The illustrated handbook of Yolŋu sign language of North East Arnhem land /
Bentley, James,Ph.D,author.
Adone, Danny,author.
Maypilama, Elaine Läwurrpa,author.
Ritchie, Therese,photographer,book designer.
Hancock, David,1954-photographer.
Watkinson, Sam,cartographer.
The creation of this record of Yolŋu signs aligns two strands of research-one on the ethno-linguistics of alternate sign language and the other on the intergenerational transmission of Indigenous Australian culture. The Yolŋu Sign Language (YSL) is at the centre of the research presented in this book. This research, directed by the Yolŋu signers and speakers of this rare endangered language, has been conducted over the last 25 years on the homelands and in the communities of North East Arnhem Land. The importance of passing on this language to a new generation of Yolŋu children is bonded to the need to share YSL with all Australians. As each indigenous language disappears all our worlds are diminished. For this reason, we bring together some five hundred signs of YSL collected from the east to the west of Yolŋu Country. This book is dedicated to the gracious contributors who have passed away since we began this work and the spirits of those who have gone before; ŋal̲apal̲ and ŋurruŋaŋgal, the elders, those who shaped the land and sea and named the stars that light the world. Their spirits continue to exist, in memories hidden deep within, their whispering on the wind, like footprints in the sand, show us the way. We celebrate the spirit inside this special language as old as time and as new as tomorrow. This magical gift for learning is created to enrich a new generation of children walking in the footsteps of the ancestors. YSL is an alternate sign language. An alternate sign language is a language that coexists with spoken languages, not a signed version of the language, but a language in its own right, with its own grammar and vocabulary. YSL augments everyday communications and is the primary mode of communication for the non-hearing members of the Yolŋu community. Alternate sign languages are different from primary sign languages, such as AUSLAN, because they are used by hearing people as an alternative way to communicate." -- Pages 4, 5 and 11.
Includes bibliographic references and indexes.
The creation of this record of Yolŋu signs aligns two strands of research-one on the ethno-linguistics of alternate sign language and the other on the intergenerational transmission of Indigenous Australian culture. The Yolŋu Sign Language (YSL) is at the centre of the research presented in this book. This research, directed by the Yolŋu signers and speakers of this rare endangered language, has been conducted over the last 25 years on the homelands and in the communities of North East Arnhem Land. The importance of passing on this language to a new generation of Yolŋu children is bonded to the need to share YSL with all Australians. As each indigenous language disappears all our worlds are diminished. For this reason, we bring together some five hundred signs of YSL collected from the east to the west of Yolŋu Country. This book is dedicated to the gracious contributors who have passed away since we began this work and the spirits of those who have gone before; ŋal̲apal̲ and ŋurruŋaŋgal, the elders, those who shaped the land and sea and named the stars that light the world. Their spirits continue to exist, in memories hidden deep within, their whispering on the wind, like footprints in the sand, show us the way. We celebrate the spirit inside this special language as old as time and as new as tomorrow. This magical gift for learning is created to enrich a new generation of children walking in the footsteps of the ancestors. YSL is an alternate sign language. An alternate sign language is a language that coexists with spoken languages, not a signed version of the language, but a language in its own right, with its own grammar and vocabulary. YSL augments everyday communications and is the primary mode of communication for the non-hearing members of the Yolŋu community. Alternate sign languages are different from primary sign languages, such as AUSLAN, because they are used by hearing people as an alternative way to communicate." -- Pages 4, 5 and 11.
Yolngu languages
Yolngu Sign Language
Aboriginal Australians