Researching Language
First and foremost i have listened Ngaraguun over the many years, hearing and learning of the tongue Dalang everyday since. I must pay credit to the numerous elder folk that have guided us during the creation of the Dharug Dalang. Didjurigura to our elder men Guwan Kenny WEBB and Wurrai JUNE and NINA (Alma) Didjurigurr to our elder women.
I like numerous people have been captivated by all the written accounts of our earliest histories. As early as the first intitial accounts of interaction there had been diolouge between the British and Iyura peoples, Sir DAWES. William. JUDGE ADVOCATE COLLINS. David. MAJOR TENCH. Watkin. GOVERNOR PHILLIP. Arthur. Have all at one time during the intial incursion of 1788 at Wangal, had been exponents of the Dalang and proficiant speakers. It is due to these efforts that the paticular Dalang belonging to this format is and has been continually studied by the scholastics both here and abroad during the years of first contact and including into present day 2010.
Notwithstanding, there has been much work done on language reclamation, which is background to the present efforts. We want people to understand how difficult and time consuming this process is, to be patient as we build up the resources, and to support our efforts with what you know of the Dharug language. regardless of what one may read, albeit written by another; I have to study the language everyday of the week, i have conditioned myself to into systematically answering my phone in the Dalang. No living human being is an expert of our grandmothers Dalang, we may accept exponent as a term for the understanding of the tongue is still evolving.
6-12 pm: Budyari Mullinawul. Good morning (mullinawul for the present and passing of the morning.
12-6 pm: Budyari Gumarah. Good afternoon ( Goomara, Goomarra Gumara are words closely associated with the setting sun and the coming of night when the Goomdah Goomada Gumada spirit enters camp.
6-12 am: Budyari Ngutti. Good evening. Nangami budyari sleep well.
Nevertheless, language in itself cannot be defined to the scripted form if only related to the page and or documentation, especially when concerning the processes of revitalisation of endangered languages such as our own unique tones of tongue.
We must practice the lessons, be they the simple nursery tunes, we must take into consideration songs with known melodies help young students to reclaim the language.
'Accepting into the tune that Mary has become 'Marii' a black Kangaroo'
'Marii buru, butu buru, ininniyah, buruwa yan'
Marii Old kangaroo, black kangaroo, coming down, going up' Yan: Go, going.
In 2009 ABC radio recorded a show on 'Dying words' (see summary of show here). The interview is about the book Dying Words: Endangered Languages and What They Have to Tell Us by Nicolas Evans. It is published by Wiley-Blackwell