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N – n
nada nominal. short. Category: Describers.
NADA- (1) verb. shorten. transitive: YHA. Note: CAUSATIVE nada’yha s/he made it short. nada’wuda they shortened it. Nadanada’wudanthangarri milha. They’d divide the meat into small pieces. Category: Verbs: Impact.
NADA- (2) verb. short, become, smaller, become. intransitive: NI. Note: BECOME nada’niy s/he became short. nada’wudiy they became short. Mabilyi garuwa nadanada’niynyangarri. The water became smaller (i.e. they’d make the water shallow, and not a big area (short), blocking up the flow). Category: Verbs: State and Change of State.
nagarra nominal. skin group, female. A female subdivision term of one of the eight subsections into which Bunuba society is divided. Category: People.
nalija nominal. tea. Category: Food and Cooking.
NALUGA- verb. bend. e.g. bend a stick or a spoon. transitive: YHA. Note: CAUSATIVE naluga’yha s/he bent it. naluga’wuda they bent it. Category: Verbs: Impact.
nambiyindi nominal. skin group, female. A female subdivision term of one of the eight subsections into which Bunuba society is divided. Category: People.
NANGGURAJ- verb. limp. intransitive: RA. Note: DO WITH BODY OVER TIME nangguraj’ay s/he limped along. nangguraj’burray they limped along. Category: Verbs: Motion.
NARA- (1) verb. urinate on, piss on. transitive: WU2. Note: BAD EFFECT; SEPARATE/COMBINE nara’wunu s/he pissed on it. nara’wurrunu they pissed on it. Category: Verbs: Body Functions.
NARA- (2) verb. urinate, piss. intransitive: MA. Note: DO WITH BODY nara’miy s/he urinated. nara’wurrmiy verbthey urinated. Category: Verbs: Body Functions.
nawanu nominal. hole. hole in the ground. Category: Country.
nawangari nominal. skin group, female. A female subdivision term of one of the eight subsections into which Bunuba society is divided. Category: People.
nayirri nominal. sharp. Category: Describers.
nangala nominal. skin group, female. A female subdivision term of one of the eight subsections into which Bunuba society is divided. Category: People.
NGADA- (1) verb. camp, make. transitive: RA2. Note: DO WITH BODY TO X OVER TIME ngada’ra s/he made camp. ngada’wurra they made camp. Garragarrga’ninyangarri muway ngada’wirranthangarri. When it became afternoon the two of them would make camp. Category: Verbs: Impact.
NGADA- (2) See: ngadi.
verb. blind, become. intransitive: NI. Note: BECOME (mulu) ngada’niy s/he became blind. (mulu) ngada’wudiy they became blind. Niy garrga’wirrunugu mulu ganday ngada’niy mulu. They left him and then with his bad eyes he became blind altogether. Category: Verbs: State and Change of State.
NGADJA- Variant: NGAJA-. verb. intransitive: NI. grow up, grow. Note: GOAL FOCUSSED MOTION ngadja’niy s/he grew up. ngadja’wudiy they grew up. Ngadja’niynyangarri buga, dalja’ninyangarri, ban.ga’rangarri muwayyawu. When the baby had grown a little, when it had become big, she’d take it back to the camp. Category: Verbs: Body Functions.
NGAG- (1) Variant: NGA-. verb. eat. transitive: RA2. Note: DO WITH BODY TO X OVER TIME ngag’gira s/he ate it. ngag’burra they ate it. “Mayi nga’bunggurragi ngirrginyi.” burrmiyngarribiyirrangi. “You hungry kids can eat tucker.” they’d say to them. Category: Verbs: Body Functions.
NGAG- (2) Variant: NGA-. verb. eat. intransitive: RA. nga’jay s/he ate. ngag’burray they ate. Ngirrginyiyarra nga’biyirragi ngurruyuwa lanygu. We might be hungry and we all might eat there at dinner time. Note: DO WITH BODY OVER TIME Category: Verbs: Body Functions.
NGAG- (3) Variant: NGA-. verb. burn. transitive: RA2. Note: DO WITH BODY TO X OVER TIME ngag’gira it was burning. ngag’burra they were burning. Yaninja winthaliingga ngag’gira bilgi balara. The fire was burning the grass all around. Category: Verbs: State and Change of State.
NGAG- (4) Variant: NGA-. verb. burning, be. intransitive: RA. Note: DO WITH BODY TO X OVER TIME ngag’ay it was burning. ngag’burray they were burning. Winthaliingga ngag’ira bilgi ol raun na. The fire was burning the grass all around now. Category: Verbs: State and Change of State.
ngajarri Variant: ngajarriwurru. interjection. ok, alright. Category: Interjections, Gun.gunma, Language.
