Data collected by AUSTLANG

Data on the Arrernte language

Alternatives names: Aranda, Arrarnta

For a full list of alternative names and spelling, see Austlang

Classification: Macro-Pama-Nyungan, Arandic Group

Note: Arrernte is a dialect cluster. Distinctions are sometimes made between Central Arrernte, Western Arrernte, Southern Arrernte, and Eastern Arrernte, but, following Austlang we will regroup them in a large Arrernte ensemble.

The whole Arandic group, comprising also Alyawarr , Anmatyerre, Antekerrepenh, Ayerrerenge and Akarre, is sometimes considered as a bigger dialect cluster.

Their status as separate languages or dialects remains unclear.

Area: Australia, Northern Territory.

Main communities where Eastern and Central Arrernte are spoken are Alcoota (Alkwerte), Harts Range (Artetyerre), Bonya (Uthipe Atherre), Santa Teresa (Ltyentye Apurte), Amoonguna (Imengkwerne), and Alice Springs (Mparntwe) (Green 1994:2).

Number of speakers: The 2005 National Indigenous Languages Survey Report estimated approximately 2000 speakers of Arrernte, whereas the 2006 Australian Bureau of Statistics Census counted 2835 speakers

Language vitality & transmission:

According to austlang Arrernte is a “strong/safe” language whereas Unesco considers Arrernte to be “vulnerable”. It is one of the strongest Australian indigenous languages.

Instruction:

The Arrernte in Schools (AIS) program teaches Arrernte in primary and secondary schools throughout Alice Springs.

Sources & Bibliography

Green, Jenny 2005. A learners guide to eastern and central Arrernte. Alice Springs: IAD Press.

Strehlow, T.G.H. 1944. Aranda phonetics and grammar: Oceania Monographs 7. Sydney: Australian National Research Council.

Wilkins, David. 1989. Mparntwe Arrernte (Arand): studies in the structure and semantics of grammar, Australian National University: PhD.

Henderson, John. 1994. Eastern and Central Arrernte to English dictionary. Alice Springs: IAD Press.

Roennfeldt, David et al. 2005 Western Arrarnta picture dictionary IAD Press.

Neil Broad (comp). 2008 Eastern and Central Arrernte Picture Dictionary. Alice Springs: IAD Press.

See Austlang for a complete bibliography about Arrernte.

Maps

Tindale, Norman. 1974. Tribal Boundaries in Aboriginal Australia. Canberra: Division of National Mapping, Department of National Development.

Green, Jenny. 1994. A learner’s guide to Eastern and Central Arrernte. Alice Springs: IAD Press.

Institute for Aboriginal Development Incorporated. 2002. Central Australian Aboriginal languages – current distribution (map). Alice Springs: IAD Press.

Arrernte region map on aboriginalart.com

Links

AUSTLANG website

A few words illustrated dictionaries Arrernte/ English:

http://aboriginalart.com.au/culture/arrernte4.html

https://www.batchelor.edu.au/callwebsite/studentpages/call_students_sganimal.html