# Thura-Yura languages

The Yura or Thura-Yura languages are a group of Australian Aboriginal languages surrounding Spencer Gulf and Gulf St Vincent in South Australia, that comprise a genetic language family of the Pama–Nyungan family.

## Name

The name Yura comes from the word for "person" in the northern languages; this is a lenited form of the thura found in other languages, hence Thura-Yura. Similar words for "person" are found in languages outside the group, however (for example 'yura' - 'person' in the Sydney language).

## Languages

The following classification is proposed by Bowern & Koch (2004):
* Thura-Yura
** Nangga
*** Wirangu
*** Nauo
** Core Thura-Yura
*** Yura (northern)
**** Adnyamathanha–Kuyani
**** Barngarla
*** Kadli (southern)
**** Narangga
**** Kaurna
*** (unclassified)
**** Nukunu
**** Ngadjuri
A Nukunu speaker reported that the Nukunu could understand Barngarla and Kuyani, but not more distant varieties.
Peramangk may have been a southern Thura-Yura language, close to Kaurna.
Dixon (2002) lists a Nantuwara language, but there is no data for it.

## Proto-language

Reconstructed Thura-Yura vocabulary by Simpson and Hercus (2004):

### Spelling conventions

* alveolar tap: r
* alveolar trill: rr
* retroflex glide: ṟ
* retroflex tap: rd
* indeterminate rhotic: R
| gloss | Proto-Thura-Yura | Proto-Core Thura-Yura | Northern Thura-Yura | Southern Thura-Yura |
| all | | | wapu; kurru | |
| all, many, big | *marna | | | |
| ashes | | *muru | thimpa | |
| ashes (charcoal) | | | piirla | |
| bad | | *wadLV | | |
| bad (without) | | *wakV-Na | | |
| bark | | ?*yulti | | |
| beard | | | ngaNka | yaNka |
| beard, cheek, hair | *maLTa | | | |
| belly | | | warna | munthu |
| belly (abdomen) | | ?*TiDLi | | |
| big | | | ngarla | |
| bird | | | THirta | |
| black | | | maṟu | |
| blood | | ?*kaaṟu; *karti | | |
| body: muscle, sinew | *THiltya | *thiltya | | |
| bone | *waLpu | *waLpu | warlpu | |
| breast | | *ngamV | | |
| camp (house) | | *warDli | | |
| camp (house, ?from “join”) | *karrpa | *karrpa | | |
| camp (hut) | | | karnku | |
| chest | | *kuntu | | |
| child, baby | | | | wa(L)kuwa(L)ku |
| child, small | *kitya | | yakaCV; waNi | |
| child, voice of infant | | *kunga | | |
| cloud | | *ma(L)ku | | |
| cloud (low, fog) | | *putyi | | |
| cold (cough) | | *kuLTV- | | |
| cold, frost | | *pakaDla | | |
| cold (in head) | | | (y)urrkV- | |
| cold (weather) | *paya-; *mVnyV | *manya | payala (Probably derived from “to bite”) | |
| come here! | *paNi; *ka | *kawayi | | |
| dog | *wiLka | | wiLka (domestic dog) | kadli (domestic dog) |
| down, below | | ?*warta- | wartathi | |
| dry | | *muDLa | murdla | |
| dry, dust | | *puthV-RV | | |
| ear | *yuṟi | | | |
| earth | | *yarta | | |
| egg | | | pipi | muka |
| elbow | | *thiDNngi | K/NGuNaN- | |
| eye | *mii-na | | | |
| eyebrow | | *piiku | | |
| far (stranger) | | | yampa | |
| fat | *mVrnV | *marni | | |
| feather | | ?*paDLu | | |
| fingernail | *pirri | | | |
| fire | *karDla | | | |
| fish | *kuya | | | |
| fly | | *thapu | | |
| fly (big fly) | *thumpV-Ca | *thupV(-Ra) | | |
| food | *mayi | | | |
| foot | *THiDna | *thidna | | |
| good | | *wayV- | | |
| hair, feather | | *puthi | | |
| hand | *maṟa | | | |
| head | *kaka | | | |
| heart | | | thurlku | |
| hungry | | | karnpa | |
| knee | ?*puṟV | *mampa | puṟa | |
| knee (kneecap) | | *maTa | | |
| leaf | | | karlpi | |
| liver | | *Tangka | thangka; ngaLTi | |
| louse | *kuDLu | *kuDlu | | |
| man (boy after circumcision) | | | pardnaapa | |
| man (companion) | | *Nipu | | |
| man (grown-up) | | *miṟu (grownup man) | | |
| man (husband) | | | marni | |
| man (initiand) | ?*wilya-ṟu | ?*ngulta | | |
| man (male, husband) | | *yarDli | | |
| man (person) | | ?*Tuṟa | *thuṟa | |
| meat | *paRu | | | |
| meat, flesh, heart | *puLTHA | *puLTHa | *pultha | |
| moon | *piṟa | | | |
| mouth | *Taa | | | |
| mouth, lip | | | Nimi | |
| name | | *mityi | | |
| nape, neck | | | ngurnti, nhurnti; wakarra | |
| neck | | *waLTu | | |
| night | | *nguLTi | maLTi | |
| night, yesterday | *wiltya | | | |
| north wind, hot weather | *pukarra | | | |
| north-east wind | | | ngarnara | karnaRa |
| nose | *muDlha | *mudlha | | |
| not, do not | | *madLa | mardla; kuta | |
