Indicates the place where something is; also called the locative case suffix.

Occasionally used to mean 'giving to'; usually the -gu (owner suffix) is used. The locative or dative suffix is attached to nouns and adjectives.

Dhaay gaa-gi (here - bring) can be used to make it clear that the meaning is 'bring' (not 'take' or 'carry').

(speaker) said 'he's very near like a gum tree, they call him gaabiin... he grows so high ... on the sandhills, not along the river here.' Common around Moree and Narrabri. Has a short stocking of dark grey bark around the base and then smooth pale bark on the rest of the trunk. Possible source of English 'carbeen'.

Used in some GR, YR areas. May originally be a Wangaaybuwan word.

(speaker) said it means an adult parrot feeding its young, perhaps from the sound it makes.

This is a rare word, the common word is baawaa.

This is a rare word, the common word is baagii. The two definitions of gaadhii are probably due to the fact that a particular woman's grandmother (on their mother's side) and also that woman's sister are both classified as belonging to the same social section. So this word may actually mean, for a woman, 'another woman in my social section'. Due to the respect given to older people, it is unlikely that someone would refer to an older person using this term.

The flowers, leaves and young pods are eaten raw, while mature brown pods are roasted in the coals. (speaker) said they are a long yam on a green vine, and are good if you're thirsty. Roots are roasted, pounded with rocks to separate the flesh from the tough inner core, and only the skin and flesh is eaten.

Currently used as 'mug'. (speaker) said it was a homemade tin 'pint' made out of a tin can and wire.

There is conflicting evidence about this word. It has been used to refer to meat ants, black ants and sugar ants.

This is a rare word.

This suffix is added to nouns to indicate that there is a group of two, e.g. wirri (bowl-group of two) is a nickname for goats, after the goat's udder which looks like two bowls.

This is only used when something is 'given to' or 'done for' them (two people). Gaalingunda is used for 'movement to' them (two people). Also ngurugaalingu.

Added to nouns to indicate that the thing is not real, it is make-believe.

The most common word for 'set' is wuu-gi. Also gaari-y.

(recorder) said it was also possibly a watercourse, swamp or drainage line.

Location.

From gaawi-li (vomit).

Occurs with the verb guwaa-li (talk, speak).

Also occurs as gaay-djuul (small-little, just, one) and gaayndjuul.

Gaba can qualify both nouns and verbs. It has a wide range of meanings, including 'pleasant', 'nice', 'wholesome', 'glad', 'happy', 'honest', 'sweet', 'tender' (as in meat), and 'fresh' (as in water). Sometimes occurs as gaba-dhuul (good-little, just, one) meaning 'good one, good person'; and giirr gaba (right).

Based on gaba (good, well) and -ma-li (suffix that makes a transitive verb), so 'make well'.

A crystal used by wiringin (clever men) for such things as healing and magic.

A person's marriage division (and also their meat/totem) determined who they should marry. Gabii marries Yibadhaa, children are Gambuu (male) and Buudhaa (female), sister is Gabudhaa. Possible source of the surname 'Cubby'.

Has round leaves up to 10 cm and yellow fringed flowers.

Marries Yibaay, children are Marrii (male) and Maadhaa (female), brother is Gabii.

Originally a type of head cover, possibly worn by men, 'like a tea cosy'.

Meaning hypothesised from a story where (speaker) says he called out to his mother

An affectionate term used in some GR, YR areas.

Possibly a Guwamu word.

(recorder) said that it is smaller than guuyarra and is used against women.

A bag-like part of the intestines of various animals, including echidna, goanna and turkey. It is like a bird's crop. It is not poisonous in bigibila. When an echidna is prepared for eating, the ant sack is removed, so that the meat does not taste of ants (formic acid). In the goanna it is a 'poison bag'. (speaker) said that when you kill a goanna you should immediately pull the tongue and the bag out.

Used in some GR, YR areas.

Also known as Peruvian; the name is said to relate to gadi (bitter) perhaps in another language.

(speaker) said that the bark of the roots is boiled to make a very bitter liquid useful for diabetes and many other illnesses. The liquid is used to cure infectious sores, though it is very severe on the skin.

