Diary of ten years eventful life of an early settler in Western Australia and also A descriptive vocabulary of the language of the aborigines/A descriptive vocabulary of the language in common use amongst the aborigines of Western Australia/Part 1/Y
Y
- Y, when a consonant as in your, yoke.
- Y, when a vowel, as in my, thy; and this sound is to be given to it in the middle of a word after a consonant, if not separated from the preceding letter by a hyphen, when it becomes a consonant itself; as in Gyn-yăng, once—the first Y is a long vowel, the second a consonant. See Preface.
Yaba, s.—The temples.
Yaba-wilban—Ephthianura albifrons, Gould; Sanfoin-bird.
Yabbal-gadăk—having an intention to give. As, Bal nginni boka Yabbalgădăk; he intends to give you a cloak.
Yabbal, s.—The bark either of the Banksia. or Hakea. See Djanni.
Yabbra, ad.—Quickly; rapidly.
Yadang, v.—Pres. part., Yadangwin; past tense, Yadangăgga. To pound; roots, for instance.
Yadjarrăp, s.—The Snapper-fish. Ijarrăp, a deep-sided salt-water fish, caught in abundance on banks near the coast.
Yadjo, s.—The testicles.
Ya-et—(K.G.S.) A species of waterfowl.
Yaga, ad.—Merely; only; not at all; no such thing.
Yago, s.—Plural Yagoman. A woman. Women are the mere slaves of the men, obliged to watch and attend their movements, and to carry all their property, all well as the young children, in bags at their back They must construct the hut, make the fire, provide roots for themselves, and give a share to their husband; whilst he does not always share his game with them. Little affection can exist in this state, and the woman is naturally favourably disposed to any one who will pay his court to her. This occasions frequent dissension, which often ends in the woman eloping with her lover. In early life their form is symmetrical, their movements graceful, their voices musical, and the countenances of many lively and rather pleasing. But most of these qualities are lost at a very early age.
Yajingurong, s.—Recurvirostra rubricollis. The Avoxet.
Yagyn, s.—Snake-necked, fresh-water Turtle. It appears to bury itself in mud in the winter, as it has been sometimes dug up in a torpid state in the swamps. It is exceedingly tenacious of life, moving about even when its head is cut off. The largest weights only for or five pounds.
Yalga, ad.—Yet; still; first; previously.
Yalgarănan, v.—To open; to liberate from confinement.
Yalgor, s.—A swamp.
Yalla, demon pron.—That.
Yallabel—That particular, or very thing, or place.
Yallala, ad.—There.
Yalle, s.—Mushroom. The natives will not eat what we call mushroom although they eat several other sorts of fungus.
Yallingbardo, v.—To go on one side. Compounded of Yalla and Bardo, meaning to go there, or to that place.
Yallor, s.—The name of the native dance among the northern men; as also the chaunt, or tune, if it may be so called, to which the dance is performed. The dance is generally performed by the young men. Women seldom take any part in it. Their dances frequently represent the chase, and motions of the kangaroo and emu, the pursuit of a wounded cockatoo, the course of a snake, the transformations or feats of a magician with a wand, as well as the measured step and concerted movement of a dance of ten or twelve persons; and, although the figures are somewhat uncouth, the gestures are not ungraceful; and as seen in the forest on a clear night, by the bright blaze of a fire, surrounded by groups of admiring spectators, the whole scene presents a pleasing and animated picture of the recreations of a savage life.
Yallor-wăngow, v.—To chaunt. From Yallor, the native dance, and Wangow, to speak.
Yallor-gannow, v.—To dance. Compounded of Yallor, the native dance, and Gannow, to step.
Yal-ya, s.—A grave; the hollow itself. See Bokal.
Yal-yet, or Yal-yu-ret—(K.G.S.) Wet.
Yambo, ad.—Abreast; all in one line.
Yambong, ad.—(A strong affirmative). Yes; actually; certainly.
Yampel, ad.—(Upper Swan word.) Flat; flattened on the surface.
