Ngaiawang vocabulary

Archive Collections / Dr Norman Barnett Tindale / Series AA338/08 / Ngaiawang vocabulary
Supplementary to Journals: 'Murray River Notes by Norman B. Tindale. Adelaide, South Australia' and 'Murray River.1953' (AA 38/1/31/1 and 338/1/31/2 respectively).

This item contains a variety of materials relating to the Ngaiawang language, recorded during the early colonial period of South Australia.These materials are ultimately derived from EB Scott (1822-1909), explorer, pastoralist, and Protector of Aborigines in the North West Bend region of the River Murray (SA).

The item has the following sections:

  • Handwritten paper vocabulary slips, approx. 250, in Tindale's hand. The first slip carries the note: 'heading: Vocabulary of Iawung language, Upper Murray River'. The slips are filed under alphabetical order according to the English gloss, and are drawn from James Hawker's EB Scott ms (see below);




  • 4pp. handwritten vocabulary entitled: 'Vocabulary of the Iawung or Ngiawung Language Supplied by E. B. Scott Esq.' This manuscript, apparently witten by James Hawker (1821-1901), contains 280 words. Hawker's original title was: 'Words in I.a.wung or Ngiawung supplied by E.B. Scott Esq.'. Alterations to this title are in Tindale's hand, as are a number of orthographic annotations in pencil on the first page;

  • 8pp. typescript entitled: 'Vocabulary of Iawung or Niawung Language', arranged according to English gloss. Many of the Naiawung entries are modified according to Tindale's orthographic preferences; and

  • Xeroxed copy of the above with a number of handwritten annotations and alterations. The wordlist is entitled: 'Vocabulary of Aiawung of Ngaiawung Language'. There are 8 pp. plus a map: 'Rough Map of Tribes on Lower Murray', drawn by Tindale from earlier sources, possibly including data from EB Scott. Some of the annotations relate to comparisons made with M Moorhouse's Vocabulary and outlines of the grammatical structure of the Murray River language, 1846), and others relate to data gathered from Robert Mason in 1964.



How and when Scott's material came into Tindale's possession is not entirely clear. It is known that Tindale received some of Scott's vocabulary material from James Hawker in 1946 (via the State Library of South Australia). Scott and Hawker spent time together in the Moorundie region in the 1840s, and Hawker wrote to Scott requesting Aboriginal words at the time he was preparing his reminiscences (Early experiences in South Australia, 1899-1901). However, it seems possible that Tindale had already received some Scott material in the late 1920s.

See also Tindale's Ngaiawang index card files AA 338/7/1/14 and 338/7/1/19.

Tindale Tribes: Ngaiawang.

Creator: Dr Norman Barnett Tindale
Control: AA 338/8/13
Date Range:  1927  -  1964
Quantity:  6cm,   1   A4 Albox folder
Series:  AA338/08
Tindale Tribes:
Ngaiawang