Nn

nabey-ma-yi       
infl. verb (intr.)
root -nyar-ma-; past -yi; also nabeyh n.f. pfv
 
to be hungry
Gi-nabey-ma-n. 'We are hungry.' (LM, text)
Jamh mu-di danganyin warri-buga, gorro menuny nabeyh mu-yama-guju! 'Eat up your tucker, kids, or later you'll get hungry!'
nabijiji       
nominal
dialect HL
 
eyebrow
nagitj-ja       
coverb (tr.)
 
to humbug, annoy, bother
Nagitj-ja ngan-ma-n mahan warren- yi ma-bu-min getna! 'This kid is humbugging me. I'm going to give him a good hiding!' (LM)
 
see also nu-nagitj.
nalyirri       
nominal
 
female skin name
namawu       
nominal
 
more
Jamba mu-ya namawu dup-ba mu-yu one place! 'Don't you lot go away any more, you sit down one place!' (LM, text)
Danganyin namawu mani-nawu jamh-ma! 'Give me more tucker to eat!' (LM)
nambijina       
nominal
 
female skin name
namija       
nominal
 
female skin name
namorran       
nominal
variant namurran (HL)
 
scorpion
nanagu       
nominal
 
female skin name
nanarrih-ma       
coverb (intr.)
 
to get lost, to get bushed
Gahan mamin nanarrih-ma ga-ya. 'That white man is lost in the bush.' (HL)
nanda-yi       
infl. verb (tr.)
root -nanda-; past -yi; ppfv -ny
 
to see, look at, watch
"Ginggu-nanda-ngana gahan Japanese-ma" ya-jan nganung. '"The Japanese might see us," she said to me.' (LM, text)
"Mu-nanda-ji" ya-jan ngerreju. "Dowh ngunggu-ra" yaha-ny. '"You lot watch out for yourselves," he said to us. "He might shoot you," he said.' (LM, text)
Jamba gi-dipba-ngana danganyin mahan berde-yen. Guda, gi-nanda-gardu mangiman. 'We can't cook tucker here. The policeman might see the fire.' (LM, text)
Nibulin wayi-tjjalbu ginggu-nanda-n-ngana. 'He's looking at us with narrow eyes.' (PH)
 
see also let-da.
nangala       
nominal
 
female skin name
nangalan       
nominal
dialect HL, PH, LL
 
spoonbill Platalea flavipes & regia
 
note: The flesh can be cooked and eaten.
 
see also beretjjin.
nangari       
nominal
 
female skin name
nangayh-ma       
coverb (ambitr.)
 
to wave, to wave at
Nangayh-nangay-ma nga-yu nung. "Mamak!" ngaha nung. 'I'm waving to him. "Goodbye!" I say to him.' (LM)
Nangayh-ma ngan-bu-n. 'He's waving at me.' (HL)
nanghnang-nga       
coverb (intr.)
 
to hit clapsticks
Nanghnangh ngi-bu-ng, wangga. 'We hit clapsticks, a corroboree.' (LM)
nangh-nga       
coverb (tr.)
 
to knock down
Gahan gurruwitj, nangh berrh nga-ngan-la-ng-ma. 'That car, it nearly knocked me over.' (LM)
na-ni1       
infl. verb (intr.)
variant na-ndi (HL, opt.)
root -na-; past -ni ~ -ndi (HL); ppfv -ng
 
to become
Buluman now ba-na-ni-guju ba-di-nya jorro-ma. 'They have grown big now and come back.' (LM, text)
na-ni2       
infl. verb (ambitr.)
root -na-; past -ni
   1.
to burn
Burrngburrng-nga na-ni wahan. 'The water boiled.'
Bilh-bil-ma mi-bu welek gu-ma, ngarrngarr-ma gu-na-n! 'Fan that fire, and it will blaze up!'
Wolon gahan ga-na-n. 'The grass is burning'
Ngurru-yi ngunyju-na-ni gumit. Wirril-ma gi-yu. 'The sun has burnt your skin. It's red.'
   2.
to cook
Wirriny-wirriny ngi-ra-ng-guju. Na-ni. Dorroh ngi-ma-ny-guju. 'We turned it over. It was cooked. We pulled it off.'
nan-na       
coverb (intr.)
 