Lots of little trees, about 2-4 m tall, that have grown up after a flood. This word indicates that there may be an unrecorded word, gadji (sapling).

Leaf of a car spring used to dig out rabbits, echidnas and other animals. This replaced the traditional wooden ganay.

Also gagalay. Possible source of English 'Cocklarina'.

This word indicates that there may be an unrecorded word, gagan.

(recorder) said 'bad, nasty (water)'.

Added to dhurrun (fur) and giinbal (scales) to indicate a class of living things: dhurrun.gal (furry group, mob) and giinbaligal (scaled group, mob). The suffix -gal is used mainly for young people, especially birralii-gal (child-many) and for little things. It is also known as the diminutive plural suffix. The suffix -galgaa can be attached to any other noun to indicate 'more than one'.

(speaker) said that this is used when you are speaking of someone and they appear.

Possibly pied currawong Strepera graculina (→W) (→EOL) (→ALA) . This word is recorded as 'magpie', but there is the common word burrugarrbuu (magpie), so this is recommended as a word for currawong, for which no name has been recorded.

Used in some GR, YR areas.

This frog contains water, and was used for food.

Used for carrying material, e.g. across a river.

Sometimes called the pink goanna because the male turns a dirty pink colour during the mating season.

Also used in some YR areas.

Highly prized as food. (speaker) said that galinggaa are the edible small intestines of the sheep; also known as 'curly guts' they are green when full, so it is better to leave the sheep for a few days before killing it, so they are brown and better to eat.

moon)

Sources include various comments such as 'before buurra ' and 'after buurra '.

A low herb of the pea family, it was eaten by the explorer Thomas Mitchell who said it was delicious, as tender as spinach, and kept its green colour when boiled.

Specifically a camp where someone has died. It was said that some tree carvings were called gamaal meaning that someone died there. Possibly related to gama-li (break, block).

This is a rare word, the common word is gaarra-li. The difference between these verbs is not understood.

Sometimes called baayamala(n), because in the original 'turning', when species were given their non-human forms, this fish was favoured by Baayami by being allowed to partly keep the power of speech.

Ginny Rose said that in a story, emu and turkey call each other gambaay (sister-in-law).

This term was only recorded between women.

Consisting of the father and chicks.

A big grey moth that flies at night. Also gambima.

A person's marriage division (and also their meat/totem) determined who they should marry. Gambuu marries Maadhaa, children are Gabii (male) and Gabudhaa (female), sister is Buudhaa. A possible source of the surname 'Combo'.

The derivation is unknown, and may actually be a nickname based on dhina (foot).

This is a rare word, the common word is walgan.

Locally called the white-back swallow because of its rump.

Probably Mitchell grass, it was dried on racks in the sun and the seeds were gathered, ground and made into damper; large quantities were stored.

Also known as snake bird.

There is conflicting evidence about this word: it has been used to refer to the green lacewing, the cockroach and a flat black beetle. It is said that the beetle emits a bad smell when crushed.

This is the women's digging stick; it is pointed at one end and used for digging up sand goannas, other game and plants.

The roots and bark mashed and soaked in water are good for rheumatism, swellings, cuts, sores and toothache. Also said to restore hair in bald men.

(speaker) thought that originally this meant coming from beyond the 'big' river, that is, the Darling River. Probably from gandaarr (other side of the river - YR).

A male emu, when by itself.

As in 'the area below something'.

Succulent ground cover with small yellow flowers and small capsules containing many small black seeds. Seeds can be ground into a paste and cooked like a damper. Leaves, stems and roots can be eaten; contains valuable amounts of protein, water, fibre and minerals.

Based on ganu (all) and -wu (all).

This is only used when something is 'given to' or 'done for' them (more than two). Ganungunda is used for 'movement to' them (more than two).

The recommended word is bunduurraa.

Probably used in the east of the area.

Name for any grass.

Call is like a 'razor grinder', a whirring hiss. Is said to be a woman's spirit. When the bird hovers close to the ground it is said to be 'looking for yams', like a woman searching the ground. Possibly related to garaay (sand).

For more information see gayawi-li.

Any crack in the ground or gap in trees; also a split, crack or saw cut in wood. Perhaps also used to mean a long lagoon.

