Data collected by AUSTLANG

Data on the language

Alternatives names: Mullukmulluk, Ngolokwangga, Ngulukwongga, Ngulugwongga, Mulukmuluk, Mallak-mallak, Malag-Malag, Mullik-mullik, Mollak-mollak, Malack-malack, Mullikmullik, Mollakmollak, Mallackmallack

Other names or spellings are used for this language. See Austlang website.

Classification: Northern Daly family

Dialects: According to Harvey (2008 p.c.), Ian Green treats Malak Malak as in a dialectal relationship with Kuwema.

Area:

Malak Malak is an aboriginal language spoken in the Australian Northern Territory (NT).

On both banks of the Daly River inland from the Pongaponga tribal boundary at about 20 miles (30 km.) upstream from its mouth; their inland boundary is near Daly River Crossing, about 50 miles (80 km.) from the mouth; 5 on NW map (Tindale 1974).

The general association was to the Daly and adjacent plains from about 10kms upstream of the mouth to Browns Creek. The following places were associated with Malak-Malak: Litchfield outstation, Mt Litchfield, Elizabeth Downs homestead, Billawock Hill, Woolbannah Hill. In the east, affiliations changed to Kamu at Marion Hill, as well as upstream of Browns Creek (Harvey ASEDA 802).

Number of speakers:

The Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006 Census estimated 37 speakers of Malak Malak.

Language vitality & transmission:

Malak Malak is currently very close to extinction.

Sources & bibliography

Birk, David. 1976. The MalakMalak language, Daly River (western Arnhem Land); Pacific Linguistics B45, Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.

Maps

Green, Ian 1989. Marrithiyel: a language of the Daly River region of Australia’s Northern Territory, Australian National University: PhD.

Harvey, Mark. 2008. Non-Pama-Nyungan Languages: land-language associations at colonisation (ASEDA 802).

Tindale, Norman. 1974. Tribal Boundaries in Aboriginal Australia. Canberra: Division of National Mapping, Department of National Development.

Links

AUSTLANG website: http://austlang.aiatsis.gov.au/main.php

Ethnologue webpage: http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=mpb