# Diary of ten years eventful life of an early settler in Western Australia and also A descriptive vocabulary of the language of the aborigines/A descriptive vocabulary of the language in common use amongst the aborigines of Western Australia/Part 1/G

G.
    Observe. The sounds of G and K are in so many instances used indiscriminately, or interchangeably, that it is frequently difficult to ascertain which sound predominates. The predominant sound varies in different districts. G is always sounded hard.
Gabbar, a.—Wide.
​Gabbărn, s.—Part of the body immediately below the navel; the abdomen.
Gabbi, s.—Water.
Gabbidijikud, s.—Fresh water.
Gabbi Kallangorong, s.—Hirundo; the martin. The Australian name of this bird appears to be derived from Gabbi, water; Kallan, to collect; and Gorang, to turn or twist; birds of this order being remarkable for their sudden and active turnings in pursuit of their insect prey over the water.
Gabbikărning, s.—Salt water, such as is found in lakes and rivers.
Gabbikolo, s.—Running water.
Gabbilăng, a.—Of or belonging to water. Spoken of fish and amphibious animals. From Gabbi, water ; and ang, of, l being interposed for sound's sake.
Gabbiodern, s.—Sea-water.
Gabbiwarri, s.—Water standing in a pool.
Gabbyn, ad.—Perhaps; likely; it may be so.
Gabbytch, s.—(Vasse.) Running water.
Ga-dăk. a.—Never used except in composition; having; possessing—as Warda gadak, having fame; a man of renown or authority.
Gaddara, s.—Biziura lobata; the musk-duck. Colonially, steamer, from its paddling motion, and the noise it makes as it shuffles along the water, with its diminutive wings or flappers. This bird cannot fly.
Gădjinnăk, s.—Rhipidura albiscapa; fan-tailed fly-catcher.
Gagalyang, s.—A sort of whinstone or basalt.
Galgoyl, s.—Species of Xanthorea, or grass-tree.
Gal-yăng, s.—Species of Acacia. Colonially, the wattle-tree, from its partial resemblance to the wattle or osier-tree of England.
Gal-yang, s.—The gum of the Galyang, or wattle tree, eaten by the natives. It is soluble in water, and is one of the best gums in the country for all common purposes.
Gal-yarn, s.—(Eastern word.) Salt. It is abundant in many places. See Djallum.
Gambarăng, s.—Beginning of summer—October and November. The natives leave off building huts about this time. Young birds begin to be plentiful.
| Gambarn, v. | } | Pres. part., Gămbărnin; past tense, Gămbarnăgga. To associate with; to accompany. |
| Gămbărnbardo | } | Pres. part., Gămbărnin; past tense, Gămbarnăgga. To associate with; to accompany. |
Gambart, s.—A niece.
Gambigorn, s.—Podargus Cuvieri; large or hawk goat-sucker. The moss-hawk of V. D. Land.
Gamo, s.—A large flag-leaved plant, something like the New Zealand flag. Phormium tenax sp.
Gande, s.—A sort of slate stone.
​Gang-a-nginnow, v.—To take a person as a friend or servant to live with you.
Gangow, v.—Pres. part, Gangowin; past tense, Gangăga. To bring; to carry; to fetch; to take.
Ganno, s.—A root found at York, eaten by the natives, and resembling a potato in shape. Sp. Nov. nondescript, growing in poor, dry, gravelly soil. A species of truffle.
Gannow, v.—Pres. part., Gannowin; past tense, Gannega. To step; to kick.
Garba, s.—A piece of wood; branch of a tree broken off. Matta garba; stick or wooden legs, is a term of reproach.
Garbala—The afternoon; the evening; towards sunset.
Garbăng, v.—Pres. part., Garbangwin; past tense, Garbăngăga. To scrape a spear; to point by scraping.
Garbang-a, s.—Large black cormorant.
Garbel, a.—Scraped; pointed, but not barbed; applied to spears—as Gidji garbel, a fishing spear. The point of the spear is hardened by fire, and scraped off to a degree of sharpness which is scarcely credible.
Garbyne, s.—A large flag-like grass growing in the low grounds, very stiff, and apt to cut the natives' legs, and, therefore, much avoided by them when out hunting.
Gărdan, s.—Eucalyptus resinifera; red gum-tree, so called from the quantity of gum-resin of a deep coagulated blood colour, which exudes, during particular months in the year, through the bark. It is a valuable timber on a farm, as it splits well for posts and rails, and is useful for all agricultural implements. It grows generally on good red loamy soil. In the hot summer months a sweet saccharine juice exudes plentifully from some trees of this sort, which the natives call by the same name which they apply to our sugar. See Ngon-yang.
Gărdang, s.—Younger brother.
Gargan, v.—Pres. part., Garganwin; past tense, Garganăga. To light down; to pitch; to alight as a bird on the ground.