A long lagoon around 70 km north of Moree. The word garra is very frequently used to form other words. It is probably based on garra-li (cut).

(speaker) said it is a straight stretch of river with high banks, suitable for setting nets to catch ducks.

From garra-li (cut).

(recorder) said it is a place on the Narran River where, in a story, the hero 'cut across, from one point to another in a straight line', instead of following a winding path.

Probably related to garranba-li (push, shove).

Probably related to garranba-li (push, shove).

Name for any duck.

Used in some GR, YR areas.

Possibly Litoria nasuta (→W) (→EOL) (→ALA) . A small grey frog with long legs and a sharp nose.

According to (recorder) , this word is related to garrawa-li and means 'a place where things are kept'.

(speaker) said it was where a big battle had been fought.

The name of a property near Hebel where there are lots of rabbit burrows. Probably based on garra (crack).

The ringtail is not a typical Western Plains animal but is usually found in the eastern ranges.

Possibly based on garra (crack) and -araay (with, having); or a reduplicated form.

Also called wild arrowroot and tree orchid, it grows in the forks or hollow spouts of gum trees. The fruit and the bulbs can be eaten; the bulbs are very starchy but can be grated or pounded and the starch washed out. It can be used as a medicine.

This term probably has to do with the avoidance relationship that existed between these relations. An avoidance relationship was part of social law, it was not to do with whether individuals liked each other or not. For more information, see buyal.

Sometimes known as the 'alligator', Garriya is the mythical giant creative serpent, which made the rivers and lakes. It is associated with water and rain, and is represented in the night sky by a dark shape along the Milky Way. To speak this name aloud, especially near water, is said to be dangerous because he might hear you. In autumn and winter, when his sky form is most extensive to the north, Garriya is said to stand up (dhuyu 'snake'; warra-y 'stand'); in the spring he goes away. It is said that Garriya has a kind of foot, and can 'stand up to look at the country'.

This is the common word for 'uncle'. These two relations would be in the same social section. Also occurs as garruugii.

This is a rare word, the common word is badha.

Also recorded as 'blue'.

This is the Coal Sack, a dark emu-shaped patch in the night sky, near the Southern Cross, which is said to be a spirit emu. Ginny Rose said that its nest is similar to an emu's but the eggs are pure white, and its generally 'upside down' stance in the sky during autumn and winter relates to the (earthly) emu's breeding cycle. Also a featherless emu which lives underwater and hates people, and is highly feared. Thought to be related to Garriya and to live in the same deep waterholes.

Possibly from gawarrawarr (green) and banhaayal (bush fly).

Possibly from gawu (brain) and -ga (at) so, 'where the brain is'.

Possibly means 'rambling' or 'wandering aimlessly' due to the curling branches.

Snake tracks were carefully avoided as treading on one was thought to cause skin sores; the cart tracks of the early European explorer Mitchell were thought to be a giant snake track.

As in 'You do it now, it's your turn.'

Possibly from gayaa (happy).

Animals which are unusual, e.g. a camel.

This suffix is added to the place word, e.g. Narran-gayaluu (Narran-inhabitants) meaning people of the Narran River; and garra-gali (cracks-dweller in) meaning an animal that lives in ground cracks.

The leading spirit at the buurra (bora) is said to be the father-in-law to all people. Gayamay (or Gayami), is his wife who is mother-in-law to all people. On earth they appear as the rainbow: the upper band of colours is the man; the lower band is his wife. In the Guwamu language these spirits are Ngardbana and his wife Ngardgirigan.

The sound of the bullroarer is Gayandaay's voice, calling the young men to be initiated.

(speaker) said that a boy was handed over to Gayandaay at the buurra ceremony. It was perhaps a person or the place where they put a young boy when he became a man.

Also used to mean 'change direction', e.g. 'The wind changed direction.'

The 'thing thrown' has the 'using' (instrumental) suffix.

Used with guuyarra (ceremonial bone).

Also known as kath sola, this is a shrub of the legume or bean family, having yellow flowers and producing pith, the substance used to make pith helmets, fishing floats and rafts.

Possibly from gayn (scraper) because of the smooth scaleless skin.

Name for any spider.

