Also Known As:
Guniyandi, Guniandi, Gunian, Kunian, Kuniyan, Guniyan, Guniyn, Kunan, Koneyandi, Konejandi, Cowrana, Goonien, Gunan, Gunin, Gunyari, Konajan, Konean Konejandi, Konejanu, Kuniandu, Wadeawulu
Dialects & Varieties
A Functional Grammar of Gooniyandi
McGregor, William. 1990. "A Functional Grammar of Gooniyandi." 22: Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Severely Endangered
80 percent certain, based on the evidence available
~100
Native Speakers Worldwide
Domains of Use
Domain Of Use 4
Used mainly only in the home and/or with family, and may not be the primary language even in these domains for many community members.
4
Transmission
Transmission 3
Some adults in the community are speakers, but the language is not spoken by children.
3
Speakers
Native or fluent speakers:
No results found.
Second-language speakers and learners
No results found.
Semi-speakers or rememberers
No results found.
Children:
No results found.
Young adults
Some individuals under 30 can understand but do not speak.
Older adults
All fluent speakers of Gooniyandi are over 30.
Elders
No results found.
Ethnic or community 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.
Year information was gathered
No results found.
Comments on speakers
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."
Location and Context
Countries
Fitzroy Valley, Kimberley, Australia
Location Description
"Southern Kimberley region of Western Australia"
Government Support
No results found.
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.
Speakers' Attitude
No results found.
Other Languages Used By The Community
Kriol, Aboriginal English
Number of Other Language Speakers:
Most of the older generation are bi-/multi-lingual, those under 30 are native speakers of Kriol and Aboriginal English.
Domains of Other Languages:
Intra-group communication (Kriol), with whites (Aboriginal English)
Writing Systems
Standard orthography:
No results found.
Writing system:
McGregor's practical (phonemic) orthography in 1982
Other writing systems used:
Hudson-Street-Chestnut's (non-phonemic) orthography in 1984
Comments on writing systems:
"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.
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.
Recent Resources
参考消息
No results found.