The Languages of the Kimberley, Western Australia

The Kimberley, the far north-west of Australia, is one of the most linguistically diverse regions of the continent. Some fifty-five Aboriginal languages belonging to five different families are spoken within its borders. Few of these languages are currently being passed on to children, most of whom speak Kriol (a new language that arose about half a century ago from an earlier Pidgin English) or Aboriginal English (a dialect of English) as their mother tongue and usual language of communication. This book describes the Aboriginal languages spoken today and in the recent past in this region. The main features are of their grammars are outlined, including their sounds and word and sentence structures. In addition, there is discussion of how they are related to one another, how they were and are used in conversational interactions, and their roles and uses in traditional and modern speech communities.

William B. McGregor is Professor of Linguistics at Aarhus University.