American reacts to Aboriginal Australian Language

Thanks for watching me, a humble American, react to Miriwoong: The Australian language barely anybody speaks
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[@AnnQlder]

There’s no written language prior to European arrival, it was all spoken. I’ve got a family friend who speaks 7 aboriginal languages and works recording songs in native languages, she’s amazing

[@deedee2172]

That's a lie

[@AnnQlder]

@@deedee2172 no, it’s not. What’s wrong with you?

[@aaronpatton814]

❤💛🖤 You do have at least one First Nation's Aussie watching. My country is Biripai, and our language is the Gathang language.

[@optimusmaximus9646]

Minya nyura wubaliyn 🙂 I wish more indiginous languages were taught in schools. As a polyglot I find them all very appealing - once you get the hang of the sounds the words just glide off the tongue.

[@unoriginalsyn]

Myundi myjurri ❤💛🖤 greetings from Alonnah Lunawanna country

[@peterconnolly76]

I wish we got taught this or even just a little at school . Why did they always want to teach us French instead ?

[@optimusmaximus9646]

@@peterconnolly76 I think a lot of Australian schools these days tend to widen the scope of foreign languages, especially Asian languages owing to Australias proximity to Asia, but I am not sure if the study of languages is compulsory in schools now anyway. Nevertheless I do know that students still choose French, German and Italian as elective subjects.

[@oliverplunkett3997]

❤💛🖤 I'm a indigenous man from Berrin on Boandik country my language is Bunganditj, my language was nearly extinct before efforts to revive the language began in 2003 and continue to this day.

[@shaneb4612]

My dad is Aboriginal & my mum is of Germany decent. My people are from the Carri Carri mob of the Central Highlands, in Central Queensland. If you want to hear some Aboriginal language, have a listen to any song by "King Stingray" or "Gurrumul Yunupingu" or Gurrumul's uncle's band "Yothu Yindi". Sadly the Yunupingu's have pass over to the Dreamtime & are with the rest of our ancestors. I would consider it an honour to have you look into "Gurrumul Yunupingu". He was a amazing unique talent.

[@kellythomas1933]

Yothu Yindi was so instrumental in having first nations people being acknowledged in this great southern land

[@shaneb4612]

@@kellythomas1933 The Warumpi Band' was right there as well. Also Tribal-link, my cuz's band, from Woorabinda. I remember Tribal-link was asked to stop playing & to leave for singing in language. The audience was filled with drunked up mob & they almost rioted when they were asked to leave. So in true mob fashion, the boys played louder & harder. Back to your point politically Yothu Yindi was leaders in that field. I could yarn about this stuff all day.

[@kellythomas1933]

@@shaneb4612 I'd love to hear more from you brother

[@kennethdodemaide8678]

Aboriginals also created a shorthand language consisting of only about 300 words which was used as a means of communicating between tribes who spoke different languages.

[@bevanwalsh6182]

As a indigenous Australian I am very proud to see this bloke learning and knowing our culture and language is still evolving despite all the challenges we faced in our history. Well done and thanks for sharing your views on this issue with us. 🙏🏼👍🏼

[@stephaniebell4272]

Languages can come and go, but connection with “country” is timeless

[@jenniferharrison8915]

Yes, I'm 7th generation of a family who built many enduring legacies in the forests and soils of Tasmania - originally in chains and always by endless hard work! Australia is my country, our blood, sweat, memories, hearts, people are deeply imbeded here!

[@SkydrawnIV]

give us a cigarette ya dawg

[@croweater6814]

Timeless like the Jews and Israel.

[@jayr4857]

​@SkydrawnIV I wonder what aboriginal is for centrelink, domestic violence, and I'm always a victim. 65,000 years of existence and they couldn't invent anything.

[@jenniferharrison8915]

@@jayr4857 Free Cash! Tribal Family! Poor me = gifts! Country = food! Max of 50,000 years in Australia! Some Zambian visitors traded them their first boat, their weapons and culture came from New Guinea, so they created zero except fire and babies!

[@MartinSchurmann-ym1ly]

My great, great Grandfather was born in Germany & went to South Australia in the 1830's. He came across at least 6 Aboriginal languages. We need to save what we can.

[@jenniferharrison8915]

Who is WE, it's their tribal language, not a universal one like English!

[@siryogiwan]

@@jenniferharrison8915 we is anyone and everyone that is willing, language is not owned, but shared, it's the way it was and the way it will always be, it is not 1 of the customs that needs guarding from westerners, unlike many that needs to be. I have mixed heritage, my European side were pioneers and lived with the local mob, my great great grandfather being 1st whitefella born where they were , the women of the tribe being there to birth him, I learned a big chunk of living in the bush from him (he died at 101yo, when I was about 6yo) either directly or passed on by family, through what he was taught growing up with them, there are things he was not taught, just like all people, there a things not meant for you, but language has never been, it's the opposite, people being forced not to speak it and that needs rectifying anyway possible

[@MartinSchurmann-ym1ly]

I agree with Jennifer.