Gargoin, s.—The stone of the Zamia fruit. The outer rind is edible after being steeped in water or buried in moist earth for a time; but the kernel is considered unwholesome by some persons.
Găr-jyt, s.—A flowing spring—as Gabbi gărjyt, running water,
Garlgyte, s.—Hypsiprymnus Gilbertii. A species of kangaroo.
Garrab, s—A hole; a hollow; a cane.
Garrabara, a.—Full of holes; pierced with holes.
Garragăr, a.—(Upper Swan word.) Slippery.
Gărrang, s.—Anger; passion; rage.
Gărrănggădăk, v.—To be angry.
Garraning, v.—(Upper Swan.) Restraining a man in a passion. See Wunyan.
Garrăp, s.—Marrow.
​Garrimbi, s.—About sunset.
Garro, ad.—Again; then.
Gorro-djin, imp. v.—Look out; mind; take care. Compounded of Garro, again; and Djinnang, to see; look.
Garro-yul, v.—To return. Compound of Garro, again; and Yul, to come.
Gedala, s.—(Vasse.) A day.
Gelangin, s.—Lightning. (Northern word.)
Gerik, s.—Smoke.
Geripgerip, a.—Green.
Getget, ad.—Quickly; speedily.
Gi-aterbăt, s.—Gerygone brevirostris. Short-billed wren.
Gidji, s.—A spear. The common native spear is furnished with a wooden barb, and pointed like a needle. The shaft is very slender and tapering, about eight feet in length. This has been found, by experience, to be a much more formidable and deadly weapon than its first appearance would lead one to suppose. It is projected by means of the Miro; which see.
Gidgiboryl, s.—A spear barbed with broken bits of quartz, or glass, which cuts like a rough saw, and is much dreaded on account of the ragged wound which it inflicts.
Gidgigarbel, s,—Fishing spear. In the use of this the natives are extremely active and expert. They have no other mode of taking fish in the sea; but in the rivers they construct rude wears.
Girgal, s.—Sericornis frontalis. Spotted winged warbler.
Girijit, s.—Sparks; Kallagirijit, sparks of fire.
Goa, v.—Pres. part., Goawin; past tense, Go-ăgă. To laugh.
Gobul, s.—A frog whilst in a tadpole state.
Godoitch, s.—One of the constellations.
Gogogo, s.—Phalacrocorax flavirhyncus. Little cormorant.
Gongan, s.—A sandy district. The easiest road, or usual path, or mountain pass to a place.
Gong-go, s.—The back.
Gorad, a.—Short; stunted.
Gorada, a.—Little; short.
Goradan, v.—Make short; shorten.
Gorah, ad.—A long time ago. The opposite to "Mila." Some future time.
Goran, v.—To scold; to abuse.
Gorang, v.—Pres. part., Gorangwin; past tense, Gorangăga; to spiu; to turn round;—as Kumalgorang, to spin opossum's hair; which is done by twirling a sort of cross-shaped spindle on the thigh, the fur or thread being attached to the head, while the shaft is turned by the hand.
Gori, ad.—Just now; lately.
​Gorijat, ad.—First; before.
Gotang, v.—Pres. part., Gotang; past tense, Gotang; to bag; to carry in a bag.
Gotitkar—(K.G.S.) A nephew.
Goto, s.—B bag. Every woman is provided with two bags of kangaroo skin. The Goto and the Gundir, each about two feet deep, and a foot and a half broad. The Goto is the general receptacle for every small article which the wife or husband may require, or take a fancy to, whatever its nature or condition may be. Fish just caught, or dry bread; frogs, roots and wilgi, are all there mingled together. (For Gundir, the child's bag, see that word.)
Gotyn, s.—A hollow or swamp with a little water.
Gotyt, s.—The name applied to the mode of burial among the mountain tribes. The grave is dug north and south; the body placed on the right side, with the head to the south; the face looking to the rising sun; the earth formed into one crescent-like mould on the west side of the grave. See D-yuar.
Goyarra, s.—Sand. A great extent of country is covered either with salicious or calcareous sand, which possesses greater fertility than was at first supposed, and is becoming more valuable as its qualities are better known.
Guba, s.—Petroica multicolor. Colonial robin. Something like the English robin in appearance, but wholly without its song or familiar habits.
Gudap, s.—Aquila. Short tailed brown eagle.
Guddanguddan, s.—Platycercus Icterotis. Red breasted parrot.
Gudilăng, s.—Colluricincla. Grey thrush.
Gudja, s.—An infant.
Gudja-ijow, v.—To bear children.
Gudgal—Numeral; two.
Gudjalingudjalin—Numeral; four.
Gudjarra, s.—A species of frog.
Gudjelăn, s.—A species of hawk.
Gudjir, conj.. Also ; and.
Gudjunangur, (K.G.S.) To dread.
