Warrwa language

Extinct Australian Aboriginal language

Warrwa
Native to	Australia
Region	West Kimberley, Derby region of Western Australia
Extinct	The last speaker, Maudie Lennard, died in 2016.^[1]
Language family	Nyulnyulan Eastern Nyigina? Warrwa
Language codes
ISO 639-3	`wwr`
Glottolog	`warr1258`
AIATSIS^[2]	`K10`
ELP	Warrwa
Map of the traditional lands of Australian Aboriginal tribes around Derby, Western Australia. Warrwa is in green.^[3]

The Warrwa language is an extinct Australian Aboriginal language which was formerly spoken in the Derby Region of Western Australia near Broome, Western Australia.^[4]^[5] It may have been a dialect of Nyigina.^[2] It was also known as Warrawai or Warwa.^[6]

Grammar

Warrwa employed a variety of word orders grammatically. Attributive adjectives and possessive adjectives preceded the nouns they modified.^[7]

References

^ Warrwa at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
^ ^a ^b K10 Warrwa at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
^ map is indicative only.
^ llmao.org
^ Wals.info
^ Ethnologue.com
^ McGregor, William. (1994). Warrwa. München: Lincom Europa.

Australian Aboriginal and Tasmanian languages

Pama–Nyungan
subgroups

Southeastern

Victorian P–N	Lower Murray Yotayotic Gippsland Kulin Bungandidj
New South Wales P–N	Yuin–Kuric Dhanggati ? Anewan (Nganyaywana) ? Central New South Wales Wiradhuric Barranbinja Muruwari
North Coast	Durubalic Bandjalangic Gumbaynggiric Waka–Kabic

Northern

Western Torres Strait Kalaw Lagaw Ya
Paman	Northern Paman Uradhi Wik Middle Paman Umpilaic Umbindhamuic Lamalamic Umbuygamu Mbarrumbathama Southwest Paman Kuuk Thayorre Southern Paman Mbabaram Flinders Island
Maric	Northern Warrongo Eastern Biri Southern Bidyara–Gungabula Margany–Gunya Bindal ? Guwa–Yanda ? Guwa Yanda Kingkel ? Dharumbal ? Bayali ? Lower Burdekin ?
Dyirbalic	Dyirbal Warrgamay Nyawaygi Lower Burdekin ?
Yimidhirr–Yalanji–Yidinic	Guugu Yimidihirr Kuku Yalanji Yidiny
Gulf	Kalkatungic Kalkatungu Yalarnnga Mayi

Central

Arandic–Thura–Yura	Arandic Arrernte Kaytetye Thura–Yura Wirangu Kaurna Adnyamathanha
Karnic	Northern (Palku) Pitta-Pitta Western Arabana–Wangkangurru Central Diyari Yandruwandha Eastern Wilson River (Wangkumara) Bulloo River (Galali) ?
Yarli Paakantyi

Western

Yolŋu	Dhaŋu–Djaŋu Ritharrŋu Nhaŋu Dhuwal–Dhuwala Djambarrpuyŋu Gupapuyŋu Djinaŋ Djinba Ganhalpuyŋu
Ngarna/Warluwarric	Yanyuwa Southern Ngarru Thawa
Desert Nyungic	Marrngu Ngumpin–Yapa Ngumpin Yapa Warumungu ? Wati
South-West P–N	Pilbara Ngayarda Kanyara–Mantharta Kartu–Nhanda Yinggarda ? Mirning Nyunga

Proto-Pama–Nyungan

Tangkic

Lardil (register: Damin)
Kayardild
Yukulta (Ganggalida, Nyangga)
Mingginda (Minkin)

Garrwan

Garawa (Garrwa, north)
Waanyi (Wanji, south)
Gunindiri (Kurnindirri, southwest)

Macro-Gunwinyguan ?

Maningrida

Marran

Gunwinyguan proper

Western	Jawoyn (Djauan) Waray Uwinymil
Central	Bininj Kunwok (Kunwinjku, Gunwinggu) Kunbarlang Dalabon (Ngalkbun)
Eastern	Rembarrnga Ngalakgan Ngandi Nunggubuyu (Wubuy) Anindilyakwa (Enindhilyagwa)

Yangmanic–Wagiman?

Other isolates

Iwaidjan

Central (Warrkbi)	Iwaidja Garig–Ilgar Garig Ilgar
Eastern (Goulburn Island)	Maung Manangkari
Southern	Amurdag

Marrku–Wurrugu ?

Darwin Region ?

Gulumoerrgin (Larrakia)
Limilngan–Wulna?	Limilngan Wulna
Umbugarlic	Umbugarla Ngurmbur Bugurnidja

Daly River Sprachbund

Wagaydyic (Anson Bay)	Batjamalh (Wadjiginy) Pungu Pungu (Kandjerramalh)
Northern Daly	Malak-Malak (Nguluk Wanggar) Tyerraty
Western Daly	Marri Ngarr Merranunggu Marrithiyel Marramaninjsji
Eastern Daly	Matngele (Werret/Dakayu) Kamu
Southern Daly	Murrinh-patha Ngan’gityemerri

Mirndi

Jingulu

Yirram	Nungali Jaminjung
Ngurlun	Ngarnka Wambaya

Jarrakan

Bunuban

Worrorran

Wunambal (Northern)
Ngarinyin (Eastern)
Worrorra (Western)

Nyulnyulan

Western (Nyulnyulic)	Nyulnyul Bardi Jawi Djabirr-Djabirr Nimanburru
Eastern (Dyukun)	Yawuru Dyugun Warrwa Nyigina Ngumbarl

isolates

Tasmanian
family-level groups

Western	Northwestern Tasmanian (Peerapper) Southwestern Tasmanian (Toogee) ?
Northern	Northern Tasmanian (Tommeginne) Port Sorell
Northeastern	Pyemmairre (Northeastern) Tyerrernotepanner (North Midland) Lhotsky/Blackhouse Norman
Eastern	Oyster Bay (Paredarerme) Little Swanport Southeast Tasmanian (Nuenonne) Bruny Island

New Indigenous
languages and
Aboriginal Englishes

Creoles

Australian Kriol	Roper River Kriol (Ngukurr) Bamyili Kriol (Barunga) Kimberley Kriol (Fitzroy Valley) Daly River Kriol Westside Kriol (Victoria River) Barkly Kriol Mornington Island Creole Kowanyama Creole
Northeastern creoles	Torres Strait Creole (Yumplatok) Cape York Creole Lockhart River Creole Napranum Creole