Diary of ten years eventful life of an early settler in Western Australia and also A descriptive vocabulary of the language of the aborigines/A descriptive vocabulary of the language in common use amongst the aborigines of Western Australia/Part 1/N
N.
Năbbow, v.—Pres. part., Nabbowin; past tense, Nabbilga. To rub on; to anoint. Wilgi năbbow, to rub on the red earth which, mixed with grease, serves for ornament, and for protection against sun and flies.
Naga, dem. pron.—This; that.
Nagabel, dem. pron.—That very (thing).
Nagăl, a.—Friendly; peaceable; quiet; amicable—as, Nagal nginnowin, sitting together in a friendly manner.
Nagal-yăng, s.—A thief; a robber. See Ngagylyang.
Naganok, proper name—One of the family divisions among the natives. They are Matta Gyn with the Gnotak. See Ballarok.
Năgga, s.—Cold. Used frequently adjectively.
Naggamăn, a.—Cold.
Nagkan, s.—(K.G.S.) A small species of fish, from the use of which, in former times, the Naganok family are said to have obtained their name.
Nago, v.—To know. Principally used to the south of the Swan.
Nagoluk, a.—Acquainted with a person; aware of any intelligence.
Năh, in.—Oh! Ah!
Na-it—What—as, Naga nait, what is that?
Na itjăk, a.—Wherefore; for what reason; why; of, or for what.
Nalgo, s.—Teeth. Improperly used for to eat, Ngannow. A sharp edge, as the edge of a knife.
Nalja, v.—Pres. part., Nalja. To peep sideways at any object.
Naljak, s.—The outer corner of the eye.
Nalla, s.—The gum of the red gum-tree.
Nallăng, s.—The gum of the Xanthorea.
Nal-yira?—(K.G.S.) The afternoon.
Nambar—(K.G.S.) A barb.
Namman, s.—A sort of fruit growing on a low shrub like the Kainak.
Nammidi, s.—A fresh-water fish resembling a small minnow.
Nam-yango, prop, name—A name for the Dtondarap family in the Vasse district.
Na'na, s.—Navel-string.
Nandăp, s.—Eucalyptus resinifera, red gum-tree Gardan. A useful timber for general purposes.
Nandat, s.—The east wind; the land wind.
Nangăr—(K.G.S.) To bite; to tear; to eat.
Nan-gatta, s.—Moss.
Nangergun, s.—An edible root.
Nangăr—The back or nape of the neck.
Nani, s.—(Upper Swan word.) The small quail.
Nanna, s.—Navel-string.
Nannăp, v.—Stop; halt.
Nanning, s.—Strangers unconnected by blood or marriage; opposite to Noy-yang.
Nano, s.—Mud; soft wet earth.
Nan-yar, a.—Benumbed; stiffened.
Nappal, s.—Burned ground; ground over which fire has passed. Over this ground the natives prefer walking; it is free from all scrub and grass, their progress is, therefore, not obstructed, and the tracks of animals are readily discerned upon it.
Nappang wanja, v.—To cover up anything; to leave a thing covered.
Nardarak, s.—A species of Eucalyptus, with a stem like clustered pillars. Found only eastward of the hills.
Nargal-ya, s.—The gum on the lower part of the stem of the Xanthorea flower.
Narna, s.—A caterpillar.
Narra, s.—The side.
Narraga, a.—Dry; ripe as seeds or corn.
Narragara, s.—The name of a star.
Narrang—Stamping with the foot.
Narriik, s.—(Vasse dialect.) Abundance; plenty.
Narrija, s.—Foam; froth; spittle.
Narrija gwart, v.—To spit—Compounded of Naraija, spittle; and Gwardo, or gwart, to throw or cast.
Narrik, s.—(From Narrow to burn.) Unburned ground, but ready for burning. Land of which the vegetation is abundant and dry, fit to be set on fire, which is done by the natives sometimes accidentally and sometimes on purpose, in order to drive out the animals that have found refuge, or may nestle there, as kangaroos, bandicoots wallobys, snakes, &c., which they kill as the creatures attempt to escape, and make a meal of afterwards. In Upper Swan dialect, dry; ripe.
Narrow, v.—Pres, part., Narrowin; past tense, Narrăga. To burn.
Natdjing, s.—The yolk of an egg.