NGAJIRRA- (1) Variant: NGAJIRR-. verb. intransitive: MA. sneeze (loudly). Note: DO WITH BODY ngajirra’miy s/he sneezed. ngajirra’wurrmiy they sneezed. “Waaa!” ngajirra’miy, “Ban.ga’ngayinggirrangi.” ngindaji gurrugurru miybiyirrangi, Ngarranggani gayinga. “Waaaa!” he sneezed, “I’ve come back to you.” he said to them, and now there’s a Dreamtime one there. See: DINJIRRA-. Category: Verbs: Body Functions.
NGAJIRRA- (2) Variant: NGAJIRR-. verb. sneeze (loudly). intransitive: RA. Note: DO WITH BODY OVER TIME ngajirra’ray s/he sneezed. ngajirra’wurray they sneezed. Ngajirr’irangarri maaningga. He sneezes at night. Category: Verbs: Body Functions.
ngalana nominal. snake, death adder. Category: Animals: Reptiles and Amphibians.
NGALANY- (1) verb. Variant: NGALANYGA-. sing. transitive: RA2. Note: DO WITH BODY OVER TIME ngalany’gira s/he sang it. ngalany’gurra they sang it. Category: Verbs: Speech.
NGALANY- (2) verb. sing. intransitive: RA. Note: DO WITH BODY OVER TIME ngalany’jay s/he sang. ngalany’burray they sang. Category: Verbs: Speech.
NGALANY- (3) verb. sing (someone). meaning to seduce someone or make them ill. intransitive: MA2. Note: DO WITH BODY TO X ngalanyga’ma s/he sang him/her. ngalanyga’wurrma they sang him/her. Category: Verbs: Speech.
NGALA- (1) Variant: NGAL-. verb. intransitive: MA. bark. Note: DO WITH BODY ngalngala’miy it barked. ngalngala’wurrmiy they barked. Category: Verbs: Speech.
NGALA- (2) Variant: NGAL-. verb. intransitive: RA. bark, yap. has a meaning of barking and barking. Note: DO WITH BODY OVER TIME ngal’yay it barked. ngal’wurray they barked. Category: Verbs: Speech.
ngalgurru nominal. three, a few. Category: Language.
ngalja nominal. frog, brown. Category: Animals: Reptiles and Amphibians.
ngaljarri nominal. testicles. Category: Sensitive, Body Parts.
ngaljarri ganji See: ngaljarri.
nominal. testicles. literally ‘testicle seed’. Category: Body Parts, Sensitive.
NGALMANA- verb. thirst. intransitive: NI. Note: BECOME ngalmana’niy s/he became thirsty. ngalmana’wudiy they became thristy. Category: Verbs: State and Change of State.
ngalmani nominal. thirsty. Category: Describers.
ngalthirri nominal. pandanus nut cluster. Category: Plants.
ngaluga nominal. son of cousin-sister (for a man). Category: People.
ngaluganyi nominal. daughter of cousin-sister (for a man). Category: People.
NGAMBAJ- (1) Variant: NGAMBAJGA-. verb. get up. has a meaning of get up and walk away. intransitive: NI. Note: GOAL FOCUSSED MOTION ngambajga’niy s/he got up. ngambajga’wudiy they got up. Category: Verbs: Motion, Gun.gunma, Language.
NGAMBAJ- (2) Variant: NGAMBAJGA-. verb. intransitive: MAL+NI. get up. has a meaning of get up and walk away. Note: GG marker ngambajga’maniy s/he got up. ngambajga’malbudiy they got up. Category: Verbs: Motion, Gun.gunma, Language.
ngamu nominal. breast, breast milk, milk. Category: Body Parts, Food and Cooking.
NGANDIRRA- (1) verb. swear at. transitive: MA2. Note: DO WITH BODY TO X ngandirra’ma s/he swore at him/her. ngandirra’wurrma they swore at him/her. [Knight (2/98:p.14)] Category: Verbs: Speech.
NGANDIRRA- (2) verb. swear, curse. intransitive: MA. Note: DO WITH BODY ngandirra’miy s/he swore. ngandirra’wurrmiy they swore. [Knight (2/98:p.14)] Category: Verbs: Speech.