to be caught up or hooked up; to catch up or hook up
Woyoworin narn-na ma-yi ngani-ma. 'The fishing line got hooked up on me.' (LM)
Nga-nga-rinyi-ng gahan, narn-narn ngan-ma-n-ma garatjjin-yi. 'I nearly fell over, because the grass caught me up.' (LM)
Nan-na ga-yu motorcar-ba gahan caravan. 'The caravan is hooked onto the car.' (HL)
nap-ba       
coverb (tr.)
   1.
to be sticking to something
Barnanyin nap-ba ngan-le-n-ma, nap-nap ngan-ma-n lari. 'The honey is sticking to me, sticking to my arm.' (LM)
   2.
to stick together, to join, to attach
Nge-ge-jan-wu, nap-ba martdal-laying. 'We used to attach (horseshoes) to the horses' feet.' (PH, text)
   3.
to fit
Mahan maminakpu dress. Nap-ba ngan-ma-n mahan lawel-yi. 'This dress is good. It fits me well.' (HL)
nardal       
nominal
   1.
hand
Gahan nardal nyinyi-ma ga-ba-yu-guju. 'They are shaking hands.' (LM)
   2.
finger
   3.
day
Nardal neyenggun nga-ya-nggi. 'I went the other day.' (LM)
Nardal larima nungarin, ngi-di-jan jorro-ma. 'After three days, we used to come back.' (LM, text)
   4.
times
Nardal larima-wu, nga-ya-nggi jorro-jorro. 'I went back twice (two times).' (LM)
narigalin       
nominal
 
kindling wood
Guda deworn mi-bu! Narigalin me-ge! 'Make a fire! Put the kindling wood on!' (LM)
narratj-ja       
coverb (intr.)
 
to billow up
Narratj-ja ga-ma-n eh, guda magu ga-na-n lawh-ma. 'The smoke is billowing up, eh, there's a fire burning over there.' (HL)
narrh-ma       
coverb (tr.)
 
to shave
Narrh nga-ma-ji-na dawu nganing-gin. 'I shaved off my beard.' (LM)
Dawu narrh-ma nga-ma-ji-n. 'I'm shaving off my whiskers.' (PH)
narrinyh-nya       
coverb (tr.)
 
to scratch
Narrinyh-narrinyh nga-ma-ji-n-ma yerryerr-yi ngan-la-n. 'I'm scratching myself because I've got ringworm.' (LM)
narrng-nga       
coverb (intr.)
 
to be bogged
Narrng-nga ga-yu motorcar. 'The car is bogged.' (HL)
nart-da       
coverb (intr.)
 
to be ready
Bitjjirriny nga-bu-ng. Ga-yu, nart-da ngonong-nga. 'I rolled (my swag) up. It's ready to go.' (LM)
natjjin       
nominal
 
taro Colocasia esculenta
natjjin-nehen       
nominal
 
strong
Wuji debet ngi-bu-ng natjjin-nehen. 'You didn't tie it strong.'
nawu-ndi       
infl. verb (tr.)
root -nawu-; past -ndi; ppfv -ng
 
to give
Marlarluga gornkorn-na ga-ba-yu, matjjin ga-ba-nawu-ji-n. 'The old men are talking, giving each other stories.' (PH)
Gayh-gorden-yi ba-nawu-ndi danganyin gahan gay-giwu. 'That mob gave tucker to those two.' (HL)
Ngany-nawu-ndi danganyin. 'I gave you tucker.' (HL)
Marluga-yi ngan-nawu-ng gahan marluga. 'My father gave me (in marriage) to that old man.' (LM)
Gornkorn-na mama nga-nawu-ji-n matjjin. 'I say words to myself all the time.' (PH)
 
