Since 1978 I have been working on languages spoken in the region around the Gascoyne River in the far north-west of Western Australia. These languages belong to three main groups:
- Kartu — including Yinggarda, and other languages to the south such as Wajarri, Malgana, and Badimaya
- Kanyara — namely Bayungu, Thalanyji, Burduna, and Binigura
- Mantharta — namely Tharrgari, Warriyangga, Jiwarli and Thiin
An overview of the language situation in the Gascoyne region can be found on this blog site. My current projects are:
- Together with Alan Dench I am currently compiling a draft Yinggarda-English Dictionary based on materials collected by researchers from 1958 to today. It is hoped that this will be published in 2026 or 2027. For more information about our work on Yinggarda see here.
- I am working with the Baiyungu Aboriginal Corporation under an Indigenous Languages and Arts grant to translate children’s books into Bayungu, and to prepare language lessons for learners, including Park Rangers who are working on the Ningaloo Marine Park. For more information see here.
- I am writing a Reference Grammar of the Mantharta languages, based on materials collected between 1978 and 1986. There will be an accompanying comparative dictionary of the language group.
- I am drafting a Reference Grammar of the Kanyara languages, based on materials collected between 1978 and 2019. This is a long-term project that will not be completed for some years.