Nelarak, s.—A species of Eucalyptus, of a pale yellow-coloured bark.
Netingar, s.—A term used by the natives to designate their ancestors or forefathers, of whom they do not appear to have any distinct, tradition, except that they were very large men. Some suppose that they came over the sea, others suppose that they came from the interior, from the north and north-east. Their general belief is that the spirits of the dead go westward over the sea to the island of souls, which they connect with the home of their fathers. I have a strong belief that they are identical with the natives of Papua or New Guinea, having lately seen a young man from that country, who exactly resembles them in colour, shape, features, hair, and every external appearance. This lad had been carried away at a very early age, and had suffered so much as to have partly lost his recollection, and entirely forgot his native tongue, so that no conclusion could be formed from the identity of language.
N-hurdo, s.—Conduct; behaviour.
Nidja, ad.—Here; in this place.
Nidja, p.—This.
Nidjak, ad.—Here; in this place.
Nidjalla, ad.—Here; in this place. (More emphatic than Nidja.)
Nido, s.—A mosquito. Very troublesome in summer in moist situations
Nidul-yorong, s.—Ægialitis nigrifrons, Gould; black-fronted plover.
Niggara, s.—The girdle of human hair worn round the waist.
Nilge, s.—The name of a dance among the natives to the north-east.
Nimyt, s.—The ribs.
Ninat, s.—Worms bred in sores.
Nindi. s.—Tail of an animal.
Nindian, v.—Pres. part, Nindianin; past tense, Niudianaga. To kiss.
Ninim, s.—Large species of leech.
Nin-ya nin-ya, p.—These.
Niran, v.—Pres. part., Niran; past tense, Niran. To plant; to sow; to put in the ground. They do not plant, but they put the Byyu in the ground to prepare it for eating.
Nirimba, s.—Pelecanus Nov. Holl.; pelican. It is singular that these birds are seen frequently to come from the interior, across the York district.
Nirran. v.—To bark; to growl as a dog.
Nirrgo, s.—A mosquito. Numerous in damp situations.
Noba, or Nuba, s.—Young of any creature. Plural, Nobagărra.
Nodytch, s.—The dead; a deceased person. The aborigines have an extreme aversion to mentioning the name of any one after his decease; and this word, Nodytch, the departed, is used among them when speaking of a person who is no more.
Nogăt or Nokăt, v.—(Word used in the York district.) To sleep.
Nogo, s.—A species of fungus.
Nogolan—(K.G.S.)—Accidentally; unintentionally.
Nogon-yăk, s.—The name of one of the great native families. The Didarok and Djikok are Matta gyn with these people. See Ballorok.
Nogoro, s.—Heavy sleep—as, Bidjar nogoro ngan-ya băkkan, heavy sleep bites, or oppresses me.
Nogyt, s.—The elbow.
Nol-yang, s.—Gallinula, Nol-yang. These birds are not much known in Western Australia, though common in New South Wales. In 1836, they made their appearance here suddenly in great numbers, to the surprise and alarm of the farmers, for they devoured all the green food in fields and gardens with the appetite of locusts; and then they disappeared almost as unaccountably and suddenly as they had come, nor have they, with some few exceptions, been seen since. They are about the size of well-grown pullets, frequenting the low grounds near rivers, and, though not web-footed, swimming with great facility. Thousands were shot and consumed as food. The meat has something of a fishy flavour.
Nona. s.—A very deadly snake, cream-coloured, with dark spots.
Nopyn, s.—The young of animals.
Norndukaun—(K.G.S.) To fly from anyone or anything.
Norno, s.—A very poisonous snake. See Kabarda.
Nornt, s.—(K.G.S.) The feathers of small birds.
Notan, s.—An oyster (K.G.S. dialect.) Deep and extensive beds of oyster-shells are found on the flats in the Swan River, but no live oysters have been yet discovered in that vicinity. A few very small rock oysters are found in a part of Melville water, and some mud oysters in Gage's roads; but they are abundant at K. G's. Sound. Rock oysters are abundant on the Abrolhos group, and on the adjacent coast.
Noto dtan, v.—To shut.
Noyt, s.—The spirit; the soul—as, Noyt ngardăk, the spirit is below, intimating that an individual is dead. See also Nodytch.
Noy-yăng, s.—Connections by blood or marriage; kinsfolk.