see also lut-da.
nawurla       
nominal
 
female skin name
nehe-ndi       
infl. verb (tr.)
root -ne-; past -ndi; ppfv -ng
   1.
to step on
Balp-ba nga-nehe-ndi durrin. 'I stepped on a snake.' (HL)
   2.
to do something involving your feet (in complex predicates)
Britj-ja nga-nehe-ndi. 'I slipped over.' (HL)
 
see also balp-ba.
nendo       
nominal
 
horse Equus caballus
Jorro-ma warh-ma-yan nendo ba-ya-ngga-jan lek-ga jorro-ma-wa Oolloo-ga. 'They used to ride their horses back down to Oolloo.' (PH, text)
nengh-nga       
coverb (tr.)
   1.
to hit
Nengh nga-bu-ng borndedi gahan, dorl-dorl nga-bu-ng. 'I hit that billycan, made it resound.' (LM)
   2.
to kill
Nengh mi-bu-min gahan jilimakgun! 'We'll kill that woman!' (LM, text)
neret-da       
coverb (intr.)
 
to scrape together
Neret-da ga-ba-ni wir-giwu. 'Two trees are scraping together.' (HL)
nerran       
nominal
variant nehrran (HL)
 
ironwood Erythrophleum chlorostachys
Train-gu ba-dipba-yi nganku-ma, nerran ba-bu-ni, nerran, railway line. 'They made the railway line out of ironwood sleepers.' (LM)
 
note: The ironwood tree has many uses. The wood is very hard and heavy. It can be used for fence posts, throwing sticks, hook spears and fighting sticks, and it lasts a long time. The gum can be eaten; it is sweet and sticky, like toffee. The leaves can be used as fish poison. After the leaves have placed in a waterhole, the water cannot be drunk until the waterhole has been flushed out by heavy rain. The smoke from burning the green leaves is used in the cleansing stages of funeral ceremonies. Finally, the leaves can also be used medicinally. They are heated on a fire and placed directly against any painful area and held there. This relieves the pain. When the leaves are heated or burnt they make a crackling sound, and the healing power of this tree is linked to the crackling noise as it releases energy.
 
see also galin, wumirr.
newh-ma       
coverb (tr.)
 
to grab
Duh ga-ba-ra-n-guju. Neyenggun newh ga-ma-n. 'They're kicking (a ball) about. The other one grabs it.' (LM)
Gayh-yi warreh-yi newh ma-ny nganing-gin garradin durdurt ya-nginy. 'That kid grabbed my money and ran off.' (HL)
neyenggun       
nominal
variant neyonggorn (HL, LL)
   1.
other
Baning-nga mu-yama? Neyenggun-a jilimakgun woerrkge-ma gu-ya now! 'What are you lot doing? The other women should be working now.' (LM, text)
   2.
another
Jahan neyonggorn matjjin maha-hmin? 'What's another story I can tell?' (HL, text)
neywornh-na       
coverb (intr.)
variant niwarnh-na (LL)
 
to sneak up
Neywornh-na di-nya nguynguy-ma. 'He came sneaking up at night.' (LM, text)
Neywornh-na bunggu-rabu-ndi, ngerrp ma-ny gahan mamin. 'He snuck up on them, and knifed that white man.' (HL, text)
nibulin       
nominal
stem nibul-
   1.
eye
Wir-yi durrp-ba ngan-bu-ni nibulin. 'The stick poked me in the eye.' (PH)
   2.
face
Dewh ngaha-ny-ma, nibulin. 'My face went white (in fear).' (LM)
   3.
sweetheart
Nibulin nganing-gin gahan jilimakgun. 'That woman is my sweetheart.' (PH)
   4.
seed
Nibulin gahan garratjjin-gunda ga-rinyi-n. 'Seeds are falling from the grass.' (LM)
niburtdan       
nominal
 
red-flowered kurrajong, also called wild corn Brachychiton paradoxum & megaphyllus
 
