Lesson 5 – Body parts

Learning the body parts is a really great way to build up your Nukunu vocabulary.

Once we learn some body words we’ll learn the ‘heads, shoulders, knees and toes’ song in Nukunu. It’s a great language resource to sing to younger kids when they’re learning the words for body parts.

Let’s begin with some body part vocabulary

Words for face

kakarti

head

ngarnta

face

ngarra-warlpu

bone of forehead

piku

forehead

mangu

jaw

miina

eyes

mutlha

nose

nyimi

lip, lips

ngarnka

beard

yangka

beard

thaaka

mouth

yaarli

tongue

yanganyi

chin

yiira

teeth

yuṛi

ears

Words for body

kanthi

thigh

kuntu

chest

mampu

knee

maṛa

hand

maṛa-pirrinya

fingernail

marnku

arm

matha

kneecap

minti

naval

munthu

belly

ngami

breast

ngathi-warlpu

leg

ngurnti

neck

pantila

back, spine

parlpa

skin

pirnka

upper thigh, hip

pirrinya

nail, claw

pirrintyi

nail, claw

pitnyu

armpit

puthi

leg hair

thingkityi warlpu

elbow

thitna

foot

thitna-pirrinya

toenail

wakarra

back of neck

wangkinyanika

throat, gullet

wiṛi

shoulder-blade

yartna

back

yurtni

throat

Words for insides

kaaṛu

blood

kuntu-warlpu

breast bone

thangka

liver

warlpu

bone

witli

rib

yartna-warlpu

backbone

yurlku

heart

Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes

Now lets use these body parts we’ve learnt above to sing the ‘heads, shoulders, knees and toes’ song in Nukunu.

Let’s start with the first line.

Kakarti, wiṛi, mampu, thitna.

Head, shoulder-blade, knee, foot.

Now the second.

mampu, thitna; mampu, thitna.

knee, foot; knee, foot.

Now let’s repeat the first line.

Kakarti, wiṛi, mampu, thitna.

Head, shoulder-blade, knee, foot

Here is the final line.

Ngayi Nukunu wangkatya.

I am speaking Nukunu.

Here is the first verse, all in one go.

Kakarti, wiṛi, mampu, thitna; Mampu, thitna; mampu, thitna; Kakarti, wiṛi, mampu, thitna; Ngayi Nukunu wangkatya;

Head, shoulder-blade, knee, foot; Knee, foot; knee, foot; Head, shoulder-blade, knee, foot; I am speaking Nukunu.

Let’s move on to the second verse.

Miina, yuṛi, thaaka, mutlha,

Eyes, ears, mouth, nose

And the second line.

Thaaka, mutlha; thaaka, mutlha.

Mouth, nose; mouth, nose

Now let’s repeat the first line again.

Miina, yuṛi, thaaka, mutlha,

Eyes, ears, mouth, nose

Now here’s the final line.

Nhiina Nukunu wangkatya.

You are speaking Nukunu.

Now let’s put the whole second verse together.

Miina, yuṛi, thaaka, mutlha; Thaaka, mutlha, thaaka, mutlha; Miina, yuṛi, thaaka, mutlha: Nhiina Nukunu wangkatya.

Eyes, ears, mouth, nose; mouth, nose, mouth nose; Eyes, ears, mouth, nose; You are speaking Nukunu