Nyungic
(reduced)
Geographic
distribution		South West (Western Australia)
Linguistic classificationPama–Nyungan
  • Southwest
    • Nyungic
Subdivisions
GlottologNone
Nyungic languages (green) among other Pama–Nyungan (tan). Classification of Bowern (2011). Noongar is the section in the southwest.

The Nyungic languages are the south-westernmost of the Australian Aboriginal languages:[1]

Galaagu and Kalaamaya/Natingero are poorly attested; it is not clear how close they are to each other or to Noongar, and Kalaamaya may have been a variety of Noongar proper. A variety called Njakinjaki (Nyaki Nyaki) has been variously said to be a dialect of Noongar or of Kalaamaya.[2]

The term Nyungic has been used for the bulk of the Southwest Pama–Nyungan languages (see). However, that is a geographical group, not a demonstrable family. Bowern restricts both terms to Noongar plus Galaagu, which is poorly attested and had been misclassified as one of the Mirning languages.

References

  1. ^ Bowern, Claire. 2011. "How Many Languages Were Spoken in Australia?", Anggarrgoon: Australian languages on the web, 23 December 2011 (corrected 6 February 2012)
  2. ^ A1 Nyaki Nyaki / Njaki Njaki at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
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