NGANGGA- verb. give. transitive: YHA. Note: TRANSFER ngangga’yha s/he gave him/her. ngangga’wuda they gave him/her. Ban.ga’raynya ngurrunhingi ngangga’wundantha thurranda wiyi nga’birrantha diyga’wirrarriyntha lundu. When Pheasant had come back from over there and given the meat to his two wives they ate it and found the stick. Category: Verbs: Impact.
nganggi pronoun, possessive. your (singular). 2nd person singular. Wurrga’yhanhingi bidiyuwa “Ngindaji nganggi bunda.” He put her on his lap and said “This is your promised wife.” Category: Pronouns.
NGANHINGGA- (1) Variant: NGINHANG-. verb. lick. transitive: RA2. Note: DO WITH BODY TO X OVER TIME nganhing’gira s/he licked it. nganhing’burra they licked it. Nganhing’birrangarri, nganhing’birrangarri mayi nyirraji bugaingga. They’d lick it, the kids would lick that tucker. [Knight (1/97: notebook p.106)] Category: Verbs: Body Functions.
NGANHINGGA- (2) Variant: NGINHANG-. verb. lick. intransitive: MA. Note: DO WITH BODY nganhingga’miy s/he licked. nganhingga’wurrmiy they licked. [Knight (1/97: notebook p.106)] Category: Verbs: Body Functions.
NGANJA- (1) verb. bite. transitive: RA2. Note: DO WITH BODY TO X OVER TIME nganja’ra s/he bit it. nganja’wurra they bit it. Nganja’wurrangarri wu’birrangarri. They’d bite (the kangaroo) and they’d cook it. Category: Verbs: Impact.
NGANJA- (2) verb. transitive: MA2. bite. Note: DO WITH BODY TO X nganja’ma s/he bit it. nganja’wurrma they bit it. Wanjirri nganja’winmangarri tharrayingga. The mob of dogs, it would bite kangaroos. Category: Verbs: Impact.
ngantharri nominal. brother of mother’s mother (for man). Category: People.
nganthi nominal. body, trunk. Category: Body Parts.
nganthi gun.gunu nominal. face. Category: Body Parts, Gun.gunma, Language.
nganybalgu nominal. cheek, earlobe, temple, head, side of. Category: Body Parts.
NGARANGARAGA- verb. make, build. intransitive: MAL+NI. Note: GG marker ngarangaraga’maniy s/he made. ngarangaraga’malbudiy they made. Category: Verbs: Impact, Language, Gun.gunma.
ngararrana nominal. echo, noise. Category: Country. [Knight(2/98 p.68)]
ngarragi pronoun, possessive. my. 1st person singular. Birrga’limiynyangarri wandayga’nginmangarri ngawunguingga ngarragiingga budayuwa. When I became tired my father would lift me up onto his shoulder. Category: Pronouns.
ngarranyi nominal. mother (of man or woman), sister of mother (for man or woman). Marrgi birrgingarriingga nyinba’rangarri ngarranyiwayingga buga walay. It’s mother would rub gently the little baby with charcoal. Category: People.
NGARRA- verb. married, become. intransitive: NI. Note: BECOME ngarra’niy s/he became married. ngarra’wudiy they became married. Category: Verbs: State and Change of State.
ngarrungu nominal. bludger, scavenger. Category: People.
ngarrungu nominal. ready. Category: Describers. Note: Check [Knight (2/98:p.59)]
NGARRUNGU- (1) verb. prepare. e.g. prepare food or a motorcar for a trip. transitive: YHA. Note: CAUSATIVE ngarrunga’yha s/he prepared it. ngarrunga’wuda they prepared it. [Knight (2/98:p.60)] Category: Verbs: Impact.
NGARRUNGU- (2) verb. prepared, be. intransitive: NI. Note: BECOME ngarrunga’niy it was prepared. ngarrunga’wudiy they were prepared. [Knight (2/98:p.60)] Category: Verbs: Impact.
ngarrwali nominal. honey, bush, sugarbag, bee, sugarbag. found in the ground. Category: Food and Cooking, Animals: general.
ngawagu Variant: ngawagi. nominal. [Knight (2/98:p.37)] [ARumsey 1982] Category: Language, Gun.gunma.
ngawali Variant: ngawalu. nominal. spear thrower, woomera. Ngawali wadba’wirrmangarri. They’d get a woomera. Category: Artifacts.
ngawijiy nominal. mother of father (for man or woman), children of son (for woman). Miymiy ngawijiy yatha’wurraynthangarri man.guluyuwa. our two grandmothers would sit in the shade. Category: People.
ngawiy nominal. sister(s) of father (for man or woman). Category: People.
ngay interjection. yes. that’s right. Category: Interjections.