A tool, often an old boomerang, used to push, scrape, and smooth down coals for cooking. Related to gaynma-li (scrape).

Also known as desert lime, desert lemon, and native cumquat. This spiny shrub of the citrus family has a round, yellow, edible fruit which can be used in marmalade and drinks. It is unusual to have a one-syllable word repeated in this way.

Related to gayn (scraper).

In many cases the English verb 'be' (is, was etc.) is not translated by gi-gi but by a verb suffix, e.g. yanaa-waa-nha 'is walking', or another verb, e.g. dhinawan dhuyul-a warra-y 'the emu is (standing) on the hill'.

When used in this context, the form of this verb is always gi-yaa-nha or gi-yaa-nhi.

(speaker) said it is used for grinding seeds and sharpening tools.

(speaker) said that gaagulu is the vine that giban grows on: you follow the vine, find one the size of a tennis ball joined onto another one, you dig further and get one the size of your head; 'When you eat them you wouldn't know when to knock off. Sweet.' (speaker) said: 'Giban is a big potato - there were some at the Three Mile (at Lightning Ridge), vine run up the tree, with fruit ... dig down, and you get one then another, all full of water. They only grow in certain parts, in patches, grow as big as grapefruit, all white as snow, full of water, eat them raw, taste earthy, and all water - a bit sweetish'.

(speaker) called this bird lousy Jack, and said it was the first to make friends with you in the bush.

Large wattle tree, sometimes known as stinking wattle due to the leaves giving off a strong smell when rain is approaching or when wet. Possible source of English 'gidgee'.

A yellowish star in the north, opposite the Southern Cross: possibly Arcturus. Possibly from gidjiirr (yellow). Possible source of English 'budgerigar'.

(speaker) said it is claypan or 'hard red' country.

Property west of Walgett.

Another name for buubiyala (blueberry) due to the bitterness of its fruit.

(speaker) said 'before sun up'.

Some evidence for the meaning 'black ant', but probably can mean any ant.

To describe an action that is ongoing or repetitious.

This is a rare word, the common word is gawarrawarr.

Refers to a northern part of the lake. Said to be from gii Garriya-djin meaning 'the Garriya created this'.

Compare Australian English slang 'piss' (alcohol). Also, probably only in recent times, giili.

Site of an old mission, now a village just outside Walgett. Named because of the froth on the river there during floods. Also giigii.

Of fish, snakes and lizards.

This word is probably related to gindjul with something like 'slime' being the common meaning.

Possible source of English 'galah'.

Shrubby bush to 2 m with purple-pink pea-like flowers.

A place down the river from Bangate Station.

Used for a place where water lies in a paddock after rain, not a waterhole in the river. A common word around many parts of Australia.

Used in Goodooga for the small round waterholes found in hard-pan country, often surrounded by dense grass.

Words with this suffix indicate on which side something happened, e.g. ngaarrigili (other side), nguwagili (this side) and ngarribaagili (above).

(speaker) said it is used, for example, of a horse that is upset as the saddle is being put on.

This is a rare word, the common word is walgan.

This word could now be used as a general term for 'marsupial mouse'.

See gimbi-li for more information.

The one being laughed at is marked by the 'source' case.

Probably related to gindama-y (laugh).

This is a rare word, the common word is yurayaa (any frog).

A spirit who calls out his name at night; the 'bogeyman'. Used currently in some GR, YR, YY areas.

A log, shaped and painted to represent Garriya (a crocodile) and used in ceremonies to bring and to stop rain. It was kept in a secluded place. The ceremonies were said to include men riding on the crocodile's back, to bring rain, and shovelling hot coals into the crocodile's open mouth, to stop rain. From giniy (stick, tree) and Garriya (crocodile).

Used in Walgett.

(recorder) said that it is a type of silver wattle; the wood ash was used, possibly for medicinal purposes. The seeds can be ground and roasted for damper; and the grubs in the roots can be eaten. The bark can be boiled or soaked, and drunk as cough medicine and for dizziness, nerves and fits. Sick people can be 'smoked' with the leaves.

