The Languages of the Kimberley, Western Australia

• Author(s): William McGregor,
• Publisher: Psychology Press
• Pages: 371
• ISBN_10: 0415308089
  ISBN_13: 9780415308083
  
• Language: en
• Categories: Foreign Language Study / Oceanic & Australian Languages , History / Australia & New Zealand , Language Arts & Disciplines / Linguistics / General , Language Arts & Disciplines / Linguistics / Sociolinguistics , Language Arts & Disciplines / Linguistics / Syntax , Political Science / General , Social Science / Ethnic Studies / General , Social Science / Sociology / General , Social Science / Regional Studies ,

Description:... The Kimberley, the far north-west of Australia, is one of the most linguistically diverse regions of the continent. Some fifty-five Aboriginal languages belonging to five different families are spoken within its borders. Few of these languages are currently being passed on to children, most of whom speak Kriol (a new language that arose about half a century ago from an earlier Pidgin English) or Aboriginal English (a dialect of English) as their mother tongue and usual language of communication. This book describes the Aboriginal languages spoken today and in the recent past in this region.