Endangered Languages Project

ALSO KNOWN AS		Guniyandi, Guniandi, Gunian, Kunian, Kuniyan, Guniyan, Guniyn, Kunan, Koneyandi, Konejandi, Cowrana, Goonien, Gunan, Gunin, Gunyari, Konajan, Konean Konejandi, Konejanu, Kuniandu, Wadeawulu
CLASSIFICATION		Bunaban
ORTHOGRAPHY		McGregor's practical (phonemic) orthography in 1982
CODE AUTHORITY		ISO 639-3
LANGUAGE CODE		gni
DOWNLOAD		As csv
MORE RESOURCES		OLAC search

Compare Sources (5)

Information from: “A Functional Grammar of Gooniyandi” . William McGregor (1990) Amsterdam: John Benjamins

Severely endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available
~100
Native speakers worldwide
Ethnic population
Of the fluent speakers, about half would identify as Gooniyandi people and 'owners'. The remainder are Bunuba, Kija, Jaru, and Walmajarri who have Gooniyandi as a second language.
YOUNG ADULTS
Some individuals under 30 can understand but do not speak.
OLDER ADULTS
All fluent speakers of Gooniyandi are over 30.

DATE OF INFO: 1980 or 1982

DOMAINS OF USE

TRANSMISSION

MORE ON VITALITY

"In speaking to very young children, members of the older -- usually grandparental -- generation frequently use Gooniyandi. Parents usually speak to their children in Kriol... children do generally have some exposure to Gooniyandi, and generally know some of the more comon words... Gooniyandi is thus still in daily use."

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT

After the missionaries' censure of the language in the 50s, there have been several attempts at integrating Gooniyandi into education, all short-lived.

OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY

Kriol
Aboriginal English

LANGUAGE CONTEXT COMMENTS

United Aborigines Mission established a local Mission in 1951. It opened the first school and hostel. In the hostel, native tongues were forbidden, and "this was probably an important factor in the demise of traditional language, and the rise of Kriol."

Scripts (Writing system)

McGregor's practical (phonemic) orthography in 1982

Competing Orthographies

Hudson-Street-Chestnut's (non-phonemic) orthography in 1984

More on Orthography

"Writing was unknown in Aboriginal Australia."

McGregor devised a practical (phonemic) orthography for Gooniyandi in 1982, followed by a Hudson-Street-Chestnut orthography of 1984 but it is non-phonemic and cumbersome.

PLACES: Fitzroy Valley, Kimberley, Australia

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: "Southern Kimberley region of Western Australia"

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
<100
Native speakers worldwide
ELDERS
100

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
60
Native speakers worldwide

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
100
Native speakers worldwide

	2011	How many languages were spoken in Australia?			Also includes subsequent additions by CB directly into ElCat						http://anggarrgoon.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/austlangs-masterlanguagelist-dec2011.xlsx	Claire Bowern	Claire Bowern. 2011. "How Many Languages Were Spoken in Australia?" Online: http://anggarrgoon.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/austlangs-masterlanguagelist-dec2011.xlsx.																				-18.26153435,126.2884882
Studies in Language: Companion Series	1990	A Functional Grammar of Gooniyandi			Publication of 1984 A grammar of Kuniyanti: An Australian Aboriginal language of the Southern Kimberley, Western Australia, PhD U Sydney.		Amsterdam: John Benjamins	22				William McGregor	McGregor, William. 1990. "A Functional Grammar of Gooniyandi." 22: Amsterdam: John Benjamins.	HHOLD	All fluent speakers of Gooniyandi are over 30.	Of the fluent speakers, about half would identify as Gooniyandi people and 'owners'. The remainder are Bunuba, Kija, Jaru, and Walmajarri who have Gooniyandi as a second language.	Some individuals under 30 can understand but do not speak.	~100	1980 or 1982	10-99		Intra-group communication (Kriol), with whites (Aboriginal English)	Kriol, Aboriginal English	United Aborigines Mission established a local Mission in 1951. It opened the first school and hostel. In the hostel, native tongues were forbidden, and "this was probably an important factor in the demise of traditional language, and the rise of Kriol."	After the missionaries' censure of the language in the 50s, there have been several attempts at integrating Gooniyandi into education, all short-lived.	Most of the older generation are bi-/multi-lingual, those under 30 are native speakers of Kriol and Aboriginal English.	Severely Endangered (80 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	13	"In speaking to very young children, members of the older -- usually grandparental -- generation frequently use Gooniyandi. Parents usually speak to their children in Kriol... children do generally have some exposure to Gooniyandi, and generally know some of the more comon words... Gooniyandi is thus still in daily use."	14	Fitzroy Valley, Kimberley, Australia	"Southern Kimberley region of Western Australia"
	2007	Australasia and the Pacific	Atlas of the World's Languages	97-126		R. E. Asher and Christopher Moseley	Routledge			4		Darrell Tryon	Tryon, Darrell. 2007. "Australasia and the Pacific." In Atlas of the World's Languages, edited by R. E. Asher and Christopher Moseley. 97-126. Routledge.					100		100-999							Endangered (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)
	2007	Australasia and the Pacific	Encyclopedia of the World's Endangered Languages	425-577		Christopher Moseley	Routledge		London and New York			Stephen Wurm	Stephen Wurm. 2007. "Australasia and the Pacific." In Encyclopedia of the World's Endangered Languages, edited by Christopher Moseley. 425-577. Routledge.					<100		10-99	100					All speak Kriol	Severely Endangered (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)
		Austlang: Australian Indigenous Languages Database					AIATSIS		Canberra		http://austlang.aiatsis.gov.au		AUSTLANG: Australian Indigenous Languages Database. (19 October, 2009.)	ll_pub				60		10-99							Severely Endangered (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)

Gooniyandi

Language metadata

Language information by source

Severely endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

~100

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

<100

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

60

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

100

Discussion

Gooniyandi

Language metadata

Language information by source

Severely endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

~100

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

<100

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

60

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

100

Discussion

Suggest information or improvement

Download language data

Sources of information

Compare Sources