[@jenniferharrison8915]

@@siryogiwan Only interracials were taught English by the well meaning Christians who believed they needed to know it to survive, and it's true!

[@jenniferharrison8915]

@@siryogiwan Men's business and constant abuse? That's why children were rescued - not stolen - fed, clothed and educated by well-meaning European christians!

[@FionaEm]

There were about 250 Aboriginal languages before colonisation in 1788. Sadly, there are only around 50 left. Really glad ppl are trying to preserve and pass on the ones that remain 😊

[@DaT1aGEnDerANdRosExUaL]

And only 13 (the number is decreasing) of them are actively spoken by large enough communities.

[@heatherharvey3129]

With over 500 dialects within those more than 250 language groups.

[@tanyiabailey4792]

I believe it was closer to 280-300 language groups so many lost

[@siryogiwan]

that's the nations, there was thought to have been closer to 600 different languages, many of the nations in places like top of WA, 1 nation could have many languages that shared words, but also had their distinct words

[@jenniferharrison8915]

@@siryogiwan They were never nations only family tribes! Many tribes had learned Indonesian, Dutch, African, New Guinean, Chinese, Portugese words from trading!

[@Gabby-fh9nt]

As a white Australian, I think this is a beautiful thing to see, and it should be taught more in schools, not just in the Aboriginal communities. We aren’t taught enough about their culture at all, and if we were, I think a lot more Australian’s would appreciate their values towards nature and be a lot more respectful to it. They are the minority and we leave their teachings behind, learning French, Italian, Japanese ect in school, rather than something from our own countries past that shouldn’t be forgotten. Not as a subject, but at least a few words here and there to be able to learn something closer to home and take interest in our local communities. And to you keyboard warriors, I am aware there are different dialects. Local to the region is what they could teach. More so the primary school ages as that would be fun for the kids learning small words associated with nature.

[@patrussell8917]

Which global nation wants to learn any of these languages to communicate with others Face it English is almost globally accepted

[@AnnQlder]

I couldn’t agree more

[@amandajburke9976]

@@patrussell8917 Building local cultural connections with Indigenous language speakers is special, non-generic, meaningful, unique! Also, learning international languages is still very important. Being a multilingual polyglot assists learning and comprehension across most subjects - it fine tunes the brain!

[@danielkelly8870]

It would be a wonderful thing to teach the language of the people who’s land the individual schools are built. I live in Sydney on the land of the Dharug people, unfortunately their language is extinct, as the last speakers of the language died in the 19th century.

[@jenniferharrison8915]

What schools, isn't education today complicated enough? It's their private language for their tribe, it's nothing to do with our 270 other cultures! 🧐 How many Americans learn Navajo or Sioux? How many of their international trading visitors words did they adopt? It's not an authentic universal language! 😏

[@robynjefferson4779]

My white great grandmother spoke an aboriginal language because they were the only children around when she was born in 1834.

[@azzc1111]

You got the pronunciation on 'Kunanurra' pretty spot on. My friends used to teach there and we went for their wedding. It was an 8 hour drive inland from Broome. They killed, cut up and cooked a cow at the wedding. A giant bush pig broke into our food cupboard and ate everything. The locals took our sunglasses and footwear and had no shame wearing them in front of us. They nicknamed all the good looking boys 'Tom Cruise' It was all extremely entertaining. Definitely the best wedding I will ever go to.

[@siryogiwan]

just your typical day in the outback then lol

[@ian7033-qj9wg]

@@siryogiwan Not the outback.

[@siryogiwan]

@@ian7033-qj9wg 1) it was a joke, 2) anything west of Great Dividing Range is considered the outback to us on East Coast

[@kennethdodemaide8678]

Language creates a sense of belonging which is the most important thing in society. It gives them a sense of pride in their identity.

[@TallowTheQuoll]

6:10 I'm sorry to break this to you, but there was no letters to translate. *Indigenous Australian languages weren't written languages, we had no alphabet.*

[@hellesndergaardpetersen8266]

Thanks for clarifying that 😊, I wasnt aware. Greetings from Denmark

[@jessandthebirds]

I was going to point this out too. They have to create the written language when they teach it like this. The languages were all passed down orally.

[@stephaniebell4272]

But there are paintings which tell stories and facts. Each symbol tells a tale.