note: The red flowers indicate that freshwater crocodiles are laying their eggs in the sandy banks of rivers. The eggs can be dug up, cooked and eaten. The seeds, which taste similar to sweet corn, are good to eat. The fruit are collected and then lightly burnt on a fire to cook the seeds and remove the itchy hairs, which surround the seeds and cover the fruit. The swollen tap-root of small plants can be dug up and lightly roasted on coals, after which the inner pale flesh is eaten. The stringy outer bark of young plants can be stripped off and made into string or rope.
niganday       
nominal
   1.
long
Gahan yakba, gidurtdal niganday. 'The freshwater crocodile has a long snout.' (TB)
   2.
tall
Ni-ganda-ganday na-ni. Berlin-ga ga-yu nganung kordal. 'She has grown tall. Her head reaches my shoulder now.' (LM)
 
note: Often reduplicated ni-ganda-ganday.
niji       
nominal
 
uncle
 
see also niji-mang.
niji-mang       
nominal
 
uncle
 
see also niji.
nimarra       
nominal
 
female skin name
nimbarrguy       
nominal
dialect HL, LL
 
ibis spp. Various taxa
 
note: The flesh can be cooked and eaten.
nimbutj-ja       
coverb (tr.)
 
to hunt away, to chase off
Warre-buga-yi, liwha ga-boro-n garden. Nibutj-ja mi-ba-bu! 'The kids are messing up the garden. Chase them away!' (HL)
 
see also yinboyh-ma.
nimnim-ma       
coverb (tr.)
 
to paint dots
Nimnim-ma ba-ge-ng barlarin ngonong-nga, burrhburr-may-gu. 'They painted dots on him with white ochre like that for dancing.' (LM)
nimurdal       
nominal
 
tooth, teeth
Nimurdal wunh-na ga-ya gahan, dorroh gu-ya. 'His tooth is aching, maybe it will come out.' (LM)
ni-nginy       
infl. verb (intr.)
root -ni-; past -nginy; pres ; no distinct ppfv, phab or irr/fut
   1.
to be
Ba-ni-nginy mayh-ba wajarra nguyhnguy, nu-naw-ma. 'Lots of flying foxes were here in the night.' (HL)
Yondorrin-leying yurrup-ba nga-ni-nginy. 'I was standing on the road.' (PH)
   2.
to do something while stationary (in complex predicates)
Jemen-na-wa nga-ni-nginy gornkorn-na ba-ni-nginy-wa. 'I heard them talking.' (PH, text)
ninibing       
nominal
variant nini
 
double-barred finch Poephila bichenovii
nirra-mang       
nominal
 
father
Nirra-mang nganing-gin mangiman-yi bunggu-ma-yi. 'A policeman got my father and another man.' (LL, text)
Nirra-mang mayh-gorden-gu, warri-buga-gu nganing-gin-gu. 'He is the father of this lot, my children.' (HL, text)
 
see also nirrang, ngatjja1.
nirrang       
nominal
 
father
Gahan nirrang nganing-gin gay-gordin, marlarluga. 'Those old men are my fathers.' (LM)
 
see also nirra-mang, ngatjja1.
no-belenga       
nominal
 
clear, transparent
No-belenga mahan tea-ma. 'This tea is too weak.' (LM)
no-berlberlin       
nominal
   1.
flat
Gunyjan no-berlberlin me-ge yowtj-ja! 'Find some flat ground (to sleep on)!' (HL)
   2.
bandy-legged
No-berlberlin labali ga-ga-n. 'He is bandy-legged.' (HL)
no-bordeyk       
nominal
 
pigeon-toed
No-bordeyk-no-bordeyk ga-ya wilh-ma. Ginmarrin lihwa ma-yi. 'He walks pigeon-toed. His tendons are no good.'
no-bordik-ga       
nominal
variant no-bordek-ga (LL, HL)
   1.
soft
   2.
sticky
Mahan danganyin no-bordek-ga. 'This tucker is sticky.' (LL)
no-boritj-ja       
nominal
variant nu-britj-ja (HL)
 
slippery
Ngendek gahan lihwa ga-ya, no-boritj-ja. 'That mud is no good. It's slippery.' (LM)
 
see also borotj-ja.
no-borrongh-nga       
nominal
 
swaggerer
No-borrong, wilh-ma ga-ya, let mama ga-nanda-ji-n. 'He's a flash bugger, he swaggers about looking at himself.' (PH)
 
