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P.P. King's Noongar Word List (1821)

King spent some time camped at Oyster Harbour in 1821 and collected a word list as well as the names of a dozen local men. He also provided the first drawings of Noongar hunting equipment. The complete text of his book is now freely available on the net as part of Project Gutenburg.

The original tables contain a variety of accent marks over many of the letters, I've excluded these rom this table, but the Project Gutenburg edition includes images of this list.

The occasional words in the third column appear to be revisions, in some cases the revised word is incorrect. For instance, orlock is given as a revision of the correct taafor mouth, on the other hand Moil is a correct revision for the incorrect Tarmul for nose.

Of interest is King's note about badoo being a Sydney word for water. As well the phrase manioc for tomorrow gets recorded later as maniana by Nind later, but both would appear to be adopted from sailor's lingo.

A goose Can-an-gan
A dog Ti-a-ra
To eat biscuit Ya-munga-ma-ri (doubtful)
A seal Ba-al-lot
The sun Djaat
Water Badoo { This word is a Port Jackson word, and has been probably obtained from other visitors
Beard Ny-a-nuck
Cheek Ny-a-luck
Mouth Ta-tah
Teeth Or-lock Yea-al
Tongue Dar-lin or Tha-lib
Arm Wor-muck
Nails Per-a (the accent strong on the r)
Finger Mai, plural, Maih
Toe Kea, plural, Kean
Finger nails Pera-maih
Toe nails Pera-kean
Nipple Be-ep Bpep
Belly Cob-bul or Kop-ul Kobul
Posteriors Wal-la-kah Wal-la-kah
Kangaroo Be-ango
A frog Toke
Spear-throwing- stick Me-ara
Hammer Kaoit
Eye Me-al
Navel Be-il
Shoulder Kad-ya-ran
Shall I go on board? Bo-ken yen-na
Elbow Gno-yong
Scars on the body Naam-burn
Fire wood Go-gorr
A spear Nam-berr or pe-ge-ro
A knife Ta-ap
Rope(on board) Ne-ar-bango
Wood Yan-dari
Lips Tar Urluck
Throat Wurt  
Thighs Dtou-al Dtoual
Knee Wo-nat Wonat
Leg Maat Maat
Foot Jaan or Bangul Jaan
Ear Duong Duong
Nose Tar-mul Moil
Head Ma-ka Kaat
A porpus Nordock
Woman Pay-dge-ro, or coman
(doubtful)
Hair of the head Kaat Kaat jou
Come here Cau-wah Caw-wah
Go away Bul-lo-co
Shoulder Djadan
Musket Puelar (doubtful)
Gum Pe-rin
Tommorow Ma-ni-oc (doubtful)
Surprise or admiration Cai-cai-cai-cai-caigh
The last word lengthend out with the breath
A hawk Bar-le-rot
A shark or shark's tail
Mar-git
Belt worn around the stomach
Noodle-bul
Back Go-ong
A particular fish Wallar or Wallat

 

Names of Natives

Yal la pool (a little boy)
U-ree-ton }boys
Wy-tum-ba
Mar-in-bibba
Cool-bun
Na-kin-na
Mal-ka
U-der-ra
Ky-noo-ra
Han-bar-rah
Ba-war-rang
Monga
Floo-reen-a
Cool-ya-rong
Mogril (a young man)*