[@norsehall309]

G'day Ryan, l live in Northwestern NSW and our local Aborigines population have their own language and most can speak it, through out Australia there a many different languages the one in your video must be one of the rarest and must be saved, cheers mate, Neil 🤠.

[@justjj4319]

It was a treat to see you react to this story ... living with the tragedy of what we have done is awful. Am so grateful to all who can help re-establish their languages in ANY way.

[@amandajburke9976]

Warami mitigar means hi friend in my local language (Darug). My favourite word in Darug is butbut which means heart and literally sounds like a heartbeat ❤ I also love the numbers, wagul = 1, bulla = 2, bulla wagul = 3, bulla bulla = 4 👍

[@jessandthebirds]

Thanks for sharing :) I live on Darug country (I'm not indigenous though). I really love learning languages and love learning about Indigenous languages. Those words are so cool. I love the number system for counting, it makes sense! And the word for heart is so cool ❤ Have a great day! :)

[@ashleymillar4996]

I’m Aboriginal (Ngarrinjeri) and I think it’s deadly they are teaching language at school, and saving languages! Plus helps the kids get a connection to their past and land

[@elli4210]

For non-Australians reading this, "deadly" is a very good thing in Aboriginal English. 😊

[@Just-Incredible420]

I do to bruz I believe that teaching language to all the kids is the only thing that'll kick racism gotta teach the little rubbers a different way to wat we was taught at school atleast this way they'll hav a chance to grow as 1 an not hav a divided shitty mindset of the past generations morjority

[@jaydubbelyoo]

We lost a lot of our native languages, dialects and culture because it was against the law to speak Indigenous languages and pass cultural practices down to the next generation. Much of the languages are now a form of Australian Creole, Pidjin and AbE. I speak AbE when contact tracing, and there's a specific way and order to communicate information. It sounds like broken, improper English. I spoke Ngarrindjeri and AbE before I was placed with my family at 3yrs old. I would get told off for talking "gibberish", and corrected with Oxford and Australian English. I can only speak Oxford English, Australian English and Aboriginal English now.

[@redherring6154]

I want to see Ryan’s reaction to the Aussie gentleman that was arrested for enjoying a “succulent Chinese meal” and the police grabbed him by his tool belt. It was a shining example “of democracy manifest” !

[@chrisofmelbourne87]

Ohhh him. Oh my God I remember him. They were arresting him and quite rough. Right?

[@redherring6154]

@@chrisofmelbourne87 yep, but now the cops target nursing homes and seniors with tasers and people not wearing masks to the beach ! “Tyranny creeps in the night, like little cats feet.” Welcome to the 2020’s australia!

[@redherring6154]

@@chrisofmelbourne87 yeah they dragged him from his succulent Chinese meal and grabbed him on the pecker

[@kaitlins2934]

Seconded!

[@Just-Incredible420]

They actually became good mates they not long ago had the 40yr reunion pic taken

[@kimrigney8310]

I'm glad to see white people watch Australian First Nations people speak their language. I am a Ramindjeri Ngarrindjeri man from South Australia and belong to the Ngarrindjeri Nation, and we are doing the same as other first nations in Australia, in keeping our culture and language alive for our people.

[@NATIVE_BROTHERS_MC]

As a proud Arnhem man I can speak my indigenous language I love being indigenous and I am proud of it before white man there was 500+ nations we are the oldest civilization in world

[@bambiofpentacles5008]

That was one of your best. I'm white, I live on the Mid North Coast NSW, on Gumbanggir Country. We acknowledge the indigenous names of country we live on in Australia now, and I love that.

[@Mythicaa]

I can't remember exactly when, but roughly 20 years ago there was a big push to start recording the aboriginal languages because they were dying out, particularly in more urbanised areas. The first task was to get them written down so a lot of the elders were consulted to help out. And now we have "welcome to country" ceremonies spoken in the local languages.

[@siryogiwan]

I think that's when they started putting together dictionaries of Aboriginal words

[@jackvos8047]

​@@siryogiwanaudio recording was not invented when the first Aboriginal language dictionary was started. The Awabakal language was the first to be written down in 1827. It unfortunately was also among the first languages to die out.

[@siryogiwan]

@@jackvos8047 I was more referring to the group of different languages being put into an actual dictionary of their own, but you are correct in pointing out people did record language at different points since colonisation, and could in deed be considered dictionaries in their own rights.

[@jackvos8047]

@@siryogiwan"An Australian grammar: comprehending the principles and natural rules of the language, as spoken by the Aborigines in the vicinity of Hunter's River, Lake Macquarie, &c. New South Wales" is the long winded title of the first "actual' dictionary and was published in 1834. An expanded version Titled "An Australian language as spoken by the Awabakal, the people of Awaba, or lake Macquarie (near Newcastle, New South Wales): being an account of their language, traditions, and customs" was released in 1892

[@roderickdunn3464]

In the 60's there was a young couple of US anthropologists studying language of the locals on Cape York at the then Mitchell river mission. They made a decision to move back to the US for the education of there then preschool age children. I remember the wife commenting the her children were using the local language in preference to english.

