Page:Aboriginesofvictoria02.djvu/18

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THE ABORIGINES OF VICTORIA:
  1. Succinct sketch of the Aboriginal language, by the late Wm. Thomas, Esq., Guardian of Aborigines.
  2. Language of the Aborigines of the Colony of Victoria (arranged anew), by the late Daniel Bunce, Esq.
  3. Dialect of the Ja-jow-er-ong race, by Joseph Parker, Esq.
  4. Words in the dialects of the natives of Geelong, Colac, Goulburn, Murray, and Campaspe, and in those of the Witouro, Jajowrong, Knenkoren-wurro, Burapper, and Ta-oungurong tribes.
  5. Native names of trees, shrubs, plants, &c.
  6. Native names of localities in Victoria, by the Local Guardians of Aborigines.
  7. Native names of localities in Victoria, from papers furnished by the Surveyor-General of the colony.
  8. Native names of several hills, rivers, &c., by the late C. J. Tyers, Esq., 1840.
  9. Native names of places in Victoria, by Gideon S. Lang, Esq.
  10. Native words and names, Kerang, Lower Loddon, by H. Taverner, Esq.
  11. A list of words compiled by Henry J. Withers, Esq., Berrembeel, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales.

The papers contributed by the Rev. John Bulmer, of Lake Tyers in Gippsland, the Rev. A. Hartmann and the Rev. F. W. Spieseke, of Lake Hindmarsh, Mr. Joseph Parker, of the Loddon, and the Rev. F. A. Hagenauer, of Lake Wellington in Gippsland, are of great value. I obtained from some of these gentlemen short stories and phrases in the native tongue, written down exactly as the natives speak, with the corresponding English words below; and I believe these will assist the philologist more than if I had given merely statements and opinions relative to the grammar and structure of the language.

The sounds of the letters that are used in writing English do not convey the sounds of the words of the native tongue. It is often impossible to write down correctly any word beginning with B. It is frequently sounded like P. Boorp (Loddon) is written Poorp (Lower Murray), and Baramul is in like manner written Paramul. D is so sounded as to perplex the enquirer. One word will suffice to show this:—

Ground Dyah Upper Richardson.
Tyar Lake Hindmarsh.
Tha Birregurra.
Tcha Glenelg.
Jah Hamilton.
Djak Glenorchy.
D'tchar Murray.
Char Lower Loddon.
Yar Horsham.

D has its proper sound in such words as Bidderup (dead), Turdenden (new), Urdin (straight), &c.