NGAYAGA- (1) Variant: NGAYAG-. verb. ask, ask for. transitive: MA2. Note: DO WITH BODY TO X ngayaga’ma s/he asked him/her. ngayaga’wurrma they asked him/her. Girrwali ngayaga’ma: “Nginji ngarraguma ngarranyi?” He asked the rifle fish: “Are you my mother?” This verb refers to the asking of a question. The person who is asked is under no obligation to answer. Compare this to birrgayngga- ‘ask question’. Category: Verbs: Speech.
NGAYAGA- (2) Variant: NGAYAG-. verb. ask. transitive: RA2. Note: DO WITH BODY TO X OVER TIME ngayag’gira s/he asked him/her. ngayag’burra they asked him/her. Ngayag’binagingarri ngayaga’winmagi. He’d ask all of them, he asked them all. Category: Verbs: Speech.
ngayi interjection. no, not. Mila’wurrangarri garuwa ngayi. They looked around but there was no water. Ngayi ngindaju lundu. It is not this one’s stick. Category: Interjections.
ngayini pronoun, personal. I. 1st person singular. Gaygay’girangarringarragi nhaa ngayini baburru lingga’ngayngarri baadingarri. He’d cut the sugarbag while I waited below with my pannikin. Category: Pronouns.
NGAYNGGA- verb. miss, mistake, make a. transitive: WU2. Note: BAD EFFECT; SEPARATE/COMBINE ngayngga’wunu s/he made a mistake. ngayangga’wurrunu they made a mistake. Category: Verbs: Speech.
ngilamungga adverb. Variant: ngilmangi; ngilwa. east. Category: Time and Location.
NGILBA- verb. intransitive: MA. spread around. ngilba’miy it spread around. Balara winthali ngilba’miy. The fire spread all around. Note: This verb can only be 3rd person singular Category: Verbs: Motion, Body Actions.
ngilmangi adverb. Variant: ngilamungga; ngilwa. east. Dirra’ninya ngilmangi, bara’ninyali, mila’arra. When he rises in the east, when he comes up, we see him. Category: Time and Location.
ngindajinhingi adverb. after this. literally ‘this from’. Category: Time and Location.
ngindangarringga adverb. this side. Category: Time and Location.
ngindaywa adverb. here. literally ‘this at’. Category: Time and Location.
nginjaga Variant: nginja. question word. what? Nginja buga nyirraji? What’s that kid’s name? This is the short form of the word nginjaga, usually heard in fast or casual speech. Category: Interrogatives and Quantification.
nginjaga Variant: nginja. pronoun, indefinite. something. Baga’yiyirrayngarri nginjagamangana gawiyngana wirama’wirrangarri. We’d camp and gather anything fish or whatever. Category: Pronouns.
nginjayha question word. when? Category: Interrogatives and Quantification.
nginjayha pronoun, indefinite. sometime. Category: Pronouns.
nginji pronoun, personal. you (singular). 2nd person singular. Category: Pronouns.
ngirigangara Variant: ngirigara. See: lawura.
nominal. white. Niymiya baga’rayngarri ngirigarangarri, duga’wurraniningarri balinyjayuwa. Only the white part was left, they’d grind it on a flat stone. Category: Describers.
NGIRRGINYGA- verb. hungry, become. intransitive: NI. Note: BECOME ngirrginyga’niy s/he became hungry. ngirrginyga’wudiy they became hungry. Ngirrginyga’ninyangarri ngajangiway. His young brother was hungry. Category: Verbs: State and Change of State.
ngirrginyi nominal. hungry. Ngayini ngirrginyi, wala’ngayngarri milha. Hungry, I’d cry out for meat. “Mayi nga’bunggurragi ngirrginyi.” burrmiyngarribiyirrangi. “You hungry kids can eat tucker.” they’d say to them. Category: Describers.
ngirrilya nominal. cool, cold. Category: Describers.
NGIRRILYA- (1) verb. cool, make. transitive: YHA. Note: CAUSATIVE ngirrilya’yha s/he cooled it. ngirrilya’wuda they cooled it. Thinggathingga’ma, gaygayga’mangarri ngirrilya’yangarragi ngirrilya’ya winthali. He’d break (the meat) up and cut it into small pieces to cool it down for me, to make it cool. Category: Verbs: Impact.