[@t.a.k.palfrey3882]

Where indigenous languages still flourish, despite English, is in those countries where there are fewer of them. The 45 languages in Kenya, for example, or Welsh in Wales, or even Māori in New Zealand. Australia, on the other hand, has 200 Aboriginal languages with 800 dialects. Papua New Guinea has over 800 languages still spoken today. The small number speaking each is a threat to all of them.

[@bevhowell7665]

At first, most Australian languages were written following English orthography (or in a few cases, German orthography), as it sounded to the writer. This meant that sounds which were distinguished in Australian languages but not in English were written identically, while at the same time sounds which were allophones in Australian languages but distinct in English were written differently. Most Aboriginal words used in English follow these early conventions, and therefore do not usually give a good idea of how the word was pronounced in the original language.

[@jenniferharrison8915]

A full Aboriginal now is incredibly rare, and any words now are a combination not original! They traded with several other countries, there were no written words, and they were no longer constantly travelling unless to work!

[@jenniferharrison8915]

There is no possibility of authenticity, they travelled, bred and also traded with several other countries! I worked at the Board of Studies, and very few of these words are original to the 1700s!

[@user-dc6xz9jf6u]

I would like to simply point out, that yes, today alot of indigenous Australians languages do indeed have standard orthography used to varying degrees.

[@onigvd77]

i have seen a show on tv that showed Aboriginal people going to visit native americans and share their origin stories with each other, was quite cool :)

[@siryogiwan]

If it's the 1 I think, it was a pbs doco type show

[@jenniferharrison8915]

​​​@@siryogiwan I hope they took interpreters, Native Americans are much more evolved and spiritual!

[@siryogiwan]

@@jenniferharrison8915 that's a weird thing to say, they practised much of the same traditions, even having similar stories about creation etc, Aboriginal culture couldn't be anymore spiritual if it tried, sacred practices are just kept sacred and not talked about outside of the circle it involves (eg men's or women's business and ceremony etc), some of the things Aboriginal people did, were more advanced than people give credit for, like building features that allowed fish to enter on high tide and be caught as tide drops, they farmed (actually planting crops) and some had stone structured housing. Aboriginal, Sth East Asian and Pacific island people DNA has been found in several Sth American indigenous cultures and there's discussions on whether they may have interacted with the people from Nth America (no evidence as far as I know though, that they were that far up)

[@nulse55]

Go into the bush and do a walk-a-bout. Take no devices. or at least turn them off. Take your shoes off when you can. Try to turn off your inner surface chatter. Listen with your whole body. Skin, eyes, ears, mind. You will hear the language of the land. My wife's wisdom. She is from Ngati Porou Iwi (People) Aotearoa. Aboriginal languages are amazing.

[@jenniferharrison8915]

Um, Aotearoa is the Maori name for New Zealand, it's nothing to do with Australia, are you kidding? Maori have real language! 🤨

[@danielsonn3046]

Than you're wife is Polynesian not aboriginal

[@jenniferharrison8915]

@@danielsonn3046 They claim everything as theirs now here! I believe they also do bushwalking and meditation in Europe, and many other countries - like India! They seriously should stop eating gum leaves and commenting in any language!

[@Just-Incredible420]

I speak Wiradjuri an yes ther s alot of rolling the tongue that goes with it

[@unoriginalsyn]

I literally was involved with a cultural workshop on Wiradjuri country today ❤ tis a bit of a tongue twister lol

[@Just-Incredible420]

@@unoriginalsyn yeh sis that it is where was ya

[@unoriginalsyn]

@@Just-Incredible420 Griffith and I spent a lovely afternoon painting and learning about Waradjuri country ❤💛🖤 on to Wagga tomorrow

[@Just-Incredible420]

@@unoriginalsyn oh nice ul go threw my home town Narrandera

[@Prsboy78]

I am a firefighter on the mid north coast of NSW Dungutti land and when I do school visits and include Dungutti words as well as telling the children that it is an honour to protect all who reside on Dungutti land as I pay respect to past, present and emerging elders of the tribe. Yarway : Hello or greeting Mirrombi : Thankyou Bahloo: Goodbye

[@possummagic3571]

Indigenous Australian here 🙋‍♀️Keep up the great work, mate!

[@garryellis3085]

Thankyou Ryan for your respectful reaction to the dissapearing lndigenous languages.

[@hollyflax1232]

Thank you for bringing your curiousity and respect to our indigenous culture in Australia.

