Page:Aboriginesofvictoria02.djvu/40

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
24
THE ABORIGINES OF VICTORIA:

dubitatione congerunt. Feminæque procul dubio pejores si id quidem potest quam ipsi homines. Ut in albis hominibus "damn" aut "proh! fidem" aut "Dii immortales" ita apud eos verba obscænissima audiri potest.

Ne parentes quidem se retinebunt quominus liberos parvos sermone pudendo alloquantur; liberisque coram disserunt ea quæ nunquam impuberibus dici fas est. Matresque semper pene liberis dant nomina nostris auribus fœdissima præ illorum sententiis innoxia et pura. Puer sæpe nominant Dango Willin (lappa). Hoc nomen extremum difficile expressu significat ut lappa cui affigat hærebit ita homo cui nomen "lappa" sit in deliciis veneris inhærebit.




LANGUAGE OF THE NATIVES.

(By the Rev. John Bulmer, of Lake Tyers, Gippsland.)

1. In what way is the article expressed and used in the Aboriginal tongue? (See Remarks.)

A house Mangu ketchoon.
The tree Gingin ngleppur.

2. Is such a thing as gender known in the Aboriginal language? If so, how is it used?—(See Remarks.) Give the equivalents of—

Stone Walloong.
Male kangaroo   Brangolo jirrah.
Female kangaroo   Booyangan jirrah.

And the male and female designations of other animals if there appear to be any regularity in forming the feminine from the masculine.

3. How is the plural formed? Give examples, as—

Kangaroo Jirrah. Men
Kangaroos   (No plural form.) Tree Ngleppur.
Man   Bra. Trees Yail ngleppur.

4. How are the adjectives used? Are there degrees of comparison, and, if so, how are they formed or expressed? Give examples—

A tall man Wreckil kani.
A taller man   Gnoolo wrekil kani.
The tallest man   Mack gnoolo wrekil kani.

5. Personal pronouns–

I Ngio. We Werna.
Thou   Mangi.   Ye or you   Ngoortana.
He   Gindi.   They   Thana.
She  
It  

Is gender known in respect of the personal pronouns?—(See Remarks.) Are there cases? If so, give equivalents—

I   We Werna.
Mine   Ngetal. Ours   Ninde thana.
Me   Ngio. Us   Werna.