NGIRRILYA- (2) verb. cool, become, cold, become. intransitive: NI. Note: BECOME ngirrilya’niy s/he became cold. ngirrilya’wudiy they became cold. Mula’ninyangarri wurrga’wudangarri bandiga’wirrarriyngarri ngirrilya’niynyangarri. When it got cooked they put it out, they’d put it out from the heat until it would become cool. Category: Verbs: State and Change of State.
ngirrinyi nominal. fly, common. Category: Animals: Insects and Spiders.
ngiyali nominal. bohemia tree, tree, bohemia. The name given to the new Roadhouse in Fitzroy Crossing because there is a ngiyali tree out the front. Category: Plants.
ngiyamungga adverb. south. Category: Time and Location.
ngiyirrangi Variant: ngiyirrangu; ngiyirranggu. pronoun, possessive. our. 1st person restricted. Nyirrayani jandangurru ngiyirrangi muway. That mob is boss for our country. Category: Pronouns.
ngiyirri pronoun, personal. we. 1st person restricted. Nyirrajiingga dalja’inbini ngiyirri walayyuwa. We grew up on those when we were kids. Category: Pronouns.
nguja nominal?. wait, stop. Malaya’wulunu nguja I’ve got to kneed it and wait. Category: Body Actions.
ngula nominal. egg part of the bush honey (sugarbag). This is the part of the sugarbag that is not good to eat. egg, bush honey, egg, sugarbag. Ngulamiya wadba’wurrmanthangarri. The rubbish egg part is all they’d get. Note: Check this and its definition. Category: Animals: Insects and Spiders.
NGULANGGA- (1) Variant: NGULANG-. verb. transitive: move. NGARRI. ngulangga’ngarriy it moved him/her along. ngulangga’wurrarriy they moved him/her along. This is where something moves you along, like a dingy on the water, or a motorcar. VIEW. [Knight (NSM70,73,214; 2/98: p. 10; 2/98:p.49)] Category: Verbs: Motion.
NGULANGGA- (2) Variant: NGULANG-. verb. move along. transitive: RA2. Note: DO WITH BODY TO X OVER TIME ngulangga’ra s/he moved it along. ngulangga’wurra they moved it along. [Knight (NSM70,73,214; 2/98: p. 10; 2/98:p.49)] Category: Verbs: Motion.
NGULANGGA- (3) Variant: NGULANG-. verb. intransitive: RA. move along. Note: DO WITH BODY OVER TIME ngulangga’ray it moved along. ngulangga’wurray they moved along. [Knight (NSM70,73,214; 2/98: p. 10; 2/98:p.49)] Category: Verbs: Motion.
NGULANGGA- (4) Variant: NGULANG-. verb. move. intransitive: MA. Note: DO WITH BODY ngulangga’miy it moved. ngulangga’wurrmiy they moved. [Knight (NSM70,73,214; 2/98: p. 10; 2/98:p.49)] Category: Verbs: Motion.
ngulyba nominal. soft. Category: Describers.
NGULYBA- (1) verb. soften. transitive: YHA. Note: CAUSATIVE ngulyba’yha s/he softened it. ngulyba’wuda they softened it. Garuwangarriingga ngulyba’yangarri birrgi yaninja. The water would soften the charcoal. Category: Verbs: Impact.
NGULYBA- (2) verb. soft, become. intransitive: NI. Note: CAUSATIVE ngulyba’niy it became soft. ngulyba’wudiy they became soft. Category: Verbs: Impact.
ngumurru nominal. cloud. Category: Country.
ngunda (1) question word. who? Category: Interrogatives and Quantification.
ngunda (2) pronoun, indefinite. someone. Category: Pronouns.
ngunybulu nominal. snake, black. Category: Animals: Reptiles and Amphibians.
ngurru (1) pronoun, demonstrative. that (one). Category: Pronouns.
ngurru adverb. over there. Manjarri ngurru wuluwa’ra milha wanjirri. Oh over there he’s singeing a kangaroo. Category: Time and Location.
ngurrubilinyalu adverb. from that side. literally ‘that side-towards-this way’. Category: Time and Location.
ngurrungarringga adverb. other side. Rarrga’ni niy jingi, ngurrungarringga. He turned to stone downstream, over the other side. Note: This could be analysed as ngurru-ngarri-ingga, that is over there-COM1-ERG but is probably best left alone. Category: Time and Location.
ngurrunhingi adverb. from over there. literally ‘over there-from’. wiyi wad’burraynyangarri ngurrunhingi garinyangarri women would come from over there with coolamons. Wiyi wad’burraynyangarri ngurrunhingi garinyangarri. The women would come from over there with coolamons. Category: Time and Location.
ngutharray adverb. quickly. See: gurrugurru. Category: Manner. [Knight (2/98:p.36)]
NGUWANYGULA- (1) verb. transitive: YHA. break. Note: CAUSATIVE nguwanygula’yha s/he broke it. nguwanygula’wuda they broke it. Category: Verbs: Impact, Language, Gun.gunma.