[@bevhowell7665]

How is aboriginal language written? Prior to the arrival of Europeans, Australian Aboriginal languages had been purely spoken languages, and had no writing system. On their arrival, Latin script became a standard for transcription of Australian Aboriginal languages, but the details of how the sounds were represented has varied over time and from writer to writer, sometimes resulting in a great many variant spellings of the same word or name. Cook, James (1955). The Journals of Captain James Cook. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Roth, Walter (1901). The structure of the Koko-Yimidir language. Brisbane: Government Printer. Haviland, John (2002). "Guugu Yimidhirr Sketch Grammar". In Dixon, Robert M. W. (ed.). Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development. Cambridge University Press. pp. 26-180. ISBN 978-0-521-47378-1. Mathews, R. H. (Jul-Dec 1903). "Languages of the Kamilaroi and Other Aboriginal Tribes of New South Wales". The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. 33. The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, Vol. 33: 259-283. doi:10.2307/2842812. JSTOR 2842812. Austin, Peter (1992). A Reference Dictionary of Gamilaraay, Northern New South Wales. La Trobe University, Department of Linguistics. ISBN 978-0-85816-851-0. Bradley, John; Kirton, Jean (1992). Yanyuwa Wuka: language from Yanyuwa country. unpublished. Archived from the original on 2005-12-22.

[@user-dc6xz9jf6u]

Today, most writing systems for languages are being standardised.

[@michaelsillis1841]

The First Nations People have over 150 main languages. States are now trying to preserve them buy teaching in a lot of schools. The Torres Straight Islanders teach in schools also. I am 5th Gen Aussie.. Ryan, you would be tongue tied in my city Canberra where Suburbs, streets, etc have names from so many of those languages, Canberra means Meating Place, Queanbeyan means Clear Water and Narrabundah means bird of prey. Our local people are Ngunnawal. Would love you and fam to watch Top End Wedding, that revolves around a Tiwi woman coming home from the city to marry. Fun, emotional, crazy and the most beautiful scenery in Northern Territory and Tiwi Islands. Even the trailer is fun. Cheers 🙃🙃 And thanks for all the videos you do, I love it!

[@svenomick5857]

As a White Australian Male l love it, My Sister is a Nurse She and Her Late Husband and late Son and Her Two other children Daughter and Small Son worked in the NT in Out Back Areas For 25 Years They loved it, She always Said They are a Beautiful People’s Cheers Michael NSW Australia

[@rosiekickett2617]

Hiya I'm a Aboriginal woman from Perth Western Australia and my people are the Noongah people of the South West region of Western Australia and I've been watching alot of ur videos and it's fantastic to see a video of my people on ur channel and yes my people have been here for a long time and the date is always changing but the most recent timeline of how long we've been here is over 80000+ yrs and before colonization there were more than 500 tribes with different languages....thx for showing my people respect ♥️🖤💛

[@jasonarstell8039]

I’ve lived worked and stayed in towns here in Australia where English is their second language and I love it. I agree 💯 that language is identity. I believe we should be teaching the local indigenous languages in our schools and keeping it alive

[@jk177717]

In our local area we've recently got a bilingual English/Gumbaynggirr school established, which should help keep Gumbaynggirr alive, thanks to some pretty inspirational efforts by the local community. Gumbaynggirr has a larger speaker base than Miriwoong (though still small) and was the indigenous language used in the ABCTV series Cleverman.

[@elli4210]

That's great! Isn't that on NSW north coast? When I was at school in the 70's and early 80's (here in Sydney) we were taught literally nothing about Aboriginal Australia. Our history started in the 17th century. 🙄

[@peterg219]

"Kununarra" perfect pronunciation Ryan. Some tribes had languages with over a 25,000 word vocabulary. The average white English guy uses around 6,000 words. Mind you, there are thousands more English words incorporating Latin, French, Greek, etc. The range of descriptive terms of original peoples languages meant they were always very aware and very intelligent peoples. Cheers from Sydney, AU.

[@jangundjabuun077]

I live on the East Coast of Australia. My mob is the Bundjalung clan. We are currently reviving our language in the Bundjalung dialects there is original 23 dialects including sub- branches of the 4 main languages which are even older. I have the great responsibility and honour of teaching being apart of the revival revoicing and reclaiming our language. I teach in the schools the preschools (daycare centres) and running language workshops in the community for the adults and elders. Our language is not only a way of communication but it is also a way of life. Our language mirrors everything around us and tells us of their stories from plants to animals and even the stars - seasonal changes. Our language is a very beautiful language and to speak it will allow you access to many many different cultural customs and practices. I had to learn my language from the beginning taught by a fluent speaker (my uncle) after learning it, I now get to teach many others and keep our mother tongue alive for many more generations to speak it protect it and keep it.

