6
THE ABORIGINES OF VICTORIA:
they indicate a common origin, or merely suggest the probability of a small infusion of words of Sanscrit derivation through the occasional visits of Arabs or Malays, it is difficult to say. The latter supposition appears not improbable."
Mr. Threlkeld, quoting from a paper furnished him by W. A. Miles, Esq., gives the following comparisons:—
Australian. | Sanscrit. |
Nau-wai, a canoe | Nai, a ship; Persian, naô. |
Murri nauwai, a ship | Neoya, naval. |
Makoro | Matsyah, a fish. |
Wonnai | Yuvana, a young person. |
Maiya | Persian, mar, snakes. |
Marai, spirit | Mara, death. |
Yuring, a canoe | Iri, a radical, to go. |
Nukung | Adguna, a woman. |
Murrakeen | Kanya, a girl. |
Wakun, from the cry | Ka, ka, a crow. |
Wak-wak-wak | Waka, a crane. |
Punnul | Bhanu, the sun. |
Kui | Ooo, to sound. |
Bo, to be one's self | Bhu, to be. |
Yamma, to stop from harm, to guide, to lead | Tama, to stop. |
Yinal, son; Yinalkun, daughter | Yauwana, youth. |
Mr. Taplin says he made a collection, some time since, of those words of the native language which most resemble English words, or words of languages from which English is derived. The words he has given are, he adds, pure native, that is, Yarildewallin.
I here quote a few of these words from Mr. Taplin's work, with additions showing the derivations:—
Mr. Taplin– | Derivations. | ||
Native words. | Meanings. | English or other word which they resemble. |
|
Yun | soon | soon | Moeso-Gothic, suns; Anglo-Saxon, sona |
Kurrin | enquiring | enquiring: Latin, quærens | |
Multuwarrin | becoming many or much | multus, multiplying | |
Poke | a small hole | pock | Anglo-Saxon, poc; Dutch, pok. |
Wirrangi | bad | wrong | Anglo-Saxon, wringan, wrungen, twisted from the right. |
Trippin | drenching | dripping | Anglo-Saxon, dripan; Danish, dryppe. |
Throkkun | putting | throwing | Anglo-Saxon, thrawan. |
El | will | will | Gothic, wilja; Anglo-Saxon, willa; Dutch, wil; Slavonic, wolia, wola; Greek, βουλή. |