Page:Dawson - Australian aborigines (1900).djvu/45

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LAWS OF MARRIAGE.
29

The girl's mother and her aunts may neither look at him nor speak to him from the time of their betrothal till his death. Should he come to the camp where they are living, he must lodge at a friend's wuum, as he is not allowed to go within fifty yards of their habitation; and should he meet them on a path they immediately leave it, clap their hands, cover up their heads with their rugs, walk in a stooping position, and speak in whispers till he has gone past. When he meets them away from their camp they do not converse with him, and when he and they speak in each other's presence they use a lingo, called wiltkill ang iitch in the chaap wuurong dialect, and gnee wee banott in the kuurn kopan noot and peek whuurong dialects, meaning 'turn tongue.' This is not used with the intention of concealment of their meaning, for it is understood by all. The intended mother-in-law, though she may not speak to the boy, may express her approval of what he says by clapping her hands. He never mentions her name at any time, and when he speaks about her to anyone, he calls her gnulluun guurk in the chaap wuurong dialect, and gnulluun yerr in the kuurn kopan noot and peek whuurong dialects. She, in speaking about him, calls him gnalluun jœk in the chaap wuurong dialect, and gnalluun in the kuurn kopan noot and peek whuurong dialects.

{{block centre|Examples of turn tongue vn chaap wuurong dialect : — {{block centre|Where are you going just now? {{centre|Winjalat kuurna new? {{centre|Turn tongue, — Winja gniinkirna? {{block centre|It will be very warm by-and-bye. {{block centre|Wulpiya gnuureen. Turn tongue — Gnullewa gnuureen.

Examples in kuurn kopan 'noot dialect':— Where are you going just now? Wuunda gnin kitneean? Turn tongue, — Wuun gni gnin gninkeewan? It will be very warm by-and-bye. Baawan kulluun. Turn tongue, — Gnullewa gnatn{{oe}n tirambuul. A wild blackfellow is coming to kill you. Wattatan kuut gno yaul yuul. Turn tongue. — Kulleet bortakuut yung a gnak kuuno nong.