Gaay Garay Dhadhin: new words

This document lists the new words and phrases developed for Gaay Garay Dhadhin: Gamilaraay Yuwaalaraay Picture Dictionary.

An expanded version of the document will be posted soon. It will include a discussion about the process of developing words and phrases.

Why Gamilaraay Yuwaalaraay headings are used in Gaay Garay Dhadhin

The Gamilaraay Yuwaalaraay (GY) languages are in a process of revival. Some people use a few GY words, but a major aim of language revival/rebuilding is to assist in expanding the actual use of language. This aim can be quite difficult because it takes a long time to build up skill in the language, there are many things for which there are not language words, and people are often slow to use language if other people there do not understand it.

One way to use language is in names. Many town names are GY words, and are regularly used. Recent GY publications have also had GY names: Yugal and Guwaabal, for instance, and new Gaay Garay Dhadhin.

Apart from having a GY name for the picture dictionary, there was also discussion about having GY headings for the sections of the dictionary. Both the principle of using GY words and the details were discussed with language workers and senior people involved in GY language programs. There was support for the principle of using GY headings, and recommendations were made about the actual words to use. As a result the words and phrases below have been adopted.

Recently developed words used in Gaay Garay Dhadhin

These are arranged in GY alphabetical order.

dhadhin picture, photo

dhawundiirr geography

dhayn person

dhuba direction

dhubayn nhirrin body parts

dhulu nhirrin parts of a tree

gaaydjuul suffix/prefix

gabuga heading

gagan colour

gayrr noun

gayrr widji place name

gayrrda adjective

gayrri pronoun

giidju plant

gimal verb

gimalda adverb

giniy thing

giniy guuguugu traditional objects

giniy GY ngayagay other GY resources

giniy GY ngaragay other GY resources

giniy yilaadhudhi modern objects

gulaarrbal description

gurriyaagil vine

manbu general

muthugalgaa contents

ngay number

nhalaybal introduction

nhalayba-li introduce

waan work [noun]

wabuwi weather

widji place


The following list contains GY phrases and words which are not exact translations of English heading used in Gaay Garay Dhadhin. The literal meaning of the GY word or phrase is given, as well as the English heading it is used to translate. GR indicates that a phrase is Gamilaraay and YR that it is Yuwaalaraay.

GY word and literal translation English heading

Gaay Garay Dhadhin - words and pictures Gamilaraay & Yuwaalaraay Picture Dictionary

Ngaandu banmay - who helped? Acknowledgements

Garay guliyaan GR - new words Recently developed words

Gaay guliyaan YR - new words Recently developed words

Gayarragigu garay GR - To find words Finding words in this dictionary

Gayarragigu gaay YR - To find words Finding words in this dictionary

Burrulaabala guwaaligu - to talk more Going further with language learning

Garay/gaay manbu - ordinary words Everyday phrases

Gayrr widji - place name Place name

Minyangay yaaybaa - how many years By age

Giniy guuguugu - things of the ancestors Traditional objects

Giniy yilaadhudhi - things from now Modern objects

Walaaydha/walaaya - at the camp Camping

Maniilay-gu - for hunting Hunting

Buluuydha/buluuya - at night Night sky

Dhii biyuu-dhi - animals from far away Introduced animals

Dhurrun.gal - hairy animals Mammal

Dhii biruudhi - animals from far away Introduced animals

Dhii gali-dha, gungan-da - animals in water Water animals

Giidju manbu - common plants Common plant words

Giidju galidha/gunganda - plants in water Water plants

Gayarragigu garay GR - To find words Word finder

Gayarragigu gaay YR - To find words Word finder