Yanbart, a.—A descriptive term applied to ground where the vegetation has been burnt.
Yanbi, s.—Awkward; improper; incorrect; wrong. It is used also as an expression of surprise, meaning, what are you doing? what are you about?
Yan, in. p.—What?
Yang—The strongest expression of thanks, or gratitude.
Yanganan, v.—To thank; to praise; to bless.
Yăngo, s.—A species of Xanthorea.
Yăngor, s.—The kangaroo species in general. In the mountain dialect, the male kangaroo. It is believed that this is the only word in any of the Australian dialects which approaches at all in sound to our word kangarooo.
Yangori—Proper name. Evidently from Yangor, name of the Ballarok family at the Vasse river.
Yanji, s.—A tuft of emu feathers.
Yanjidi, s.—An edible root of a species of flag (Typha angustifolia), growing along fresh-water streams and the banks of pools. It consists of many tender filaments with layers of a farinaceous substance between. The natives dig the roots up, clean them, roast them, and then pound them into a mass, which, when kneaded and made into a cake, tastes like flour not separated from the bran. This root is in season in April and May, when the broad leaves will have been burned by the summer fires, by which the taste, according to native ideas, is improved.
Yannow, v.—To saunter; to walk; to move slowly along.
Yarbelli, s. Incest; union with a female not within the marriageable line, or proper degree of kindred, as with one of the same name, though no identity of blood may be traceable; as Ballarok with Ballarok, though the relationship may be almost as doubtful as that of one Smith with another.
Yargyl—(K.G.S.) Charcoal.
Yarralăk, s.—A species of fish.
Yarril—(K.G.S.) A species of cray-fish.
Yatto, s.—An opossum's tail, worn as an ornament on the head, or hanging from the hair.
Yeddi, or Yetti. s.—A song. See Yetti.
Yeddi-gărow, v.—To sing.
Yemăt, s.—Water.
Yekan, v.—To drive; to chase; to tend cattle.
Yekyn, s.—The wild, or native Australian dog. It frequents swamps and thickets, and creeps upon its game by stealth. Sometimes it fastens upon the hind leg of a kangaroo, and clings till its victim is exhausted and easily overpowered.
Yellin, s.—The Guard-fish.
Yendun, (K.G.S.) Underneath.
Yenma, s.—The name of a dance among the natives to the N.E. and East.
Yet—(K.G.S.) The chin.
Yetit-yetit, a.—Peevish; cross-grained.
Yetit-yetitan, v.—To tease; to annoy.
Yetti, or Yeddi, s.—A song. They have no regular song; but they chaunt in a tone of recitative any striking events of the day, or give vent to their feelings when excited, beginning in a high tone, and gradually descending to a low deep tone by regular intervals.
Yijatgur—(K.G.S.) To sharpen; to make ready.
Yilbin, v.—Pres. part., Yilbinin; past tense, Yilbinăgga. To glance off; to graze.
Yimang, s.—The forehead.
Yimba, s.—The husk, or shell, or rind of anything; the bark of the paper bark-tree.
Yinang, s. A widow; widower.
Yinbi, s.—A species of Unio, or fresh-water muscle. The natives will not eat it, though the settlers have used it with impunity.
Yir—(K.G.S.) A species of Djunong.
Yirak, a.—Elevated; high up; up.
Yirakal—(K.G.S.) Quickly.
Yirăgan, a.—Elevated; on high.
Yirrbin, v.—Pres. part, Yirrbin; past tense, Yirrbin. To sprinkle.
Yirrila, s.—The fin of a fish.
Yirriwa, s.—An English knife.
Yir-Yir, s.—A flag-like grass, much disliked by the natives, as it cuts their legs in walking.
Y-jo, p.p.—I. (Vasse river.) See Gnadjo.
Y-jul—I will. See Gnadjo.
Yoi-yu—(K.G.S.) A small species of fish.
Yong-a, or Yung-a, v.—Pres. part, Yongawin; past tense, Yongaga To give.
Yonja, s.—Strix delicatulus; lesser White Owl.
