Kalaw Lagaw Ya

Kalau Lagau Ya, Kalaw Lagaw Ya, Kala Lagaw Ya ([kala(u) laɡau ja]), or the Western Torres Strait language (also several other names, see below), is the language indigenous to the central and western Torres Strait Islands, Queensland, Australia. On some islands, it has now largely been replaced by Torres Strait Creole.

Kalau Lagau Ya
Western Torres Strait
Mabuiag
RegionWestern and Central Torres Strait Islands, Queensland
EthnicityBadu Island, Mabuiag, Kaurareg, Mualgal, Saibai Island, Boigu, Dauan Island, Kulkalgal, Maluigal
(Torres Strait Islanders)
Native speakers
888 (2021 census)
Pama–Nyungan
  • Kalau Lagau Ya
Dialects
  • Kalau Lagau Ya, alt. Kalaw Lagaw Ya
  • Kalau Kawau Ya, alt. Kalaw Kawaw Ya
  • Kulkalgau Ya
  • Kaiwaligau Ya
Western Torres Strait Islander Sign Language
Language codes
ISO 639-3mwp
Glottologkala1377
AIATSISY1
ELPKalaw Kawaw Ya
Linguasphere29-RG(A-a)
Range of Kalau Lagau Ya (orange) in the Torres Strait

Before colonisation in the 1870s–1880s, the language was the major lingua franca of the Torres Strait cultural area of Northern Cape York Australia, Torres Strait and along the coast of the Western Province/Papua New Guinea. It is still fairly widely spoken by neighbouring Papuans and by some Aboriginal Australians. How many non-first language speakers it has is unknown. It also has a 'light' (simplified/foreigner) form, as well as a pidginised form. The simplified form is fairly prevalent on Badu and neighbouring Moa.

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