Jandai is an Australian Aboriginal language of the Quandamooka people who live around the Moreton Bay region of Queensland. Other names and spellings are Coobenpil; Djandai; Djendewal; Dsandai; Goenpul; Janday; Jendairwal; Jundai; Koenpel; Noogoon; Tchandi. Traditionally spoken by members of the Goenpul people, it has close affinities with Nunukul language (spoken by the Nunukul people) and Gowar language (spoken by the Ngugi people). Today now only few members still speak it.
Classification The three tribes that comprise the Quandamooka people spoke dialects of a Durubalic language. The language that the Goenpul tribe of central and southern Stradbroke Island speaks is Jandai, and the Nunukul dialect of northern Stradbroke island was called Moondjan, the term for its distinctive word for "no".
Bowern (2011) lists five Durubalic languages:Bowern, Claire. 2011. "How Many Languages Were Spoken in Australia?", Anggarrgoon: Australian languages on the web, 23 December 2011 (corrected 6 February 2012)
Jandai (Janday) Turrubal (Turubul) and Yagara (Jagara) Nunukul (Nunungal, Moonjan) Gowar (Guwar)
Dixon (2002) considers all but Guwar to be different dialects of the Yagara language.
Phonology
Consonants PeripheralLaminalApicalLabialVelarPalatalAlveolarPlosivepkctNasalmŋɲnRhoticrLaterallApproximantwj
/c/ can be heard as either voiceless [c] or voiced [ɟ]. Stop sounds /p, t, k/ may also be heard as voiced [b, d, ɡ].
Vowels FrontCentralBackCloseiuMideoOpena
Vowel length is also distinctive.
Vocabulary Some words from the Jandai language include:
Maroomba bigi/maroomba biggee: good day Juwanbinl: bird Buneen: echidna Gagarr: fish Murri: kangaroo Dumbirrbi: koala Gabul: snake Bingil: grass Humpi: home/camp Djara: land Juhrram: rain Bigi: sun Dabbil: water Bargan: boomerang Goondool: canoe Jahlo: fire Marra: hand Jalwang: knife Tabbil: water Wanya: where? Ragi: bush
References