Physical description

viii, 138 p. : ill., map. ; 21 cm.

Summary

Non-technical introduction covering phonology, grammar, vocabulary, sociolinguistics, language relationships pidgin and Aboriginal English, loan words in English, wordlists in Tiwi, Malak-Malak, Alyawarre, Walmajarri, Nyungar, Pitjantjatjara, Wemba-Wemba, Dharawal, Bidyara, Pitta-Pitta, Kalkatungu and Mayi-Yabi.

In 1788 Australia had more than 200 such languages -- as different from each other as English is from French. Today, more than 100 are extinct and many of the rest are under threat.Professor Blake describes the sounds, spelling and location of the different languages, and dispels many popular myths.