[@michaelbirch2380]

Had me in tears, Ryan. Thanks so much. Wonderful people, the Real Owners and Carers of this continent.

[@roderickdunn3464]

Cultural pollution occurs worldwide. It takes a conscientious effort to maintain language and culture. Case to point the dominance of US english is corrupting other english usage.

[@namewithheldbygoogleforsec673]

yes! I have to have my YT language settings set to UK English, because YT has Australian English under US English so whenever I spelt words like "colour" with a U I would get the red squiggly line under the word indicating incorrect spelling. YT (or more importantly Google who owns YT) needs to change it because NZ and Australia speak and spell UK English.

[@ian7033-qj9wg]

Too right dude.

[@eranbenavraham]

I'm Wiradjuri here. Yiradhu marang(good day) is how we greet each other in Wiradjuri. Or Yaama (Hi)

[@waza987]

I know several people who have worked with Aboriginal language translation and writing. There are many interesting facts but two things people don’t realise are about their geographical spread and how fast some change. Most of the variety of the native languages is in the far north, up around the top Northern Territory and WA has many times the number of languages as the rest of Australia combined. Also often when language speakers are small it changes even quicker, I was told of one community they went back to see if revision was needed and founds books translated in the 1970s and 80s were only understood by older people in the community and new version spoken by young people was now very different.

[@jenniferharrison8915]

ReIntegration with Indonesians and other visitors, definitely changed the words and languages over time!

[@alogan9502]

Proud Nywaigy woman watching 🙋🏾‍♀️ Im so envious of other mob that still speak thier clan tongue ❤ Mine is lost. Only know of few words. So sad i cant pass it down, at least we have a land back by government.

[@lucysteiner4556]

The were 250 aboriginal languages and 800 dialects when white msn arrived in Australia in 1788.

[@jenniferharrison8915]

The first white men (Europeans) in Australia arrived in 1520! Then the Dutch in 1606! British convicts were mixed race, including black Africans, which white men do you mean? 🤔

[@lucysteiner4556]

@@jenniferharrison8915 Yep. I’m talking about permanent English settlement. .

[@Jeni10]

The need for love and belonging is a basic need for every human being. Feeling displaced or alone, impacts your self-esteem. Refer to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

[@rosalynmoyle3766]

In the valley region I grew up in there was 23 different dialects. This in one small area.

[@raychristison5231]

Prior to the British Invasion there were over 250 indigenous languages. Language was suppressed during the times of indigenous "protection" but many are being revived. You should watch Stan Grant's documentary "I Can't Breathe".

[@ian7033-qj9wg]

Language was supressed. Thats an interesting claim. Explain this.

[@raychristison5231]

@@ian7033-qj9wg Hi Ian. It was common in the early 20th century for use of native languages to be actively discouraged. This happened throughout the world. Children and adults were punished for speaking their native languages. It happened to Gaelic speakers in Scotland, to Norm speakers in Shetland and Orkney, to Saami speakers in Scandinavia, to Native Americans and to Indigenous Australians. A lot has been written about it.

[@ian7033-qj9wg]

@@raychristison5231If the languages were supressed then how come over half of them survive today. Ive heard the claim before but its just a claim, theres really little evidence of it.

[@kellythomas1933]

As a tasmanian of aboriginal heritage it hurts me that I was never given the opportunity to learn the language of my people

[@jenniferharrison8915]

What? They still live on the outer islands of Tasmania, ask them!

[@danielsonn3046]

Yes There are no living speakers of the original Tasmanian languages colonisation caused the extinction

[@BEACHES98]

Hello, I am aboriginal from the kokatha and barngarla tribes in the south Aus My father is a full blood aboriginal and my mother is a dutch woman

[@ernstijsenbruk1556]

Mr Ryan, I am a fan of your work because you make the most outrageous thing interesting because of your naïveté and desire to learn. Having lived in Papua New Guinea which similar to Australia has a history of 50,000+ years of indigenous population, I was finding that by going from village to village that some villages of around 300 people would speak one language and then a few miles down the road the next village’s people spoke a totally different language. The PNG people with the assistance of Australians and other foreigners have devised a written and spoken language called Pijin (in PNG) and has other names in other Pacific Island nations. It allows the tribes people to converse with others from neighbouring tribes and provinces etc. I was amazed to find that Pijin even transverse the ocean where French speaking peoples such as New Caledonia and Tahiti spoke it as well as other island nations such as the Solomon Islands Vanuatu and Fiji where English is the main language.