Nubal, pron. dual—Ye two; parent and child; brothers and sisters.
Nubal, pron. dual—Ye two; man and wife.
Nujan, v.—To void the excrement.
Nuji, s.—A large species of mouse eaten by the natives.
Nula, s.—Sea-weed.
Nulargo, s.—Graucalus; blue pigeon.
Nulbărn, s.—A rope-like girdle of opossum's hair worn by the aborigines, partly by way of ornament, passed many times round the waist. But serves also for other useful purposes. In it are carried the Kadjo, or hammer, the Dowak, or throwing stick, and the Kyli. It is tightened or loosened like the belt of famine of the Africans according to the supply of food, and it answers for string occasionally, or for rag in the case of a cut or wound; and small articles, such as the teeth and barbs of spears, are frequently deposited in the folds of it.
Nulu, a.—Narrow.
Numbat, s.—An animal found in the York district of a brownish hue, with whitish stripes across the loins. This animal is not marsupial but the young are found at an early stage adhering to the teat of the mother, in the same unaccountable manner as in the pouch of the kangaroo.
Numbrid, s.—The flower or blossom of the red gum-tree, from which the natives make a favourite beverage by soaking the flowers in water.
Nund-yang, a.—(Upper Swan word.) Narrow; straight; tight.
Nungurdul, a.—Stuck in; that which has penetrated, but not gone through.
Nunika, s.—Myriophyllum; a water-plant.
Nurdi—(K.G.S.) The south.
Nurdu, s.—A fly. Flies are very abundant and annoying in summer There is a small fly that bites or stings the eye very sharply when the eyelid almost instantaneously swells to a frightful size. The natives have a speedy cure for this ailment, which is rather unsightly than painful. As soon as they feel the sting, they scarify the arm, so as to draw some blood, which they drop into the eye as they lie on their backs, and so let it remain for some time till it is thoroughly coagulated, when they draw it out, by which means the smart is assuaged and the swelling averted.
Nurdurăng, v.—Pres. part., Nurdurăng; past tense, Nurdurăng. To snore.
Nurgo, s.—An egg; seeds.
Nurgobindi, s.—An empty egg-shell.
Nurgo-imba, s.—The shell of the egg. Compounded of Nurgo, an egg; and Imba, the husk or rind.
Nurruk—(K.G.S.) An Emu.
- Note.—Y when separated from the preceding letter by a hyphen or a comma, is a consonant. See Preface. So N-yagga is sounded as Yagga, with the nasal sound of N before it.
N-yăgga, p.—That.
N-yal, ad.—Here; present.
N-yăng-ow, v.—To look; to see; to behold,
N-yanni, s.—Rallus; the water-rail.
N-yardo, s.—Left arm.
N-yelingur, a.—(Vasse.) Stingy.
N-yetti, s.—Shavings; dust; sawdust; scraping. They adorn themselves with shavings of white wood in their dances.
N-yiddin, a.—Cold.
N-yido, s.—A species of fly. See Nurdu.
N-yinni, p.—Thou; you.
N-yinnow, v.—Pres. part, N-yinnowin; past tense, N-yinnăga. To sit; to remain in a place any time.
N-yin-ya, ad.—Here; in this place.
N-yogulăng, v.—To steep in water as, Măn-gyt, or Banksia flowers, in water, which the natives do to extract the honey, and then drink the infusion. They are extremely fond of it; and in the season their places of resort may be recognised by the small holes dug in the ground, and lined with the bark of the tea-tree, and which are surrounded with the drenched remains of the Man-gyt. They sit round this hole, each furnished with a small bunch of fine shavings, which they dip and suck until the beverage is finished.
Nytbi, s.—A nonentity; a nothing; a thing not known or understood.
N-yula, s.—A species of moss.
N-yumap, a.—Diminutive; little; small.
N-yumar, s.—A flesh-coloured fungus, growing chiefly on the Eucalyptus robusta; the mahogany tree.
N-yunalăk, p.—Thine.
N-yundu, or N-yundul, in. p.—Will you? Do you? Did you? &c.
N-yuneruk—(K.G.S.) A species of duck.
N-yurang, p.—Ye.
N-yurang-ăk, p.—Yours.
N-yurdang, s.—A rainbow. (Northern dialect.)