Arrernte language

Infobox Language
name=Arrernte
region=Northern Territory, Australia
speakers=1,500 [http://www.ling.mq.edu.au/speech/phonetics/phonology/aboriginal/index.html]
familycolor=Australian
fam1=Pama-Nyungan
fam2=Arandic
script=Latin alphabet
iso2=aus
lc1=amx|ld1=Anmatjirra|ll1=Anmatjirra dialect
lc2=aly|ld2=Alyawarr|ll2=Alyawarr dialect
lc3=adg|ld3=Antekerrepenhe|ll3=Antekerrepenhe dialect
lc4=aer|ld4=Eastern Arrernte|ll4=Eastern Arrernte
lc5=are|ld5=Western Arrernte|ll5=Western Arrernte

Arrernte (or Aranda) is a language or group of closely related languages spoken in and around Alice Springs ("Mparntwe" in Arrernte) in the Northern Territory, Australia. This group includes the following:
*Anmatjirra
*Alyawarr
*Ayerrerenge
*Antekerrepenhe
*Eastern Arrernte or Ikngerripenhe
*Central Arrernte or Mparntwe Arrernte
*Western Arrernte, Tyuretye Arrernte or Arrernte Alturlerenj
*Southern Arrernte or Pertame
*Lower Arrernte or AlenjerntarpeOpinions vary as to their status as dialects or distinct languages.

Phonology

Consonants

IPA|/ɰ~ʁ/ is described as velar (IPA| [ɰ] ) by Breen (2005), and as uvular (IPA| [ʁ̞] ) by Henderson (2003).

Vowels

All dialects have at least IPA|/ə a/.

The vowel system of Arrernte is unusual in that there are only two contrastive vowel phonemes, /IPA|a/ and /IPA|ə/. Two-vowel systems are very rare worldwide, but are also found in some Northwest Caucasian languages. It seems that the vowel system derives from an earlier one with more phonemes, but after the development of labialized consonants in the vicinity of round vowels, the vowels lost their roundedness/backness distinction, merging into just two phonemes. There is no allophonic variation in different consonantal contexts for the vowels. Instead, the phonemes can be realized by various different articulations in free variation. For example, the phoneme /IPA|ə/ can be pronounced as IPA| [ɪ ~ e ~ ə ~ ʊ] in any context. [Ladefoged and Maddieson (1996)]

Phonotactics

The syllable structure of Arrernte is argued to be VC(C), with obligatory codas and no onsets. [Breen and Pensalfini (1999)] Plural morphemes are suppletive for monosyllabic and bisyllabic words in the structure of VC and VC(C)VC respectively. Stress falls on the first nucleus preceded by a consonant, and the frequentative is formed by reduplicating the final VC portion of the verb stem.

Arrernte in schools

In most primary schools in Alice Springs, students (of all races and nationalities) are taught Arrernte (or in some cases Western Arrernte) as a compulsory language, often alongside French or Indonesian languages. Additionally, most Alice Springs High Schools give the option to study Arrernte language throughout High School as a separate subject, and it can also be learned at Centralian College as part of a TAFE course. Future plans are that it will be included as a university subject.

Arrernte in workplaces

Many Alice Springs workplaces require that employees to learn at least basic Arrernte in order to communicate effectively with the large numbers of Arrernte people (approximately 25%Fact|date=September 2008 of Alice Springs residents speak Arrernte as their first language). Many workplaces offer learning of Arrernte as an option and will fund the course.

Notes

References

*cite book |last=Breen |first=Gavan |year=2001 |chapter=The wonders of Arandic phonology |editor=Simpson, Jane, Nash, David, Laughren, Mary, Austin, Peter & Alpher, Barry |title=Forty Years On: Ken Hale and Australian Languages |pages=45–69 |location=Canberra |publisher=Pacific Linguistics
*cite journal |last=Breen |first=Gavan |year=2005 |title=Illustrations of the IPA: Central Arrernte |journal=Journal of the International Phonetic Association |volume=35 |issue=2 |pages=249–254 |doi=10.1017/S0025100305002185
*cite journal |last=Breen |first=Gavan |coauthors=Rob Pensalfini |year=1999 |title=Arrernte: A Language with No Syllable Onsets |journal=Linguistic Inquiry |volume=30 |issue=1 |doi=10.1162/002438999553940 |pages=1
*cite book |last=Dixon |first=R. M. W. |authorlink=R. M. W. Dixon |year=2002 |title=Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development |location=Cambridge |publisher=Cambridge University Press |url=http://www.cambridge.org/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=0521473780
*cite book |last=Henderson |first=John |year=1988 |title=Topics in Eastern and Central Arrernte grammar |others=PhD dissertation. University of Western Australia
*cite book |last=Henderson |first=John |coauthors=Veronica Dobson |year=1994 |title=Eastern and Central Arrernte to English Dictionary |location=Alice Springs |publisher=IAD Press
*cite book |last=Henderson |first=John |year=2003 |chapter=The word in Eastern/Central Arrernte |editor=R. M. W. Dixon and Alexandra Y. Aikhenvald |title=Word: A Cross-Linguistic Typology |pages=100–124 |location=Cambridge |publisher=Cambridge University Press
*cite book |last=Ladefoged |first=Peter |coauthors=Ian Maddieson |year=1996 |title=The Sounds of the World's Languages |location=Oxford |publisher=Blackwell Publishers Ltd
*cite journal |last=Mathews |first=R. H. |authorlink=R. H. Mathews |month=Oct.–Dec. |year=1907 |title=The Arran'da Language, Central Australia |journal=Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society |volume=46 |issue=187 |pages=322–339
*cite book |last=Strehlow |first=T. G. H. |year=1944 |title=Aranda phonetics and grammar |location=Sydney |publisher=Oceania Monographs
*cite book |last=Wilkins |first=David P. |year=1988 |chapter=Switch-reference in Mparntwe Arrernte (Aranda): form, function, and problems of identity |editor=Austin, P. K. |title=Complex sentence constructions in Australian languages |pages=141–176 |location=Amsterdam |publisher=John Benjamins
*cite book |last=Wilkins |first=David P. |year=1989 |title=Mparntwe Arrernte (Aranda): studies in the structure and semantics of grammar |others=PhD dissertation, Australian National University
*cite journal |last=Wilkins |first=David P. |year=1991 |title=The semantics, pragmatics and diachronic development of "associated motion" in Mparntwe Arrente |journal=Buffalo Working Papers in Linguistics |volume=91 |pages=207–257
*cite book |last=Yallop |first=C. |year=1977 |title=Alyawarra, an Aboriginal language of central Australia |location=Canberra |publisher=Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies

External links

* [http://www.omniglot.com/writing/arrernte.htm Omniglot.com]
* [http://aboriginalart.com.au/culture/arrernte4.html Dictionary]
* [http://aboriginalart.com.au/culture/languages.html Language]
* [http://www.bri.net.au/spokenword.html Keeping The Aboriginal Language Strong]
* [http://www.batchelor.edu.au/callwebsite/studentpages/call_students_sganimal.html Words]