[@MICHAELplayz2012]

I’m aboriginal my mob is kalkadoon it’s nice to see you looking at my mob :)

[@kennethmarston8986]

There was no written language for most first nations in Australia. They learned their history from their song lines, ceremony and elders. There were over 240 language groups before white settlements.

[@narelle-creative-arts]

Brilliant Ryan, you are educating us too ❤❤

[@kazz3956]

Kaya means hello in the Noongar language in the South West of WA.

[@SpiritualElder]

Our beautiful Indigenous people's are so connected to the land, I sometimes wonder if they are living aspects of her.

[@donnabridges5858]

Our kids learned Narunga at school . We live on Adjhura, Narungga land

[@JohnYarrmakayn-p2l]

Native Language. I speak my Own Language. English is our second language

[@perryschafer5996]

Well done with Kununurra. Other American friends have found it almost impossible to pronounce. I taught a class of aboriginal senior high school students in the Territory. Some of them had English as a fifth or sixth language. There’s a lot we whitefellas have to learn.

[@elli4210]

I'm in Sydney and grew up with American neighbours who couldn't pronounce Berowra.

[@suekaraiskos7104]

Spot on Ryan… people have had to transcribe language as never written down. Incredible work

[@silverstreettalks343]

As others point out, the reduction of these languages to writing is modern; in fact, as far as I can work out, for Miriwoong itself, it goes back to the 1970s. There was no written language for most before the late 19th century, though several of the early settlers tried to write down words and sentences from Aboriginal languages, particularly around Sydney and Melbourne. Significant early work in documenting Australian aboriginal languages was done by German Lutheran missionaries working in the Arrente languages of Central Australia, while, more recently, both interdenominational missions like Wycliffe Bible Translators and universities have done a lot of work on these languages, which usually involves learning vocabulary, devising a writing system (they usually avoid diacritics, like acute or grave accents, umlauts etc) so that a standard keyboard can be used) and teaching people to read in that language. While Bible translators aim eventually to produce Bibles in the languages they work on, all the groups working on languages also write down traditional stories, poems, songs etc, because these are strongly linked to the cultural aspect of language and communication, just as someone who says, "I'll be back!" is also using a recognisable expression within our culture.

[@aaronfranklin6863]

wadjarri yamatji watching, this is the fate for most our languages, some are already lost, i glad a few dedicated people from my tribe are finally bringing our language back from the verge of being lost, it brought great grief to my soul when i couldn't find any family members that could speak it fully, they knew some scattered words, the elders was so busy working and adapting to the dominant culture that we thought our language would be fine but we was wrong, you did pretty good pronouncing the words 👍✌️

[@tinfoilhomer909]

My favourite word in my own Australian language is TA (rhymes with SPA) it means thankyou.

[@KelpieDog]

Bit of trivia for you, Aboriginals were in Australia around 20,000 years BEFORE neanderthals died out.

[@RaceySpacey]

Id have loooved to learn this in school.

[@donniefermor8592]

Yaama I'm a anwain man

[@elli4210]

Names of places and animals that are used in English can be different from the word in the original language, because it was said in an unwritten language to someone who didn't speak it. Also, an indigenous word can have more than one common/acceptable spelling. Your pronunciation of Kununurra was correct. The best way to attempt unfamiliar indigenous words is to skim quickly over them.

[@neilmamarika7679]

Hi I'm Australian Aboriginal people I speck my language Called Anindilyakwa I'm from Groote Eylandt

[@JohnYarrmakayn-p2l]

Respect bro love your Videos. By the way I'm an Aborigine 🖤💛❤️ From Top of the Australia. NT

[@Barbara-b4r]

Grandfather spoke several language - my mother tried to speak them but was forbidden, because grandfather was jailed and bashed for speaking language. My grandmother, her mother spoke 3 or 4!

[@geetee4459]

No aborigial languages were written languages BTW - until the white fellas came and tried to write them down - they were only spoken languages.

[@julicooke4266]

maori is taught in preeschool. gives them something to hold on to.. te rero

[@carolynrose9522]

Language wasn’t written. Recognised by drawings and verbalisation translated to words from sounds by white man. 100s of tribal languages throughout Australia.

[@dee-smart]

The aboriginals are actually older than the Africans. They were the first seeded man. I am not sure who said it - I think Billy Carlson on youtube. I think by the Pleiadians. that is what he thinks. Personally not sure on that but know we come NOT from earth but from Lyra. Our souls are Lyrans. And when we pop out of our bodies and head home, I think that is where we end up - in Lyra. We never die as we are fractals of God and we are eternal light and energy beings. Heard of orbs? They are us in spirit form. But we are not these little tiny orbs. Our soul is much larger than our human meat suit (body), much larger.

