A grammar of the Diyari language of north-east South Australia

Abstract

Diyari is an Australian language spoken by approximately twenty five people living at various places in the north east of South Australia. It consists of two dialects, Dhirari with one remaining speaker, and Diyari proper, The future of the language is not bright as children are no longer learning to speak it and the youngest fluent speaker is aged about fifty. The language seems to be most closely related to Ngamini and Yarluyandi once spoken to the north of the pre-contact location of the Diyari along Cooper’s Creek. This thesis is a description of the phonology, morphology and syntax of Diyari, with an emphasis on exemplification of points being explained. Where possible, examples are drawn from texts, especially the two texts included as Appendices. Throughout the description of the morphology and syntax comparative data from other Australian languages, in particular those languages once spoken near Diyari, are included as single spaced comments. Some areas of the grammar are dealt with in greater detail than others, including: a) the status of the phonemic voicing contrast in the apical stops, b) the classification of main verbs, c) the auxiliary verbs, d) the functions of the cases, and e) subordination and the switch-reference systems. Some points of wider theoretical interest arc raised in these sections. There are three Appendices consisting of two texts, a discussion of Diyari songs and notes on loan words.