NGUWANYGULA- (2) verb. broken, be. intransitive: MAL+NI. Note: GG marker nguwanygula’maniy s/he broke. nguwanygula’malbudiy they broke. Category: Verbs: Impact, Language, Gun.gunma.
nguyulu nominal. sweat. Category: Body Parts.
nhaa nominal. sugarbag found in trees or bees that make sugarbag. honey, bush. See: jimani. gaygay’girangarringarragi nhaaaa ngayini baburru lingga’ngayngarri baadingarri he’d cut the sugarbaaaag while I waited below with my pannikin. Gaygay’girangarringarragi nhaa ngayini baburru lingga’ngayngarri baadingarri. He’d cut the sugarbag while I waited below with my pannikin. [cr4.18] Category: Food and Cooking, Animals: Insects and Spiders.
nhingi Variant: nhi; nhu. pronoun, possessive. his, hers, its. 3rd person singular. Wad’girangarrinhingi manggaywayingga buga, nyirraji walay nhi. The mother would take the baby to him, his little child. Nhu dalagurru His stone axe. Nhi dalagurru. His stone axe. Category: Pronouns.
nhungu nominal. husband of sister (for man), brother of husband (for woman). Thuthulu nhungu biyirrantha Wangguraway Jiyani. Pheasant was husband of Crow and Nightbird. Nhunguway wad’jay man.gulu, thandawa’ray muway baga’ray. Her husband would go to the shade, sit cross legged and then go to sleep. Category: People.
nilamarra nominal. snake, brown. Category: Animals: Reptiles and Amphibians.
NIMBILYA- (1) verb. crack open. transitive: WU2. Note: BAD EFFECT; SEPARATE/COMBINE nimbilya’wunu s/he cracked it open. nimbilya’wurrunu they cracked it open. [Knight (2/98:p.61)] Category: Verbs: Impact.
NIMBILYA- (1) verb. crack open. transitive: RA2. Note: DO WITH BODY TO X OVER TIME nimbilya’ra s/he cracked it open. nimbilya’wurra they cracked it open. [Knight (2/98:p.61)] Category: Verbs: Impact.
NINTHILA- verb. pinch. transitive: MA2. Note: DO WITH BODY TO X ninthila’ma s/he pinched him/her. ninthila’wurrma they pinched him/her. Category: Verbs: Impact.
NINYBA- verb. transitive: RA2. rub, paint up, paint. Note: DO WITH BODY TO X OVER TIME ninyba’ra s/he rubbed it. ninyba’wurra they rubbed it. Marrgi birrgingarriingga ninyba’rangarri ngarranyiwayingga. The mother would rub it gently with charcoal. [Knight (2/98:p.59)] Category: Verbs: Impact.
niy pronoun, personal. he, she, it. 3rd person singular. Category: Pronouns.
nuna nominal. smart. Category: Describers.
nurangarri nominal. caterpillar. Category: Animals: Insects and Spiders.
nyaanyi nominal. brother of mother (for man or woman). Variant: nyanyi. ngangga’yhangarri nyaanyiway niyingga dalja’wuniyngarri ngawunguinggaway nhi her father who had reared her would give her to his nephew. Ngangga’yhangarri nyaanyiway niyingga dalja’wuniyngarri ngawunguinggaway nhi. Her father who had reared her would give her away to his nephew. Category: People.
NYAGA- verb. spear, stab, inject. transitive: WU2. Note: BAD EFFECT; SEPARATE/COMBINE nyaga’wunu s/he speared it. nyaga’wurrunu they speared it. Baaniy wanjirringana nyaga’wuningarri. He’d spear goannas and kangaroos. [Knight (2/98:p.0)] Category: Verbs: Impact.
nyajindi Variant: nyajinda. nominal. meat. Category: Food and Cooking, Language, Gun.gunma.
nyanangarri Variant: nyanangarru. nominal. many, big mob, lots. Nyirramiyuwa warijga’wirrwaniygi nhaayawu nyanangarri. That other lot had gone to another place for lots of sugarbag. Category: Describers.
nyananyana nominal. big, very, big (in number). Wulala’wirrayngarri malngarriyuwa nyananyana malngarri birirayga’wirrminyangarri. They had a big white fellow talk, they held court. Category: Describers.
NYANA- verb. intransitive: NI. big, become, grow up. Note: BECOME nyana’niy s/he became big. nyana’wudiy they became big. Nyanay’iyidiyntha yawada laba’yinbirrarriyntha. We became big and so they put us two onto the horses. Category: Verbs: Body Functions.
