Kunjen language
Kunjen, or Uw, is a Paman language spoken on the Cape York Peninsula of Queensland, Australia, by the Uw Oykangand, Olkola, and related Aboriginal Australian peoples. It is closely related to Kuuk Thaayorre, and perhaps Kuuk Yak.
| Kunjen | |
|---|---|
| Uw | |
| Native to | Australia |
| Region | Cape York Peninsula, Queensland |
| Ethnicity | Ngundjan (Ogh-Undjan), Uw Oykangand, Olkola |
Native speakers | 2 (2005) |
Pama–Nyungan
| |
| Dialects |
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | Either:kjn – Oykangandolk – Olkol |
| Glottolog | kunj1248 |
| AIATSIS | Y83 Kunjen (cover term), Y188 Kokiny, Y237 Athina |
| ELP | |
Kunjen is classified as Critically Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger | |
Two of its dialects, Uw Olkola (Olgolo) and Uw Oykangand (Koko Wanggara), are very close, being mutually intelligible and sharing 97% of their core vocabulary. Another two, Ogh-Undjan and Kawarrangg, are also close, but somewhat more distant from the first pair. Kokinj (Kokiny) is a subdialect of Ogh-Undjan. A fifth variety, Athima, is poorly attested.
Below is a table showing the mutual intelligibility in vocabulary between the Kunjen dialects, based on a list of 100 basic words.
| Uw Oykangand | 97% | 44% | 38% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uw Olkola | 43% | 38% | |
| Ogh-Undjan | 82% | ||
| Kawarrangg | |||
A small dictionary of Kunjen has been compiled by Philip Hamilton. A great majority of words begin with a vowel (>96%), similar to the situation in distantly-related Arrernte. Exceptions include kinship terms and loanwords. Syllable onsets are thought to be present in all languages, so their absence in native lexicon is highly notable.