Gudjyt, s.—The sky; the firmament.
Gugumit, s.—A small brown owl, the note of which resembles the cuckoo when heard at a distance.
Guijak, s.—Black swan. This bird may be readily taken when moulting, and soon becomes tame.
Gulambiddi, s.—A young man. About the age of puberty the cartilage of the nose is pierced with a spear, and a bone skewer is worn in the hole as an ornament. The cartilage is sometimes ruptured in the operation.
Gulamwin, s.—The sea-breeze. This commences about ten every morning in summer, with few exceptions, and tempers the heat of the day.
​Gulang, s.—A child of either sex. Plural. Gulang-ăra. The sex is indicated by adding Yago, or Mammarap, a man or woman child.
Gulang-in, part.—Chewing; mumbling.
Gulang-gara, s.—The small toes, as distinguished from the large one; the children; the little ones.
Gulbang, v.—(North word.) Pres. part., Gulbangwin; past tense, Gulbangăgga; to move; to go; to proceed.
Gulbar, a,—Dry; parched up; as ground unfit for hunting, and not carrying scent.
Gulbat, v.—(North word.) Pres. part., Gulbattin; past tense, Gulbat; to go; to depart.
Guldănguldăn, s.—Platycercus Icterotis; red-brested parrot.
Gulin, v.—Pres. part.,Gullinin; past tense, Gullinagga; to lie; to tell lies.
Gulli, s.—A species of Casuarina; colonially, the she-oak. It splits well for shingles.
Gullima, s.—Porphyrio. Swamp hen; or swamp pheasant.
Guloyn, s.—Youngest brother or sister, or son; also the little finger.
Gulumburin, a.—Being shy, or timid. This word is, perhaps, derived from Gulang, a child, and Bur, or Burbur, similar to, resembling.
Gulurto, s.—Colonially, flooded gum-tree; so called from being found usually in ground liable to be covered with water. It is very attractive to the white ants; and, consequently, unfit for posts, or anything resting on the ground.
Gulnt, v.—(East-country word.) Pres. part, Gulutin; past tense, Gulut; to go; to depart.
Gul-yăm, v.—Pres. part., Gulyaman; past tense, Gulyamagga; to lie; to tell lies. This is a term of frequent use in objurgation among one another.
Gul-yămbar, s.—A complete fraud, a mere pretence; used on receiving, for instance, a very small quantity of food, when much has been expected.
Gul-yăng-ărră, s.—Crumbs of bread; bits of anything; roots when pounded; sugar when melted; the fry of fish.
Gul-yarri, s.—A sorcerer. Boyl-yă Gadăk.
Gul-yidărăng. s.—Nanodes venustus. Ground parrot.
Gumal, s.—Phalangista vulpiua. Large grey opossum.
Gumalbidyt, s.—Sittella Melanocephala. Nut-hatch.
Gumbar, a.—Big; heavy.
Gambu, s.—The bladder.
Gumbu, v.—To make water. The females strew rushes or grass-tree leaves on the ground, as it is considered unlucky, or rather likely to produce sickness, to tread on the bare earth where they have been.
Gumburgunbur, s.—The itch. A complaint which is sometimes very prevalent among them.
​Gunabăl, a.—Deprived of; having lost a brother by death. An expression used in reply to the question, why is such a one in mourning?
Gunal-yăta, a.—Successful in killing game.
Gunam, s.—An expert marksman.
Gundăk, a.—A husband who has lost his wife's brother by death, is said to be Gundăk.
Gundip, a.—Heavy.
Gundir, s.—A bag of kangaroo skin, about two feet long, by a foot and a half wide, suspended by a piece of leather over the mother's shoulders, and in which the children are carried when not at the breast, from their earliest birth until they are four or even six years old, up to which period the women sometimes suckle their children. The little things are placed standing upright in these bags; and this may partially account for the thin knock-kneed legs of most of the aborigines when grown up. The infants cling with their hands, as well as they are able, to the mother's neck and shoulders; and when sleeping, they rest with their noses pressing against the mother's back, from which, perhaps, that feature takes its broad flat shape; or else with their heads leaning back, and dangling to the parent's motions, in a way that would break any white child's neck.
Gunidi, s.—The swallow, or passage of the throat.
Guning, a.—Stingy; unwilling to give.
Gun-yak, a.—Soft; smooth; as Yurytch gunyak, soft-cheeked.
Gun-yan, s.—The palate. A native will not eat tainted meat, although he cannot be said to be very nice in his food, according to our ideas. Their meat is cooked almost as soon as killed, and eaten immediately.
Gup—An affix to the name of any place or district, implying a person to be an inhabitant of the same; as Kargatta Gup, an inhabitant of Kargatta, or Perth.
Guraga, s.—Tadorma, the mountain-duck.