Yowart, s.—The male kangaroo.
Yowir, a.—Giddy; confused as a drunken man.
Yowirgwart, v.—To fall down in a faint; to swoon.
Yowirin, a.—Being giddy, as Katta Yowirin, my head is turning round.
Yoyt, s.—Muscle of the thigh.
Yoytch, s.—Mountain dialect; the testicles. Yadjo.
Yuada, ad.—No.
Yual, ad.—Here; hither; come here.
Yuangur—(K.G.S.) A species of frog eaten by the natives.
Yudang-winnan, s.—The act of pounding anything.
Yugow, v.—Pres. part., Yugowin; past tense, Yugaga. To be; to stand; to exist.
Yugow-murrijo, v.—To run; literally, be, go.
Yugow-murrijobin—Go quickly; literally be moving.
Yukel, s.—The large volute, or conch shell. It is worthy of remark that many natives, towards the interior, invariably persist in asserting, that both these shells and the mother of pearl shell, Bedoan, are to be found in quantities a long way to the north-east of York. See Derbal.
Yukungadak—(K.G.S.) A sorcerer; a doctor.
Yulang, ad.—Nearer; closer.
Yulangera, s.—A woman who is old and has had children. This word is evidently derived from Gulang, a child; and Collins tells us that the name of the rite by which youths are initiated into manhood at Sidney is, Yulang ira bardang, which means "youth or child going up." almost to a letter in this language.
Yulang-idi, a.—Fruitful; having had children; as Yago; Yulang-idi, a woman who has had children.
Yulăp, a.—Hungry; empty. Probably an introduced word, though now very common; put see Ngul-yap (Vasse dialect).
Yulmăn, ad.—In turn; in return.
Yulmăn wangow, v.—To answer.
Yulmăn yonga, v.—To exchange.
Yuly—(K.G.S.) lazy; idle.
Yul-yăng, v.—Pres. part., Yul-yăngwin; past tense, Yulyangăga. To smear; to varnish; to rub with gum the green shafts of the spears.
Yundo, a.—Yellow.
Yundăk, s.—A species of Iguana.
Yundung, s.—A species of Iguana.
Yung-ar, s.—People. The name by which they designate themselves. There may be about 3000 aborigines frequenting the located parts of the colony. See the Statistical Report for 1840.
Yung-ar yulman giar—The name of a star.
Yungilbar—(K.G.S.) Foolish; wasteful.
Yun-gitch—(K.G.S.) Straight.
Yungolăng—as "Gurdu Yungolang," said in hot weather.
Yurakyn, s.—A species of snake.
Yurang, v.—Pres. part., Yurangawin; past tense, Yurang. To shake together; to rub roots, to clean and prepare them for eating.
Yurda, s.—A place where a fire is or has been; the ashes of a fire-place; the household hearth; the spot where a person has been accustomed to make his fire. Mahrrok bidjar.
Yurdo, s.—The forehead.
Yurir-ăngwin, part.—Stirring up.
Yurjang, v.—Pres. part., Yurjangwin; past tense, Yurjangaga. To take by force.
Yurna, s.—An Iguana. There are many varieties of the Saurian tribe to be found, and of all sizes, from a few inches up to five or six feet long. The largest sorts are supposed to be destructive to young poultry.
Yurail—(K.G.S.) Quickly.
Yurro, s.—Gabbi yurro; the discoloured stream of fresh water, which descends after rain from the uplands mingling with the salt water in the estuaries.
Yu-rytch, s.—The cheek.
Yutto Barrang, v.—To raise; to pull down
Yuttok, ad.—The last time; the last of anything.
Yuttarlgar, s.—A bundle; a sheaf of corn; or other tied heap of anything.
Yuttarn, v.—Pres. part, Yuttarn; past tense, Yuttarn. To fasten; to tie.
Yuyltunmitch—(K.G.S.) A native dance.
Yy-i, ad.—Now; to-day.
Yy-inăng, a.—New; fresh; young; strange.