| now | *kaRi | | | |
| now, again | | ?*nhaTa | | |
| now, morning | ?*panyi | | | |
| now, soon | | | yatha | |
| old man | *puLka | | | |
| one | *kuma | | | |
| other, another, the rest | *kutyu | | | |
| penis | | *waRi | | |
| pigface, plant food type (?Carpobrotus_rossii sp.) | ?*kaCkaLa | *karrkaLa | | |
| red | ?*TVLTV- | *TaLTHa- | thaltha- | |
| red ochre | | *miLTi; *karrku | | |
| rib | | *TiNinyV | | |
| rib, side, flank | *pantyi | | | |
| road | ?*Tapa | *Tapa | thapa | |
| root | | | | |
| rotten, bad-smelling | ?*puka | *thungkV | | |
| shit, faeces | *kuDna | *kudna | | |
| shoulder | | | piLpi- | |
| shoulder, wing | | *wiṟi | | |
| sick, ill | ?*ngaNDa-N | | | |
| sick, wound | *mingka | | | |
| skin | | ?*paLpa | piyi | paLpa |
| skin, clothes | *palhtha | | | |
| sky | | *NayirrV | iLkaRV | |
| sky, cloud and dust | | ?*wirra | | |
| smoke | *puyu | | | |
| smoke (stuff for producing smoke) | | ?*Tumpu | | |
| snake | ?*TuDNu | | wapma | |
| snake, carpet snake | | | muDLV- | |
| south and south wind | | *parrpa | | |
| southerly wind | | *walypi | | waitpi |
| spear (large) | *wiNTa | | wirnta | |
| spear (small) | *kVya | *kaya | | |
| spit | *THaDlhi | *THadlhi | ngapalya; ngalytya | |
| star | | *purDli | | |
| stone, adze | | | THurdla | |
| stone, cooking stone | | ?*kaDnya | | |
| stone, hill, grinding stone, kneecap | | *puRi | | |
| stone, limestone | *parnta | | | |
| stone, quartz-like stone, ice | | *makV | | |
| sun | *THirntu | *thirntu | | |
| tail | | | kaDLHa | |
| testicles | *kaDLu | *kadLu | kardlu | |
| that (near) | *pa- | *pa- | pa-nha | |
| that (remote) | | *ngu- | ngunha | |
| thigh | *kaNTHi | *kaNTHi | kanthi | |
| thigh, flank, groin | ?*paLTi | | | |
| this (nearest) | *iNHa | | | |
| throat | | *yurDni | | |
| to bite | | *paya- | | |
| to burn tr. | *kampa- | | | |
| to burn intr. | | *ngaDLi- | | |
| to climb | ?*warnta- | | | |
| to come | | ?*puDNa- | | |
| to cry, call | | *kaLTa- | | |
| to cry, tears | | | *muLka | |
| to cry, to scream | | | *ngaTV- | |
| to cut | | ?*waNi- | | |
| to die | *paDLu- | | thinta-; padlu- | |
| to die, dead | | *kuDnyu | kupa | |
| to dig | | *paNi-; ?*paka- | pani- | |
| to drink, to kiss, to manipulate with mouth | *THapa- | *Tapa- | thapa- | |
| to eat | *ngaLku- | | | |
| to enter | | *ngaLpa- | | |
| to fall | *warDni- | | | |
| to get | | *manku- | | |
| to get, pick up, lead, bring | *kaNka- | *kangka- | | |
| to get, take away | | *mama- | | |
| to give | *yungkV- | | nhungku- | |
| to go | ?*wiNV- | | nguka- | |
| to go, walk | | ?*padNV- | | |
| to hear | | *yuri- See “ear”. | | |
| to hit with hand | *paLTa- | | | |
| to hit with missile | *nguṟV- | | nguṟa- | |
| to hit, cause break in material integrity | | *pungku- | | |
| to hit, kill | *kuNTa- | | kurnta- | |
| to know, see | *THiLka- | *thiLka- | | |
| to leave it | *wVNTV- | *waNTa- | wanthV- | |
| to lie down | | *waNTi- | wanti- | |
| to put, to get used to | | | ila- | |
| to see | *nhaku- | | | |
| to sit | | *Tika- | thika- | |
| to sleep, asleep | *miya | | | |
| to speak | *wangka- | | | |
| to spear | | | wiTi- | |
| to stand | | *yuwa- | | |
| to throw | | *paTV- | patha- | |
| to tie, support, build | ?*karrpV- | | karrpV- | |
| tomorrow | | ?*TarrkV- | | |
| tongue | *THa(a)LiN | | tha(a)rli | tha(d)lVnya |
| tooth | | | yira | Tiya |
| tree | | *wadLa; *wira | wardla | |
| two | | *puLa | puDla; kalypilV | purla |
| up, above | ?*kaNka | | kanka | |
| up, above, high | | *karra | | |
| urine, piss | *kumpu | | | |
| warm (weather) | | *warlta | | |
| water | *kawi; *kapi | | | |
| west | *wangka | | | |
| what (how many) | | *-miNV | [-]minha | |
| what? | | *Na-, ?*Nawi | | |
| when? | | *nhaDLa-TV | | |
| where? | ?*wa-THa | *wa-(nha) | | |
| white | *paLkV | *paLka | paLka-ra | |
| who? (Ergative, Instrumental) | | *ngaNTu | | |
| who? (Nominative) | *ngaNa | *ngaNa | | |
| who? (Possessive) | | *ngaNku | | |
| wind | *wari | | | |
| woman | | *pa(a)rla | | ngangki |
| woman, girl | | *mankarra | | |
| woman, mother, female | | *ngamV-THV | | |
| woman, wife | | *kartu | | |
| yam, edible root, plant food type | | *ngampa | | |
| yesterday | | *puki | | |
| young one | | | papa | |