see also borrongh-nga.
no-dew-ma       
nominal
 
white
Bapbu gahan no-dew-ma. 'The Burdekin duck is white.' (LM)
 
see also dew-ma.
no-dong-nga       
nominal
 
crooked
No-dong-nga yondorin. 'The road is crooked.' (PH)
 
see also dong-nga1.
no-gerek-ga       
nominal
   1.
blind in one eye
Nibulin nu-gerek-ga. 'She is half blind.' (LM)
   2.
cross-eyed
nogo       
nominal
dialect PH, LL
 
heron
no-gobeyhgobey       
nominal
 
liar
Gahan lagiban no-gobeyhgobey ga-ya. 'That man is a liar.' (LM)
 
see also gobe-na.
no-gorritj-ja       
nominal
dialect HL, PH
 
nice
Maman mahan danganyin, no-gorritj-ja. 'This tucker is good, it is nice.' (PH)
 
see also gorritj-ja.
no-gorrng       
nominal
variant no-gorng (HL)
   1.
sour
Gahan yilkgawu lihwa-tjjondony gahan danganyin. No-gorrng-gin ga-ya. 'That tucker is awful. It is really sour.' (LM)
   2.
beer
Gahan wah-gu-ma nu-minyjan-gu ga-ya no-gorrng-gu wahan. 'He is after beer.' (LM)
 
see also wahan.
nombol-ma       
coverb (tr.)
dialect PH
 
to skin
Gumit, nombol-ma ngi-bu-ni. 'We skinned it.' (PH)
no-mele-ma       
nominal
 
black
 
see also mele-ma.
no-mojon       
nominal
   1.
strange, stranger
Gahan no-mojon lagiban ga-di-n. 'A stranger is coming up.' (LM)
Ngi-ya-nggi lahan gahan no-mojon ngi-nanda-yi? 'Did you go and see that strange country?' (LM)
   2.
different
Ala-yi jowk ngan-la-ng magu, school nga-ya-nggi magu-ma, lahan neyenggun, no-mojon lahan. 'My mother sent me to school in a another, different place.' (LM)
no-moritj-ja       
nominal
dialect HL
 
docile
no-mornde-mang       
nominal
 
grandfather (father's father)
 
see also derde.
no-morrol-ma       
nominal
dialect PH
 
shame
Dorrh-ma-ba ba-gondo-yi, nganing-gin borndedi. No-morrol-ma-nehen! 'They've put a hole in my billycan. They've got no shame!' (PH)
 
see also morrol-ma.
nonggega       
pronoun
3sg. base
 
he, she, it
Nonggega ga-bu-ng, ngagun-wu ngan-bu-ni-ma. 'It was him that he should have hit, but he hit me.'
 
note: This word is rare; it is much more common to use gahan or mahan instead.
no-ngolong       
nominal
 
husband
no-nyerrengh-nga       
nominal
 
noisy
Nyenh-na ma-yobe-ja-min. No-nyerrengh-nga mu-ya-ngga-ja ngatjbarra! 'I want to sit down quiet. You noisy lot go far away!' (LM)
 
see also nyerrengh-nga.
nordorrp       
nominal
dialect HL, LL
 
kingfisher spp. Various taxa
 
note: This is a general word for all kinds of kingfishers. Kingfishers are mainly seen near water or in forests hunting for insects.
nornh-na       
coverb (intr.)
   1.
to be in a line
Nornh-na ga-ba-yu. 'They are lined up.' (LM)
   2.
to be together
Norn-na-wu ba-ya-nggi warri-buga may-gunda. 'The kids went off from here together.' (LM)
 
see also dorrng-nga.
no-roh-ma       
nominal
 
light
Ngagun nga-ya gornkorn-na no-roh-ma. 'Me, I talk light.' (LM)
No-roh-ma gahan warren. 'That kid is very light.' (HL)
no-wern-na       
nominal
 
