Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 8, 2026

Yanda language

Yanda is an extinct and poorly attested Australian Aboriginal language of Queensland, known from a single wordlist from 1886. It was apparently close to Guwa.

Last revised
Jul 8, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
191 w
Citations
6
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Yanda
Native toAustralia
Region"Karna–Mari fringe", Queensland
EthnicityYanda
Extinctc. 1900s1
Pama–Nyungan
  • (unclassified, possibly Maric)23
    • Guwa–Yanda
      • Yanda
Language codes
ISO 639-3yda
Glottologyand1251
AIATSIS4G9
ELPYanda

Yanda is an extinct and poorly attested Australian Aboriginal language of Queensland, known from a single wordlist from 1886. It was apparently close to Guwa.4

Phonology

The transcription of the Yanda wordlist is highly inaccurate. The following information is rather uncertain, especially concerning the rhotics and laterals.

Consonants

Peripheral Laminal Apical
Labial Velar Dental Palatal Alveolar Retroflex
Plosive p k t̪ c t ʈ
Nasal m ŋ n̪ ɲ n ɳ
Rhotic trill r
tap ɾ
Lateral (l̪) (ʎ) l ɭ
Approximant w j ɻ

Vowels

Vowels are assumed to be a three-vowel system /i, a, u/.1

References

References

  1. Blake, Barry J.; Breen, Gavan (1990). "Yanda". In Breen, Gavan (ed.). Salvage studies of Western Queensland Aboriginal languages. Canberra: Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University. pp. 145–148.
  2. RMW Dixon (2002), Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development, p xxxiii
  3. Bowern, Claire. 2011. "How Many Languages Were Spoken in Australia?", Anggarrgoon: Australian languages on the web, 23 December 2011 (corrected 6 February 2012)
  4. G9 Yanda at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies