Data collected by AUSTLANG

Data on the Kala Lagaw Ya language

Alternatives names: Kalaw Lagaw Ya, Mabuiag

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

Classification: Macro-Pama-Nyungan,

Main Dialects: There’s four main dialects of this language, one is also called Kalaw Lagaw Ya. The other main dialects are Kalaw Kawaw Ya, Kulkalgaw Ya and Kawalgaw Ya. There use to be a koinè form of Kala Lagaw Ya used as lingua franca all along the Torres Strait before colonization.

Area: Australia, Torres Straits Islands.

Number of speakers : The 2005 National Indigenous Languages Survey Report estimated approximately speakers 700 for the Kalaw Lagaw Ya (designing probably the dialect) and 800 speakers for Kalaw Kawa Ya dialect. There’s no data available for the speakers of the Kulkalgaw Ya and Kawalgaw Ya dialects.

The 2006 Australian Bureau of Statistics Census counted 1216 speakers, probably counting both Kalaw Lagaw Ya and Kalaw Kawa Ya dialects.

Language vitality & transmission :

According to Austlang, following the National Indigenous Languages Survey Report, Kalaw Lagaw Ya is highly endangered. The language is in disuse among the younger generations, switching to English and Torres Strait Creole.

Bibliography

Ray, Sydney H. 2003. Dictionary of Torres Strait languages, 2nd edition. Kuranda, Rams Skull Press.

McConvell, Patrick & Thieberger, Nick. 2005. Languages past and present. In Arthur, Bill & Morphy, Frances (eds): Macquarie atlas of indigenous Australia. Sydney, Macquarie Library. Pp 78-87.

See Austlang for a complete bibliography about Kalaw Lagaw Ya.

Maps

Ford, Kevin and Ober, Dana. 1991. A sketch of Kalaw Kawaw Ya. In Language in Australia, ed. Romaine, Suzanne. 118-142. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Links

AUSTLANG website