troublemaker
 
see also wern-na.
no-wertwert-da       
nominal
dialect HL
 
greedy
 
see also wertwert.
no-wewa       
nominal
 
thief
Gahan neyenggun ngal-martdiwa magu ya-nggi woerrkgi-ma no-wewa ga-ya! 'That other old lady who worked over there was a thief!' (LM, text)
 
see also wewa, wewa-yan.
nu-barhbar-in       
nominal
dialect PH
 
blunt
Knife nganing-gin nu-barhbar-in. 'My knife is blunt.' (PH)
 
see also barhbar-ma-yi.
nu-barhbar-ma       
nominal
dialect HL
 
tired
Magu jilimakgun, nu-barhbar-ma. 'That woman over there is tired.' (HL)
 
see also barhbar-ma-yi.
nu-barndelk       
nominal
variant nu-barndet (PH)
 
bullant
Nu-barndelk-yi ngan-badi-na. 'A bull ant bit me.' (LL)
nu-bitjji-ma       
nominal
   1.
rolled up
Marnapbam ga-yu nganung, nu-bitjji-ma-garang, lahan, ma-ya-min. 'My swag is rolled up and ready for me to go.'
   2.
twisted
 
see also bitjirriny-nya.
nu-bulbulp-ba       
nominal
variant nu-bulpbulp-ba (HL, PH)
 
hairy
Nu-bulbulp-ba ga-yu lamarra. 'The dog is hairy.' (LM)
 
see also bulbulp-ba, laberri-warin.
nubuny       
nominal
 
young boy
Mahan wayi-tjjalbu nubuny ga-di-n dangany-garrang! 'Here comes a young boy with food!' (HL)
 
note: A nubuny has not yet been put through the law.
nu-buyp-ba       
nominal
 
smoky-eyed
 
see also buyp-ba.
nu-dardatj-ja       
nominal
   1.
tough
Nu-dardatj-ja gahan lamang. Jamba, gin-badi. 'This beef is tough. We can't bite it.' (LM)
   2.
tight
 
see also dardatj-ja.
nugan       
nominal
 
little boy
Gahan nugan wayi-tjjalbu ga-ndi marluga-yi den-nay-gu guda. 'The old man took the little boy to chop wood.' (LM)
nu-gartgart       
nominal
 
laughing person
Gartgart-da ga-ya yimbama. Nu-gartgart ga-ya. 'He is always laughing. He is a real laugher.'
 
see also gartgart-da.
nu-gidik-ga       
nominal
 
teasing one
 
see also gidik-ga.
nu-gujakgin       
nominal
 
bitter, sour
Gay-giwu ga-ba-ya wahan nu-gujakgin ga-ba-da-ma. 'Those two are going along drinking beer.' (LM)
Danganyin mahan lihwa-tjjondony, nu-gujakgin. 'This tucker is no good. It is bitter.' (LL)
nu-gurk-ga       
nominal
dialect PH
 
lumpy
Nu-gurk-ga danganyin. 'The tucker is lumpy.' (PH)
 
see also gurk-ga.
nu-jabing-nga       
nominal
 
half-caste
Ga-di-n warri-giwu-gu-ma nu-jabing-nga-nu-jabing-nga-gu gu-ga-min, muny-baban, Melville Island-ga-ma. 'He's coming for the two half-caste kids. He wants to take them to Melville Island.' (LM, text)
nu-jabirng-nga       
nominal
   1.
soft
Nu-jabirng-nga ga-yu. Gitjjiya-ma-gu dowk guu-yarra. 'It (the boil) is soft. Today it will burst.' (PH)
   2.
wrinkled up
Lihwa-tjjondony mahan danganyin. Nu-jabirng-nga ga-ya. Berrh mu-ra! 'This tucker is no good. It's all wrinkled up. You lot throw it away!' (LM)
 
see also jabirng-nga.
nu-jabutj       
nominal
   1.
grandfather (mother's father)
   2.
grandchild (from a man to his daughter's children)
 
see also jabutj, nu-jabutj-mang.
nu-jabutj-mang       
nominal
   1.
grandfather (mother's father)
Nu-jabutj-mang-garang ga-di-n. 'He's coming up with his grandfather.' (LM)
   2.
grandchild (from a man to his daughter's children)
 
