Wiradyuri language used within Dirrayawadha has been gratefully sourced from my own language lessons under the guidance of Dr (Uncle) Stan Grant Snr and his protégé Letetia Harris. I have also used A New Wiradjuri Dictionary (Restoration House, 2010) and A Grammar of Wiradjuri Language (Restoration House, 2014), both co-written by Dr Stan Grant and the late Dr John Rudder, and the WCC Language Program App, developed by the Wiradjuri Study Centre: wcclp.com.au/ wiradjuri-dictionary/ (with language spoken by Dr Stan Grant, Elizabeth Grant and Midnight Brydon).

   In my novel I have used the spelling ‘Wiradyuri’ as there is no ‘j’ in our language alphabet. The ‘j’ sound is made by the letters ‘dy’. ‘Wiradjuri’ is commonly used by most today, and is recognised by the government, as noted in A Grammar of Wiradjuri Language by Dr Stan Grant and Dr John Rudder.

   I acknowledge Dinawan Dyirribang (Uncle Bill Allen) for his advice on the names of those in Windradyne’s family and I have used the term ‘White ghosts’ throughout as it appears in Mary Coe’s Windradyne, a Wiradjuri Koorie (Blackbooks, 1986).

   Many Wiradyuri words have multiple meanings and some words have different spellings. I will be learning for the rest of my life.

 

Baayami – creator spirit

Babiin – father

Bala-dhu – I am

Bangalang – autumn

Bangalbuwurayi – the country all over the earth, the whole earth

Barraburrun – quail

Barray yanha – to come quickly

Bidyaydya-galang – aunts

Bila – river

Biladurang – platypus

Bimbarra – to burn, or to set the grass on fire

Binbin – stomach

Biran – young boy, male child

Birig – ghost, or spirit

Budhanbang – black duck

Bulanbulan – crimson rosella

Bundhi – club with a thick knob at its end, a war weapon

Dharraay – please

Dhuluny – absolute truth

Dhundhu – black swan

Dhungany – greenleek parakeet

Dhuri – intercourse

Dinawan – emu

Dirrayawadha – a command, to rise up, to get up

Durrumbal – some water weeds

Gabang – insects, butterflies, moth grubs 

Galang – a suffix used on the names of things to describe quantity of items, much, plural, many

Galing – water, rain

Garru – magpie

Gibir – man

Giil – urine

Giilang – a story

Giiny – heart

Girawuu – goanna 

Giyalang (a suffix) – belonging to a group

Giyalung – sharp, smart (can also mean insulting)

Gudha – child

Gudha-galang – children

Gudharang – duck

Gudyarra – war

Gudyiin – time of the Ancestors

Gugaa / gugar – goanna

Gugabul – fish

Gulaangga – frog

Gulaman – dish of bark or wood

Gumbal – brother

Gunang – poo

Gunhi – mother

Maayul – warriors

Mabinya – stop

Magaadhang – clover

Mamaba – uncle, grandfather

Mandaang guwu – thank you

Marambang ngulung – beauty, handsome face, good, pleasant, sweet or rounded face

Marambangbilang – exceedingly good

Marang yariya – good evening

Marrumbang – kindness, love

Mayiny – people Migay – girl

Miinaa – very hot

Minhi – younger sister

Minyali – about what?

Mirri-galang – dogs

Miyagan – family

Murnong – yam

Murrung – box tree

Ngamundhuray – pregnant, with child

Ngamurr – daughter

Ngarrarr – sorrow

Ngawa – yes

Ngawaal – power, force, weight

Ngawang – the flowers are used as a mouthwash for ulcers and to treat chest infections. The fruit is collected in summer when ripe.

Nginhugir – yours (belonging to all of you)

Ngiyagir – clever, wise

Ngumambinya – trust for help

Ngumbadal – unity

Ngurambang – Country, land

Ngurrbul – love

Ngurrbul-dhu-ndhu – I love you

Nguru – evil

Niiringal – tomorrow

Wambuwuny – kangaroo

Wargu-ndhu wiray yuray wirrinya – why do you not sleep

Warrama – turtle

Wiiny-galang – fires

Wiinymaldhaany – firemaker

Wilay – brush-tailed possum

Winhangagigilanha – to care for each other

Wiray – no

Wiray-dhu yuray – I am not sleepy

Yamandhu marang – are you well?

Yarraga – spring

Yarraman – horse

Yarruwala – very mighty, very strong, almighty

Yinaa – woman