Analysis of the name Biraban.
1. Declension of 'Biraban,' as a common noun.
The word is formed from bira, the cry of the bird which we call the 'eagle-hawk.' The -ban postfixed denotes the one who does the action. As applied to M'Gill, the name may have been given to him from some circumstance in his infancy, perhaps his infantile cry.[1]
Nom. 1. Konéin ta biraban ta, 'the hawk is pretty.'
2. Biraban to wiyan, 'the hawk cries,' lit., speaks.
Gen. Tarro unni biraban koba, 'this egs is the hawk's.'
Dat. 1. Unni ta biraban ko takilliko, 'this is for the hawk to eat.'
2. Waita bag͏̇ biraban tako, 'I depart to the hawk,' i.e., to where the hawk is.
Acc. Tura bon biraban unnug͏̇, 'spear him, the hawk there.'
Voc. Ala or ela biraban! 'O hawk'!
Abl. 1. Minarig͏̇ tin tetti noa? biraban tin; 'from what cause is he dead'? 'from the hawk,' as a cause.
2. Tul-bulléu͏̇n noa tibbin biraban ka tabirug͏̇, 'he, the bird, hath escaped from the hawk.'
3. Buloara bula biraban toa, 'the two are in company with the hawk.'
4. Tibbin ta biraban taba, 'the bird is with the hawk.'
5. "Wonnug ke noa katan? biraban kinba, 'where does he exist'? 'at the hawk's place.'
Minarig͏̇ unnoa tibbin? 'what is that bird'? tibbin ta unnoa bukka-kan, 'it is a savage bird that.'
Yakoai unnoa ta yita͏̇ra wiyá? 'how is that such-a-one spoken'? equivalent to 'what is its name'? giakai unnoa yita͏̇ra biraban wiyá, 'this way, that such-a-one is spoken or called biraban.'
Minarig͏̇ tin yita͏̇ra biraban wiyá? ' from-what-cause is such-a-one spoken or called biraban'? g͏̇ali tin wiyelli tin bira-bira tin, 'from this, from speaking, from bira-bira '; i.e., because he says 'bira.'
2. Declension of 'Biraban', as a proper name.
Nom. 1. Gan ke bi? g͏̇atoa Biraban, 'who art thou'? 'it is I, Biraban'; yakoai bi yitara wiyá? g͏̇iakag͏̇ bag͏̇ yita͏̇ra Biraban, 'in what manner art thou such-a- one spoken'? 'thus am I such-a-one, Biraban,' sc., called.
- ↑ 'Eagle-hawk ' may have been his totem or family name; or, as our blackfellovvs name their children from some trivial incident at the time of birth, he may have been called Biraban, because an 'eagle-hawk' was seen or heard then.—Ed.
