Lesson 8 – Location and Direction

In this lesson we will be learning how to say ‘this’, ‘that’, ‘here’ and ‘there’, as well as learning how to talk about the location of people and things.

Check out this video related to talking about locations and directions once you have finished this lesson:

Location and Directions

This and that

The Arabana language has a different way of talking about distances and space compared with English. In Arabana there are multiple words for ‘that’ which refer to increasingly larger distances away from the speaker.

nhiki

this, here

Karla nhiki ngadlarra-purru.

This creek is sandy.

karla means creek, ngadlarra means sandy, -purru means having.

awarda

that, there

Madla awarda thangkarda.

That dog is sitting down.

madla means dog and thangkarda means sitting

akuru

that, bit further over there

Nharla akuru tharkarnda.

That man over there is standing up.

nharla means man and tharkarnda means standing.

akarda

that, over there

Kardiri akarda.

That hill over there.

kardiri means hill

awarnda

that, way over there

Awarnda-ru yukaka.

(He) came from way over there.

the ending -ru means from and yuka- means come

NOTE: All of these words are pronouns. This means they have different forms depending on how they are used in a sentence. For example nhiki has an accusative form ‘nhikinha’ and an allative (to, towards) form ‘nhikirnda’ which are commonly used. For more information about Pronouns check out this lesson.

Talking about where someone or something is

-warra

in the direction of (suffix)

awarda-warra

in that direction

nhiki-warra

in this direction

Marree-warra yukarnda.

(I'm) going in the direction of Marree

yuka- means go.

Anpa akarli-warra yukarnda.

You're going in the wrong direction.

anpa means you, akarli means wrong and yuka- means go

ngapara

behind

Antha ngapara yukarnda.

I'm walking behind (someone).

antha means I and yuka- means walk

ipara

ahead of, in front of

Antha ipara yukarnda.

I'm walking ahead (of someone)

antha means I and yuka- means walk

pangki

besides, side of

Uka pitha pangki-ra tharkarnda.

She’s standing to the side of the tree.

uka means she, pitha means tree and tharka- means stand

maruda

across from, other side

Uka karla maruda yukarnda.

He’s walking on the other side of the creek.

uka means he, karla means creek and yuka- means walk

ampurdu

middle, centre

Wardu ngawili-kaṟi ampurdu-nga thangkarda.

The child is sitting in the middle of his aunties.

wardu means child, ngawili-kaṟi means aunties, the ending -nga means in and thangka- means sit

ararda

above, high

Paya nyinta-nga ararda thangkarda.

The birds are sitting high in the tree.

paya means birds, nyinta means tree, the ending -nga means in and thangka- means sit

thuru

inside, under

Aṟi warli thuṟu-nga thangkarda.

We are sitting inside the house.

aṟi means we all, warli means house, the ending -nga means in and thangka- means sit

ngaṟu-nga

deep inside

Mingka ngaṟu-nga.

Deep inside a burrow.

mingka means hole or burrow

parlu

outside

Uka warli-nga-ru parlu tharkarnda.

He’s standing outside of the house.

uka means he, warli means house, the ending -nga means at, the ending -ru means from and tharka- means stand

Talking about how close or far away someone or something is

warritha

far

Antha warritha-nganha.

I'm originally from far away.

antha means I and the ending -nganha means originally from

Antha karla-ru warritha tharkarnda.

I’m standing far from the creek.

antha means I, karla means creek, the ending -ru means from and tharka- means stand

yathara

further on, beyond

Antha Marree yathara yukarnda.

I’m going beyond Marree.

antha means I and yuka- means go

yadla

Antha karla yadla-nga tharkarnda.

I’m standing close to the creek.

antha means I, karla means creek, the ending -nga means at and tharka- means stand

muntuli

around about here

Antha kurdaka muntuli-nga.

I’ve camped around about here before.

antha means I, kurda- means to camp and the ending -nga means at