NYANUMBA- verb. dive, swim. intransitive: RA. Note: DO WITH BODY OVER TIME. Compare with nyanungga+NI. nyanumba’ray s/he swam. nyanumba’wurray they swam. Ngaalaga nyanumba’wurrangarri, wirama’wirrangarri janggurru. Another lot would dive, they’d grab the short necked turtle. [Knight (1/97:p.106-7)] Category: Verbs: Motion.
NYANUNGGA- verb. intransitive: WU. dive down. Note: SOURCE FOCUSSED MOTION nyanungga’waniy s/he dived down. nyanangga’wurraniy they dived down. [Knight (1/97:p.107)] Category: Verbs: Motion.
nyanyjili Variant: nyanjili. nominal. skin group, female. A female subdivision term of one of the eight subsections into which Bunuba society is divided. Category: People.
nyana nominal. big. Jibirri wad’burrayngarri nyanayawu. They went to the big place, Derby. Category: Describers.
nyari nominal. holes, lots of. A system of many holes used by the goanna and snakes. The holes are commonly found at the base of briyali and inirri trees. See: durru; baniy; briyali; inirri. Category: Animals: general.
nyawa nominal. tail. wanjirrinhingi jiliwa nyawanhingi thingga’wirrmangarri the sinew from a kangaroo – from its tail they’d pull it all out. Wanjirrinhingi jiliwa, nyawanhingi, thingga’wirrmangarri. They would pull it all out, the sinew from a kangaroo, from its tail. Category: Animals: general.
nyawajarri nominal. skin group, female. A female subdivision term of one of the eight subsections into which Bunuba society is divided. Category: People.
nyawana nominal. skin group, female. A female subdivision term of one of the eight subsections into which Bunuba society is divided. Category: People.
nyawurru nominal. skin group, female. A female subdivision term of one of the eight subsections into which Bunuba society is divided. Category: People.
nyidi nominal. back, lower. Category: Body Parts.
NYIMBIRRA- verb. MA; intransitive: blink, wink. Note: DO WITH BODY nyimbirra’miy s/he winked. nyimbirra’wurrmiy they winked. [Knight (2/98:p.15)] Category: Verbs: Body Functions.
nyirali nominal. wife, stolen. Category: People.
nyirra Variant: nyirraji. pronoun, demonstrative. this, that (one). nyirra bala’waningirrantha gambinyi (na) this idea came to us about eggs then. Nyirra bala’waningirrantha gambinyi. This idea came to us about eggs. Category: Pronouns.
nyirraji Variant: nyirra. pronoun, demonstrative. this, that (one). girrgara’miy rawurranalu na thirrbama’ninhingi nyirraji winthali na then he swooped down from above and snatched that fire from him. nyirrajiingga (olman)ingga wad’gingira garrga’anggirrinybugu na that old man said I’m going – I’m going to leave you now. Category: Pronouns.
nyirrajinhingi adverb. after that, from there. nyirraji-nhingi yawada na manja’yirragngarri after that we’d make a horse. Nyirrajinhingi yawada manja’yirragngarri. After that we’d make a horse. Category: Time and Location.
nyirramiya adverb. yesterday, next time. Nyirramiyayuwa wariyga’waniy “ba!” binaynintha. Next time he went away the two said to each other “Let’s go (and follow him).” Category: Time and Location.
NYUG- Variant: NYU-. verb. fight. intransitive: RA. Note: DO WITH BODY OVER TIME nyug’ay s/he fought. nyug’burray they fought. Category: Verbs: Impact.
nyumbaynggangarri baliya nominal. literally ‘woman-with man’ or ‘man with woman’. man, married. Category: People, Language, Gun.gunma.
nyumbayng.ga nominal. woman. Category: People, Gun.gunma, Language.
NYUNBA- verb. paint. transitive: YHA. Note: TRANSFER nyunba’yha s/he painted him/her. nyunba’wuda they painted him/her. Category: Verbs: Impact.
NYUNGGA- verb. intransitive: MA. asleep, be. nyungga’miy s/he was asleep. nyungga’wurrmiy they were asleep. Category: Verbs: State and Change of State.
NYUNYGA- verb. blow nose. intransitive: MA. Note: DO WITH BODY nyunyga’miy s/he blew her nose. nyunyga’wurrmiy they blew their noses. Category: Verbs: Body Functions.
NYURIGA- verb. bite (food), chew. intransitive: Note: DO WITH BODY TO X OVER TIME nyuriga’miy s/he chewed. nyuriga’wurrmiy they chewed. Category: Verbs: Body Functions.