[@lauriedmills7581]

Remember there are hundreds of different “tribes” and each have their own language and dialects so it was never a huge number of speakers of each language to start with. What’s surprising is that neighbouring “tribes” were often vastly different where it was more likely to assume commonalities. The indigenous Australian topic is riddled with hotly debated political ideology including that of “tens of thousands of years” which is often disputed… 5000 years is more likely but even that is peppered with stories (from the indigenous) that there people there before them. Thanks to a small mitochondrial DNA test study It’s generally accepted now that there were at least two separate and obvious migrations into the land, the latest about 1000 years ago (thus the very different languages). I wish a widespread paternal DNA test study was done which would teach us so very much but there’s too much politics involved :(. So much to learn! I love that this language is being fought for, as have so many since the early days of European settlement. I long for the day when there is peace on earth among all mankind.

[@MrGluey666]

Do more Australian aboriginal reactions- not many people in other countries know about the stolen generation and history

[@trevorclayton4748]

Im a proud wiriadjuri gundagurra man

[@ian7033-qj9wg]

Get a job.

[@mlennox260]

The spelling was devised by western linguists. There are sounds in Aboriginal languages that are not present in English. Thats where the complication comes in. It was never written down before Europeans arrived.

[@lindamofflin6144]

Northern Territory has a lot of Indigenous languages and still speak Matha or language

[@marianmartinez1494]

D H Lawrence lived in a town south of Sydney and said Australia was so different. The horizons were so wide that it influenced all people who were brought up there, white or black. It's so true the environment has a huge way of effecting you.

[@ian7033-qj9wg]

Yeah, stinking hot and full of flies.

[@shrekamel]

More than 250 distinct languages and over 800 dialects

[@privatenexus5764]

9:51 HA! they have a map for the distribution. Which would be a map of where 20 people live. If it was fluent speakers that is., At least with only 20 people, your speed dial would be easy to keep track of.

[@weissichnichtbre]

Oldest continual culture

[@lynnmoses3563]

Theyre such beautiful dialects that just run off your tongue...Miriwoong....just one syllable and its woong, not wong...youre right with that part of the pronunciation....I had a couple of Aboriginal ancestors, tho most of mine were African Americans from the First Fleet...

[@Just-Incredible420]

African Americans from the first fleet ?

[@crackers562]

Giving a sense of belonging and something to identify with... You can see how it helps a sense of self worth

[@tomdagan6361]

So many different tribes & thus so many languages, All first nations but they very greatly different - there are KZbin programs showing the whole thing over the many thousands of years

[@kazz3956]

Kaya, everyone. That means hello in Noongar language in the southwest of Western Australia. Did you know that some Aboriginal and Torres Strait people speak multiple languages, and English may be the 6th one they know? That is because they often speak languages of close communities. Names of places and other words can have silent letters in them like Tjunjunjarra. Note that the T is silent, so it is said Jun-jun-jarra.

[@privatenexus5764]

6:49 Not really double letters in the language, its our alphabet built for english sounds, that doesn't have letters to represent the sounds of their language.

[@JonGreen22]

LEGIT can someone just give Ryan citizenship at this point he knows more about our country than most of us

[@weissichnichtbre]

Success from connection to culture pride and identity.

[@MatthewMarshall-ps4mb]

2:38 thats my grandfather named David

[@kylestrickland1520]

❤️💛🖤 from WA my budda

[@ChristopherDyer-mp7fe]

America and Australia have natives the American Indians they were there before white man stepped foot on American soil, fought and died, Australia isn’t off the hook either at least a portion of the indigenous history was saved, but you guys took it to another level

[@lucysteiner4556]

Try watching ‘Bush Mechanics’

[@davidgalea430]

very interesting. Thank you

[@just_passing_through]

Languages, at the core, are a communication tool. Communications tools remain in use as long as they have a use. When they don’t have a use any more, they are no longer used. That’s just how communication tools work. Smoke signals for a communication tool, but they were replaced by better means of communication. The same goes for carrier, pigeons, and telegraphs, and a myriad of other tools. A language will remain in use, as long as it is necessary. If there are only 20 people who speak a specific language, and they also speak English, and that English language can be used to communicate with billions of people, then the English language will win, and the language, which is only spoken by 20 people die out. That’s the natural law of things and there’s no point trying to stop it. Ancient Greek died out. Ancient Egyptian died out. The Cornish language died out. And so will this language. If they language survives, then more power to it. That proves it is useful and necessary. But you can’t force a language to survive when it has no merit. You could put billions and billions of dollars into trying to save a dying language, but to what end?

[@trishnewman3122]

Can anyone explain how, when the Aboriginal languages were spoken not written, there are silent letters and apostrophes in native place names? ie K'gari?

[@weissichnichtbre]

60,000 years