Ngarluma

Ngarluma, also known as Ngaluma, is an Aboriginal Australian language traditionally spoken by the Ngarluma people of the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It is part of the Pama-Nyungan language family. The traditional lands of the Ngarluma people are located around the town of Roebourne, extending inland and along the coast.

Language Status:

Ngarluma is considered a critically endangered language. The number of fluent speakers has dwindled significantly due to historical factors, including government policies and social pressures. Efforts are being made to revitalize the language through community-based language programs, documentation projects, and educational initiatives.

Linguistic Features:

Like other Pama-Nyungan languages, Ngarluma exhibits agglutinative morphology, meaning that words are formed by adding suffixes to roots to indicate grammatical function and meaning. Phonologically, it features a typical Australian Aboriginal consonant inventory, including retroflex consonants and laminal consonants.

Resources and Documentation:

Several resources exist for learning and understanding Ngarluma, including dictionaries, grammars, and collections of traditional stories. These resources are often produced by linguists working in collaboration with the Ngarluma community. Ongoing efforts are focused on expanding the available documentation and ensuring that the language is preserved for future generations.