Pama-Nyungan

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English

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Etymology

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From pama (man, person) (in several northeast Australian Aboriginal languages) + nyungaa (man, person) (in several southwestern Australian Aboriginal languages) +‎ -an. Apparently coined by American linguist Kenneth L. Hale (1934-2001), to show the vast geographical extent of the family.

Pronunciation

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Proper noun

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Pama-Nyungan

  1. (linguistics) A proposed language family encompassing most Australian Aboriginal languages, including Pitjantjatjara and Warlpiri, but excluding those spoken in the northwest. [from 1960s]

Derived terms

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Further reading

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Ethnologue report on Pama-Nyungan languages