A form of riddle or question answer game which was a popular pastime. (recorder) said: 'Riddles play a great part in their social life, and he who knows many is much sought after. (They are) little songs describing the things to be guessed, whose peculiarities the singer acts as he sings - a sort of one-man show, pantomime in miniature, with a riddle running through it.
For example: What is it that says to the floodwater, "I am too strong for you, you cannot push me back?" Answer: guduu (codfish).
What is it that says, "You cannot help yourself; you will have to go and let me take your place; you cannot stay when I come?" Answer: the grey hairs in a man's beard to the black ones.
"If a man hide himself so that his wife could not see him, and he wanted her to know where he was, yet had promised not to speak, laugh, cry, sneeze, cough, nor move his hands nor feet, how could he do so?" Answer: whistle.
"The strongest man cannot stand against me. I can knock him down, yet I do not hurt him. He feels better for my having knocked him down. What am I?" Answer: sleep.
"I am not water, yet all who are thirsty, seeing me, come toward me to drink, though I am no liquid. What am I?" Answer: a mirage.
"What is it that goes along the creek, across the creek, underneath it, and along it again, and yet has left neither side?" Answer: The yellow-flowering creeping water-weed.
"Here I am, just in front of you. I can't move; but if you kick me I will knock you down, though I will not move to do it." Who says this? Answer: a stump that anyone falls over.
"You cannot walk without me, yet you grease your body and forget me and let me crack, even though, but for me, you could neither walk nor run." Who says that? Answer: someone's feet.
Another example: What animals are these: the first says: 'Friend, how can you see from the side?' The second animal replies: 'And how can you see, looking from the nose?' Answer: yin.ga (crayfish) and ngalaagaa (crab).

According to one source, this expression is used in girribal (the riddle game). After the riddle asker gives the clues, they call out 'Girrigirri?' (guess what?).

This word has been largely replaced by mari (Aboriginal man, Aboriginal person).

Possibly based on gii (heart).

This is the inner fibre, when stripped and ready for making nets and string bags.

The gum from coolabah trees can be eaten straight from the tree in balls like toffee, or melted in warm water to make a jelly. It can be soaked in water with something sweet like honey, manna or flower nectar.

Indicates movement towards the thing named. Also known as the 'allative suffix'.

Indicates the purpose, or reason for an action. Also known as the 'purposive suffix'.

Indicates that something belongs to someone, e.g. 'the girl's dog'. Also known as the 'genitive suffix'.

Indicates when someone does something for someone else. Also known as the 'benefactive suffix'.

Indicates the purpose or reason for doing something.

This suffix (also called the ergative suffix) is attached to the name of the person or thing that is doing an action to someone or something else.

This suffix (also called the instrumental suffix) indicates an instrument, weapon, tool or other thing that is being used.

Gubadhu sounds like the bird's call.

This is a rare word, the common word is wayaarra.

Near Goodooga. Probably based on gubi-y (swim).

Probably the edible bulb of a yellow orchid, known around Mungindi as 'goobi-eye'.

A chasing game played in the water. Based on gubi-y (swim).

Probably based on buurra (bora).

Also called black box or river box, a medium-large sized tree growing on river flats and low-lying areas, where flooding occurs.

Maybe related to gudhurr (belt).

This verb also means 'cook'.

Related to gudhuwa-li (burn). Also occurs in gaba gudhuwan (good cook).

(speaker) said this is a Goodooga word; -ny is a common ending on 'secret language' words but not in standard GY. See winambuu for more information.

An unknown species.

Kay Kneale said that guduu was rolled in mud, cooked in a fire and covered with coals until the mud hardened. When cooked, the mud was peeled off to separate the flesh from the scales and guts.

Limited support for the general meaning 'fish'.

Also gaguulmadharraa. Also called black yam, this vine has a poisonous, dark-coloured tuber or yam. Children are warned against confusing this plant with gaagulu (bush banana) which it slightly resembles when young.

(speaker) said that there is one on Dungalear Station. In a story, a wife of Baayami bore a child, or menstruated there.

Near Lightning Ridge.

(recorder) said it is also forked objects, but not a forked stick.

The recommended word is gulayaali because it is in all three languages.

For example, across a creek.

