BAD across the country

Wednesday 7 July 2010

BAD across the country

There are several words to express 'bad', but it is interesting to note one similarity between the Nyungar of south-west Western Australia and the Sydney language, and elsewhere in New South Wales:

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"[Wiribü´ngadyémi]" wiribanga = "[Thou didst wrong or badly.]" bad DO, to: Dawes (b) [b:24:18.11] [BB]

"Wiribi´" wiribáyi = "Worn out (as clothes etc.)" bad did: Dawes (b) [b:24:13] [BB]

"we-ree no-rar" wiri ngura = "a bad country" bad camp: Anon (c) [c:21:3] [BB]

"wee-re" wiri = "Bad" bad: Collins 1 [507.2:28] [BB]

"Wèrè" wiri = "Bad" bad: King MS [398:20] [BB]

"weri" wiri = "bad" bad: AL&T Rowley GeoR [DgR] [260:28] [DgR]

"Weè-ree, Weè-ree" wiri = "He therefore cried out to the man, Weè-ree, Weè-ree, (bad; you are doing wrong) displaying at the same time, every token of amity and confidence." bad: Tench [180:2] [BB]

"Wee-ri(e(" wiri = "Bad" bad: Southwell [148.1:15] [BB]

"We-re" wiri = "Bad" bad: Anon (c) [c:26:13.1] [BB]

"Waree" wari = "Bad" bad: Paine, Daniel [41.1:4] [BB]

"Muree Waree" mari wari = "Abhor, To" bad: Paine, Daniel [41.1:1] [BB]

"Muree Waree" mari wari = "very bad or improper" big bad: Paine, Daniel [41:19] [BB]

"wurai" warai = "bad" bad: KAOL Ridley [WAYIL] [128:5.3] [Wailwun]

"wurrai" warai = "Bad" bad: Mathews NYMBA 1904 [230.1:6] [NYMBA]

"Warroo" waru = "bad" bad: SofM 1896 09 12 [p.12.7: AMT-WAYIL] [12.7:18] [Wailwun]

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"Warra" wara = "(Mountain dialect.) Bad." bad: Moore 1842 [:101:11] [NYUNGAR]

"war-ra" wara = "horrible (?)" bad: [24] Hassell, Edney [:173:40] [NYUNGAR]

"worra" wara = "bad" bad: [13] Rae [:208:2] [NYUNGAR]

"war-ra" wara = "bad" bad: [4] Grey 1840 [:208:26] [NYUNGAR]

"warra" wara = "bad" bad: [22] Gray 1987 [:208:28] [NYUNGAR]

"worra worra" wara wara = "bad, very" bad: [13] Rae [:208:36] [NYUNGAR]

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The Sydney language words are at the top, indicated as such by 'BB" (for Biyal-Biyal) at the end of the line. The Nyungar words are at the bottom.

There are also two Wailwun examples, and Niyamba example, from north-central New South Wales.

The original entries are given in double quotation marks for both the Australian word and the original translation. Also provided are a modern simplified and standardised respelling, and a standardised translation ('bad' in this instance). Each entry concludes with the source details, with page number and line number in square brackets, with an estimated language name at the end.