# Arandic languages

Arandic is a family of Australian Aboriginal languages consisting of several languages or dialect clusters, including the Arrernte (Upper Arrernte) group, Lower Arrernte (also known as Lower Southern Arrernte), Pertame language (also known as Southern Arrernte) and Kaytetye.

## Languages

* Upper Arrernte (or just Arrernte) dialect cluster, with five or six main dialects, with the most dominant being Central or Eastern Arrernte, which is spoken in and around Alice Springs (Mparntwe) itself.
* Lower Arrernte, also known as Alenjerrntarpe and Lower Southern Arrernte, was spoken by the people around the Finke River area, but it is now extinct. The last speaker was Brownie Doolan, from whom Gavan Breen managed to write up a dictionary of roughly 1000 words. According to AIATSIS, this was a clearly distinct language.
* Pertame, also known as Southern Arrernte, is from the country south of Alice Springs, along the Finke River, north and north-west of the location of speakers of Lower Arrernte. With only 20 fluent speakers left by 2018, the Pertame Project is seeking to retain and revive the language, headed by Pertame elder Christobel Swan. Renowned artist Erlikilyika (Jim Kite) was a Pertame speaker. Ethnologue classes Pertame as a variant name for Lower Southern, but other sources vary in their classifications and descriptions of this language.
* Kaytetye, spoken near Barrow Creek and Tennant Creek by the Kaytetye people, had only 120 speakers in the 2016 census, and the number has been decreasing.

## Differing classifications

There are differing opinions as to which are dialects and which separate languages, among linguists and among the Arrernte people themselves.
* Koch (2004) only distinguished two dialects, Upper Arrernte and Katetye.
* Glottolog defines the Arandic group as comprising five Aranda (also known as Arrernte) dialects, plus two distinct languages, Kaytetye (Koch, 2006) and Lower Southern (or just Lower) Aranda, an extinct language.
* Ethnologue defines eight Arandic languages and classifies them slightly differently.

## Proto-language

Proto-Arandic and Pre-Arandic reconstructions from Koch (2004):
    glossProto-ArandicPre-Arandic armpit*ilhenpe*CilhVnpV blood*arrknge*CVrrngV brain*ake+urrnge*kaka+CurrngV breast*atye*CatyV egg*ukarte*muka+artV face*inngerre*NinngVrrV fat*antere*NantOrV hand, finger*iltye*miltyV “claw” nasal mucus*yungkel*CYungkVl sweat*anytyeye*CantyVyV tendon*alurrnge*CalO+CurrngV thigh*uylepere*warli+pVrV throat*ahentye*CaakVntyV man*urte*CurtO person, woman?*arelhe*CarVlhV female*amarle*ngama+arlV dreaming*altyerre*CaltyVrrV camp*apmere*TamVrV single men's camp*arnkentye*CarnkVntyV single women's camp*arlwekere ?*CurlVkVrV/*wa- father's father*arrenge*CarrVngV father-in-law*ahenterre*CaakVntVrrV mother's father*atye, itye*CEtyV cousin (female)*altyele*CaltyVlV cousin (male)*a(t)nkele*CankOlV sister-in-law (of f?)*arntenge*NarntOngV axe*ilepe*CilOpV digging stick*atneme*kana+m(p)V spindle*ante *unte*CuntO rabbit bandicoot tail-tip*alpiyte?*CalpV+CV(r)ti ant bed*ungkepeye*mungka+pVyV burrow*ulhenge*ngulha+ngV cave*inteye*CintVyV cliff*arnke*CarnkV coals*(a)perrke*CapVrrkV delicacy, honey*ungkarle*NungkaarlV flame*inthe*CinthV gap*utatye*CutaatyV/*wa- ground*ahe-*CaakV- rainbow*umperlarre*CumpVrlV- road*iyteye*Ci(r)tiyV rock hole*arnerre*NarnOrrV sun*aherrke*CaakVrrkV east*Vkngerre*kangarra ! west*alte-*CaltO- far*arlenge*CarlOngV down, under, inside*ukene*CukVnV/*wa- blind*upenge*CupVngV /*wa- dangerous*ahe+*CaakV- dried out, desiccated*aynterrke*Ca(r)ntirrkV empty*urlte*CurltV frightened*atere*CatOrV knowing*akaltye*kaka+CaltyV point*arriylpe*Rirra+Ci(r)lpi raw*arletye*CarlOtyV sick, be in pain*arnte-*CarntO- sleep*u(t)nke*CunkO /*wa- smooth*alyelke*CalyVlkV

### Verbs

    glossProto-ArandicPre-Arandic bite*utnhe-*TunhV- chase*ule(rne)-*CulO- copulate with*Vnte(rne)-*CVntV- cut off*urnte(rne)-*CurntO- get stuck in*ume(rne)-*NumO- go about (in search of)*u(t)nthe-*CunthV- insert*uke(rne)-*CukV-/*wakV- make, fix*umpare -*CumpV+CarV- manipulate in coolamon?*aynpe- / *arnpe-*Ca(r)npi- pluck, clear of feathers*althe-*CalthV- put (down)*arre(rne)-*CVrrV- put foot down, move off*arnpe-*CarnpO- put high*utye(rne)-*CYutyV-? return*alpe-*CalpO-? see*are-*miira-? shine (on)*arrtye-*CVrrtyV- sing*ayle-*Ca(r)li- swallow*uke(rne)-*CukV-/*wakV- tie*irrtye-*CVrrtyV-

### Plants

    Scientific nameCommon nameProto-ArandicPre-Arandic Eucalyptus opacadesert bloodwood*arrke*CarrkV Eucalyptus coolabah*ankerre*CankOrrV green grass*atherrke*CathVrrkV Acacia aneuramulga*artetye*CartOtyV Ventilago viminalissupplejack*atnyere*TanyVrV Ficus platypodawild fig*wityerrke/*yu-*wityVrrkV /*CYu- Canthium latifoliumnative currant*ahakeye*CaakaakVyV Acacia kempeanawitchetty bush*atnyeme*TanyVmV Acacia ligulataumbrella bush*arterrke*CartOrrkV Acacia tetragonophylladead finish*arlketyerre*CarlkOtyVrrV Acacia victoriaeacacia bush*urlepe?, *arlepe*COrlOpV Atalaya hemiglaucawhitewood*arlperre*CarlpOrrV Boerhavia spp.tar vine*ayepe*CayVpV Grevillea striatabeefwood*iyltentye*Ci(r)ltintyV Hakea chordophyllanorthern corkwood*untyeye*CuntyVyV /*wa-

### Animals

    glossProto-ArandicPre-Arandic dingo*urtnere*TurnOrV Jew lizard*ankerte*CankOrtV kangaroo*aherre*CaakVrrV crested pigeon*apelkere /-ure?*CapVlkVrV honey ant*yerr+ampe?*CVyVrrV+ termites, white ants*interrke*CintOrrkV