see also jabutj, nu-jabutj.
nu-jagu       
nominal
 
left handed
Ngagun maman nardal, lari, gahan-di nu-jagu ga-ya. 'I am right handed, but he is left handed.' (LM)
nulin       
nominal
 
grass lily
 
see also nulugurin.
nulugurin       
nominal
 
grass lily
 
see also nulin.
nu-minyjan       
nominal
   1.
cheeky
Gordal-yi ba-di-jan wahan numinya-nu-minyjan, lagiban-buga wihya. 'The bosses used to drink beer, but the Aboriginal men didn't.' (PH, text)
Nu-minyjan gi-ya nubuny nyenh-na mi-yobe! 'You're cheeky, little boy. You sit quiet!' (LM)
   2.
dangerous
Jamba maji-yan gu-ya gawu-leying durrin gawu ga-yu nu-minyjan! 'Don't play there! There's a poisonous snake!' (LM)
   3.
hot like chili
nu-nagitj       
nominal
 
humbugging, annoying, bothersome
Ngi-warle-na-ngana gahan warri-buga. Nu-nagitj ga-ba-ya. 'We told the kids off. They are annoying.' (LM)
 
see also nagitj-ja.
nu-naw-ma       
nominal
 
lots, big mob
Ngi-ma-jan nu-naw-ma lamang gahan, marnamnyan, ngi-ma-jan gahan. 'We used to get lots of that game, barramundi. We used to get that.' (LM, text)
Wolon-leying nu-naw-ma jamh-ma-yan ba-ya-ngga-jan nendo. 'A big mob of horses used to feed on the grass.' (PH, text)
nu-nawuja       
nominal
 
heavy
Lahan mahan nu-nawuja nga-ga-n-ma jununy-nyay-gu. 'This swag is heavy for me to carry.' (LM)
 
see also gu-nawutj-jan.
nung       
pronoun
3sg. dative/oblique
 
to him, to her, to it
Tea boil-im ba-yama-jan nung. 'They used to boil tea for him.' (HL, text)
Berrh la-ng nung gori. 'She threw the charcoal to her.' (LM, text)
nu-ngaba       
nominal
 
son
 
note: Used by mothers to refer to their sons.
 
see also ngaba, ngal-ngaba.
nungarin       
nominal
stem nungar-
 
one
Nungarin whitefella di-nya Burandi-gunda. 'There was a white man who came from Burandi.' (HL, text)
"Mu-yobe lahan nungarin!" ya-jan ngerreju. '"You sit down one place!" he used to say to us.' (LM, text)
nung-gin       
pronoun
3sg. genitive
 
his, hers, its
Boyh ngaha-ny-ma lawar nung-gin maman. 'I've forgotten his proper name.'
nurdakgan       
nominal
 
brushtail possum Trichosurus vulpecula
Nurdakgan wir-laying ga-yu darrp-ba. 'There is a possum up in the tree.' (LL)
 
note: The meat is good to eat. Possums are found in hollow trees and logs.
nu-wapba-mang       
nominal
 
brother
Jahan-gu jert-da ngan-bu-n nu-wapba-mang-yi? 'Why is my brother blocking me off from my family?' (HL)
 
see also baba.
nu-wijam       
nominal
 
ignorant
Lahan gahan wuji, nu-wijam nga-ya nung gahan lahan. 'I don't know about that country.' (LM)
nu-wirril-ma       
nominal
 
red
Nu-wirril-ma jarruk birriman. 'The boil is big and red.' (PH)
 
see also wirril-ma.
nu-yawuy       
nominal
 
pregnant
nu-yimimi       
nominal
 
possessive, selfish, a 'dog in the manger'
Nu-yimimi ga-ya lagiban, jilimakgu-gu gahan. Nu-yiyimimi ga-ya. 'He is possessive of that woman. He's a possessive person.'
 
see also yimimi.

Copyright © 1999-2001 AIATSIS, Stephen Wilson. Comments and enquiries to Stephen Wilson <stephenw@ucla.edu>.