This vocabulary was originally entitled: 'Vocabulary of West-Central Australian Languages: Pitjandjara, Pintubi, Ngalia, Kukatja by Norman B. Tindale, Adelaide, 1931-35'. It is a later version of AA 338/8/3.
The vast majority of the annotations found in this document relate to the recording of ŋadadjara entries (approx. 600) during the University of Adelaide's Board for Anthropological Research's Warburton Range expedition in 1935. Other additonal entries include:
- Pitjandjara - 36;
- Jangkundjara - 5;
- Julbaritja - 5;
- Naŋatadjara - 3;
- Kukatja - 2;
- Wordako - 2;
- Eucla tribe - 2;
- Border SA-WA - 2;
- Wiraŋu - 1;
- Cue, WA - 1; and
- Hamelin Pool, WA - 1.
A note at the bottom of the title page reads: '2830 entries on Dec 30, 1935', while a note on the upper right hand section of the title page reads: 'this contains additions some of which have not yet been carried over into record cards or into typescript copy, where additional words are to be found. Collate both copies for full detail. NBT.' It would appear that these figures relate to the Vocabulary of Pitjandjara, 1931-37 (AA 338/8/5), which includes Wirangu entries drawn from D. Bates's 'Aborigines of the West Coast of South Australia. Vocabularies and Ethnological Notes'
Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia,vol.42, 1918, pp. 152-167.
A note before the start of the vocabulary, dated May 1937, reads: 'this vocabulary is based principally on field notes to which have been added in parentheses other sources including the word lists published by Helms'. Tindale is referring to R. Helms's Everard and Blyth Range vocabularies (SA, in 'Anthropology',
Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australiavol.16, 1896, pp. 237-332). Tindale also comments on the orthographic standards employed, and an orthographic guide is attached to the inside front cover of folder. This is a handwritten copy (possibly in Prof. John Aloysius Fitzherbert's hand) of the University of Adelaide's phonetic system, developed in the early 1930s for use in research on Australian languages.
See also Tindale's Pitjandjara index card files, AA 338/7/2/3 - 338/7/2/6.
Tindale Tribes: Pitjandjara; Pintubi; Ngalia; Kukatja (NT); Jangkundjara; Nangatadjara; Ngadadjara; Wirangu; Tjalkadjara; Pini.