Page:Aboriginesofvictoria02.djvu/27

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LANGUAGE.

WIMMERA DISTRICT.
English. Avoca. Upper Loddon,
Daylesford.
Lower Loddon,
Boort.
Man Koo-lie Koolee Wootho
Woman Too-ra Touroi Larook
Father Mar-mook Marm Marmoke
Mother Bar-poop Barp Barbook
Head Boor-kook Boorp Boourbook or Yonyourook
Hair Nar-boor-kook Gnerra Narranyuke
Eye Myn-ook Ma Min-nook
Ear Wym-bool-look Weimbul Weembulloke
Mouth Woor-uk Wooroo Cherbook
Tongue Tar-lee Chalie Charlinyook
Teeth Lee-are Leear Leeanyook
Hand Mun-nar Mirna Manaruyuke
Finger Won-iu-mun-nar Wathep-wathep-manarnyuke
Foot Tee-nar Jiuna Chinarnyook
Blood Koor-kook Gourk Coorkgook
Bone Karl-kook Kolk Carlgook
Sun Nar-wee Gnowee Gnarwee
Moon Yean Yern Waingwill
Star Tourt Toort Doort
Night Boo-run Boorinen Pooroon
Day Kar-pul Gnoweeu Parrep
Fire Wee Wee Wannop
Earth Kap-pen Jaa Char
Stone Lar La Lar
Tree Kulk Kulk Carlk
Wood Moo-tuk Kulk Carlk
Snake Kul-mil Kunmil Coonwill
Eagle Wear-pil Waa-pil Warepill
Crow War War Warr
Kangaroo Kor-ror Goura Cooreè

The River Wimmera, the River Richardson, the River Avoca, and the River Loddon, are all within the southern basin of the River Murray, and drain a generally very level country, not thickly wooded, except in the parts occupied by Mallee scrub. It is about twenty-five thousand square miles in extent; and communication between all parts of it is comparatively easy. It is not necessary to comment on the obvious inferences to be derived from a mere glance at the words in the tables. The dialects throughout this area present no such striking differences as those of the River Murray. The explanations given by my correspondents show how alterations in the dialects have occurred, without preventing the people of the several tribes from being intelligible to each other.

It may be said indeed that throughout this area there was but one language,—or, perhaps, to state the case more accurately, one dialect: the differences being no greater than are found to occur when we compare the vocabularies of the people inhabiting different counties in England.