One way we can support languages that are under pressure from bigger and more powerful languages, like Diyari is threatened by English, is called Language Landscape. The idea here is that we make the smaller local languages obvious in the general surroundings by putting up signs, notices, and directions in the language. In some places, we have dual signage where the names of places, locations, and street signs are shown in two languages, English and the local language. There are many examples of this in Adelaide, South Australia, where Kaurna appears in signs along with English. Here are some examples:
Pirltawardli
Tarntanyangga
Karrawirra Pari
‘possum place’
‘red kangaroo dreaming’
‘redgum forest river’
Possum Park
Victoria Square
River Torrens
Here is a picture from the Women’s and Children’s Hospital:
We can put Diyari language in the landscape by using signs like the following for “Enter Here”:
In Diyari, nhingkirda means ‘here’ and wirriyamayi means ‘enter, go in’. It is made up of wirri-rna ‘to enter’, –ya ‘order’ and –mayi ’emphasis’. Here is the opposite, for “Do Not Enter”:
Again, this is made up of wata ‘not’ and wirriyamayi ‘enter!’. Here is another one for “Be Quiet”:
This is made up of ngapu ‘silence’ –ri ‘become’, –ya ‘order’ and –mayi ’emphasis’, so ngapuriyamayi means ‘become silent!, be quiet!’
Please feel free to print these signs and put them up in prominent places in Diyari country to remind people that it’s yawarra ‘language’ mithanhi ‘in the country, in the land’.
You can listen to a podcast of this blog post on Spotify.
Ngayana Diyari Yawarra Yathayilha 