Gurago, s.—A root eaten by the natives.
Guragor, a.—Old; aged. The word is formed by a repetition of Gorah. Some time ago; as though it were written Gorahgorah; and is applied equally to persons and things It is difficult to ascertain the age of a native; but old age is not frequent.
Gurang, s.—The excrement of the wattle-tree Bardi, or grub; which oozes from under the bark of the appearance and consistence of clear gum.
Gurbal, s.—Cracticus tibicen? Break-of-day-bird; the watchman of Van Diemen's Land. From the topmost bough of a tree it heralds the dawn with a note by no means unmusical.
Gurbitgurbit, s.—Flacunculus leucogaster. Thick-billed butcher-bird.
Gurdăk, a.—Of or belonging to the heart; anxious for; desirous of; as Gabai gurdăk. Thirsty; desirous of water.
Gurdin, a.—Crooked; curled; as Katta gurdin nginnowin; the head being curled; or the hair curling about the head.
​Gurdar, s.—A pair; a couple.
Gurdor, s.—Sound; noise.
Gurdu, s.—The heart; the combinations of this word express many of the feelings. (See some of them below.)
Gurdubakkan-yugow, v.—To want; as Ngadjo marynăk gurdu bakkan-yugowin, I want flour or food.
Gurdubudjor, s.—Compound of Gurdu, the heart, and Budjor, land; an island.
Gurdudjul, a.—Compound of Gurdu, the heart, and Djul, bad; angry; displeased; disappointed.
Gurdugwabba, a.—Compound of Gurdu, the heart, and Gwabba, good; pleased.
Gurdugyn-yul, a.—Compound of Gurdu, the heart; Gyn, one; and Yul, to come; agreeing with; of one heart or mind; unanimous.
Gurdumit, s.—Compound of Gurdu, the heart, and middi, the agent; the soul.
Gurgogo, s.—A species of rush. Rushes in general growing in or near water.
Gurgurda, s.—Strix. Little brown or cuckoo owl.
Guri, s.—Milk from a woman's breast.
Gurjigurji s.—Salicaria. The reed-warbler.
Gurnu, v.—Pres. part., Gurnu; past tense, Gurnu. To push; to shove away.
Guroyl, s.—(Used to the north of Perth.) A swan.
Gurh-ra, s.—Macropus cæruleus. The brush kangaroo. A very fleet, active animal of about twenty pounds' weight, having fur of a silver grey colour, with a white stripe on each side of its face.
Gurh-jal, a.—Cool.
Gurt, s.—An abbreviation of Gurdu; the heart. In other dialects called Gort. See Preface.
Gurtangur—(K.G.S.) To howl with fear.
Gurtdun—(K.G.S.) The heel.
Gurtgădăk, a.—Compound of Gurt, the heart; and Gadak, having or possessing; a lover.
Guruk—(K.G.S.) A species of mimosa.
Gut—(K.G.S.) To beg.
Gutiguti, a.—Slyly; noiselessly; as Guti gannow, to steal on anything.
Gutubăn, s.—Chalcites. The bronze-cuckoo.
Gu-ya, or Goya, s.—A species of frog that burrows in the sand, and is eaten by the natives. It is in season in the months of April and May.
Gu-yalla. s.—A species of gadfly.
Gu-yămgu-yăm, s.—A species of fly.
Gu-yi, s.—The abdomen; the part directly above the groin.
Gwa—Yes.
​Gwabba, a.—Good; pretty; right; proper; well in health.
Gwabbalitch, a.—Beautiful; excellent; very good; as minyte gwabbalitch, a beautiful countenance.
Gwabbanijow, v.—Compound of Gwabba, right, good, and ijow, to put; to put in order.
Gwadjat, a.—Previous; first in order; before.
Gwardyn, s.—A root eaten by the natives; it somewhat resembles the Bohn, but is tougher and more stringy.
Gwardo, v.—Pres. part., Gwardin; past tense, Gwardagga; to throw; to cast; to fall; to die.
Gwart, v.—Abbreviation of Gwardo. To throw; to cast.
Gwelgannow, v.—Compounded of Gwel, and Gannow; to step; to shift the position; to avoid a spear by stepping on one side.
Gwende, s.—(Mountain dialect.) The Bandicoot Kundi.
Gwetalbar, s.—Falco Melanogenys. Peregrine falcon.
Gwineen—(K.G.S.) The common stock of food.
Gwirak, s.—Sinews. The dried sinews of the kangaroo, particularly those of the tail, used by the natives in the operation of sewing the kangaroo skins together to form their cloaks.
Gwoyrat, s.—A daughter.
Gwytch, ad.—Just now; at once; immediately.
Gwytch-ang-at, a.—First ; before.
Gyn, a.—One.
Gyn-yăk, ad.—Enough; sufficient.
Gyn-yăng, ad.—Once.