Wednesday 13 June 2012

The joy of Yolngu Matha pronouns

English personal pronouns
1st person singular                   I
2nd person singular                  you
3rd person singular                  s/he/it
1st person plural                      we
2nd person plural                     you all (y'all)
3rd person plural                     they

Yolngu  Matha personal pronouns
1st person singular                ngarra
2nd person singular               nhe
3rd person singular               ngayi
1st person dual inclusive       ngali
1st person dual exclusive      linyu
1st person plural inclusive     limurr
1st person plural exclusive    napurr
2nd person plural                nhuma
3rd person dual                  manda
3rd person plural                nhuma

Confused? Basically this means you can talk about someone in a gender-neutral way.

Also, here's a conversation I had with a colleague today that made me realise how awesome the inclusive/exclusive concept is.

English:
We (James and I) worked on it today and if you're free tomorrow we (you and I) could go over it and then on Friday we (colleagues other than you plus I) have a meeting until ten, but  after that we (you, James and I) could finish it off.

Yolngu Matha (or at least, YM pronouns- keeping the rest in English out of respect for the English-only readers):
Linyu worked on it today, and if nhe are free tomorrow ngali could go over it and then on Friday napurr have a meeting until 10, but after that limurr could finish it off.

Am I the only one who finds that exciting? Still confused? Study another language, it changes your world.... :)


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