn

rn – as in barn said in a North American accent.

Try saying:

aparna

bone marrow

rt

rt – as in art said in a North American accent.

Try saying:

urti

Quandong

rr

rr – this is a ‘rolled’ sound which doesn’t exist in English. It is common in other languages like Spanish. The tip of your tongue touches the ridge behind your front teeth and vibrates there.

arra

high

th

th – as in table but with the tip of your tongue between your teeth.

Try saying:

angatha

nest

ty

ty – as in church.

Try saying:

warndu watya

great

VOWELS

a

a – as in sofa. Never like hate or hat.

Try saying:

awi

water

i

i – as in pit or beet. Never like bite.

Try saying:

ikaka

sit (command)

u

u – as in put. Never like but.

Try saying:

varlu

meat