-nalu nominal suffix. directional i.e. from there towards here. Girrgara’miy rawurranalu thirrbama’ninhingi nyirraji winthali. He swooped down from above and snatched that fire from him. Category: Suffixes.
-ngana nominal suffix. and, so, or, and so on, etc. Waga’wunungarri miliyngana nginjagangana milha. They cooked the liver and whatever other meat (that was there). Category: Suffixes.
-nganggi pronoun suffix. you, for (singular). 2nd person singular. Category: Pronouns, Suffixes.
-ngarragi pronoun suffix. me, for. 1st person singular. Category: Pronouns, Suffixes.
-ngarri nominal suffix. with, accompanying, having. Wiyi wad’burraynyangarri ngurrunhingi garinyangarri. Women would come from over there with coolamons. Category: Suffixes.
-ngarri verb suffix. continuative aspect. This suffix is commonly used on verbs in narratives as it indicates an activity which carries on for a long time, or activities that have been done since long ago and often, e.g. hunting, fishing, walking. ongoing. Ngada’wirrangarri muway. They’d make camp. Category: Suffixes.
-ngarriyingga nominal suffix. with, using. Warij’birrmantha lundungarriyingga. They killed it with a stick. Garuwangarriyingga ngulyba’yangarri birrgi yaninja. She’d soften the charcoal using water. Category: Suffixes.
-ngiyirrangi pronoun suffix. us, for. 1st person restricted. Category: Pronouns, Suffixes.
-nhingi Variant: -nhi; -nhu. pronoun suffix. him, for, her, for, it, for. 3rd person singular. Category: Pronouns, Suffixes.
-nhingi Variant: -nhi. nominal suffix. case marker, ablative. from, after, because. Wanyjirrinhingi jiliwa, nyawanhingi. The sinew (we’d get) from a kangaroo, from its tail. Category: Suffixes.
-ntha verb suffix. dual, two. Maaningarri baburruyarra maali wad’biyirrantha. Tomorrow we (two) might go down to the creek. Note: This number marker can refer to the subject of an intransitive verb or the subject or object of a transitive verb. Category: Suffixes.
-nya verb suffix. subordinate clause marker. because, which, that. Nyirramu gurama wiyi ngayi, Warrana, milha nyaga’wuninyangarri wug’girangarri. This other man with no wife, Eaglehawk, he was cooking the meat that had been speared. Note: This suffix is used in sentences where there is more than one verb and it is attached to the verb which is subordinate to the other Category: Suffixes.
ngaa (1) question word. where? Wiyi ngaa ngarragi? Where are my wives? Category: Interrogatives and Quantification.
ngaa (2) pronoun, indefinite. somewhere. Gilinymana wad’jay ngaanhingima! Moon came from somewhere. Category: Pronouns.
ngaala nominal. another, some, any, different. Category: Describers.
ngaanyi question word. what? ngaanyi gilima? What should I do now? Category: Interrogatives and Quantification.
ngabi nominal. daughter (for a man). Category: People, Gun.gunma.
ngadi nominal. blind. Category: Describers.
ngajanyi Variant: ngaja. nominal. sibling, younger, brother, younger (for man or woman), sister, younger (for man or woman). Ngirrginyga’ninyangarri ngajanyiway. His young brother was hungry. Category: People.
ngajarri adverb. now, today. Category: Time and Location, Gun.gunma.
ngalaga nominal. headache. Category: Body Parts.
ngarramili nominal. stone, money. Category: Country, Artifacts, Gun.gunma.
ngarranggani nominal. in the dreamtime, long ago. Ngarrangganiingga gayiingga yawaga’ngarriy winthali, baburru yawaga’ngarri. The Dreamtime crocodile kept fire hidden away, he hid it way down. Category: Time and Location, Mythology, Ceremony.
ngawungu nominal. father (for man or woman), brother of father (for man or woman), uncle (for man or woman). Category: People.
nginda Variant: ngindaji. pronoun, demonstrative. this (one). nginda mayina, wadba’wurrmangarri. This bush plum, they would get it. Category: Pronouns.
ngindaji Variant: nginda. pronoun, demonstrative. this (one). Girrganyi balbal’ayngarri rawurr’burra baburru mila’rangarri ngindaji, mila’girangarri winthali. Chickenhawk was flying around high in the sky watching this one, watching the fire. Ngindajiarri buga rawurruga wurrga’widantha. This pair of kids had taken it up into the sky. Category: Pronouns.
ngirri nominal. spinifex. See: bininybali. Category: Plants.
ngunungunu nominal. medicine, bush. Category: Plants.