This is a medium-sized tree that grows in watercourses and depressions and has a very hard timber. Branches and leaves can be used to stun fish in waterholes, but may need to be left overnight, and used for cooking emu in a ground oven. The leaves are boiled in water and sweetened with honey; this liquid is drunk to relieve colds and whooping cough. Flour can be made from the seeds: branches are broken off and laid on a claypan, the seed capsules will open after five days, and the debris is collected and winnowed. Seeds can then be soaked, cleaned, dried and ground, and the resulting paste eaten. The roots may be tapped for water and the inner bark can be beaten and applied as a poultice for snake bite and severe headache. Possibly from gula (tree fork) and -baa (place of, time of). Possible source of English 'coolabah'.

Gulagama-li and its variant gulama-li has a general meaning of 'put your arms around'. (speaker) said that you would do it to a distressed person, to reassure them. Possibly this verb only refers to children, as it is similar to the first part of the word gulumaldhaay (foster parent).

Possibly related to gula (fork in tree).

(speaker) said it is a part of the sheep intestines on the mubal (stomach).

Also called crested pigeon. It is thought that the name relates to the forked shape (gula) of the head in profile.

Originally a net sling used to carry a baby on the mother's back. The word is now used for anything similar, e.g. a string shopping bag.

The string of eggs laid by a goanna.

The timber is tough and close grained, it is a rich source of tannin, and the gum can be eaten. Possibly Acacia pycnantha (→W) (→EOL) (→ALA) .

Only occurs twice, in gulguu giniy (bent tree) and gulguu mari (strange man).

The Culgoa River may be named after this bird, which was very common on the river.

Refers to the grass and the seed. Mitchell wrote the following while he travelled along the Narran: 'panicum ... a grass whereof the seed ('Cooly') is made by the natives into a kind of paste or bread. Dry heaps of this grass that had been pulled espressly [sic] for the purpose of gathering the seed, lay along our path for many miles. I counted nine miles along the river, in which we rode through this grass only, reaching to our saddle-girths, and the same grass seemed to grow back from the river, at least as far as the eye could reach through a very open forest. I had never seen such rich natural pasturage in any other part of New South Wales. Still it supplied the bread of the natives; and these children of the soil were doing everything in their power to assist me, whose wheels would probably bring the white man's cattle into it'.

Station west of Gunnedah.

(speaker) said 'guligal are droppings from the bees, if there is a nest it can fall in one little area and you know there is a nest in the tree'.

As in Coorigel Springs (at Angledool); this name has also been recorded as gawurragiil, gurraagal or gurragiil, said to be 'all the same'.

Word for any dish. Widely used in English. This word might come from guli (river grassnative millet); coolamons are used in seed collection and processing.

Also called cat-head, it is a three-pronged prickle or thorn.

There is a story about Oxley coming to the area that uses guliyaan which may mean 'strange', 'strange people' or 'new'.

This word has been recorded, but is not recommended for use because the way it is used in sentences is not understood. Possibly from galuma-li (care for).

This is a rare word, the common word is guliirrdhalibaa (widowed).

Occurs in gulungguluu giniy (rotten log).

This is a rare word.

This word is commonly used in Walgett.

(speaker) said it has nutty, edible, grape-like fruit and grey-green felt-like leaves like clover, which float on water, and small yellow flowers.

Used for drinking. Also refers to the bark which is used to make a canoe.

Probably based on gumba (flinty, very hard - YY).

Raised up above the surrounding area.

(recorder) described wrestling as a great buurra time entertainment. Family clans played against other clans. A Yibaay (social section) man for example, will go into a ring and place a maadji (painted stick) with a bunch of feathers at the top. In will run a Gabii (social section) man who tries to make off with the stick; the two then wrestle. Into the ring will go others of each side, wrestling in their turn. The side that finally throws the most men and gets the maadji wins. Before wrestling matches begin people grease their bodies to make them slippery.

Grows in areas where water lies, such as claypans. Refers to the plant and the fruit. (speaker) said that there are two sizes: the big one is guduugumi, the small one is gumi. They grow to around 20 cm high, with yellow fruit that is not sweet, so its better if you cook it, roast it in ashes, so that it gets soft and has a nice taste. There were acres of them in the black soil country, the ground would be yellow with them, like marbles, but they haven't been seen in big numbers for years. Also called felted nightshade.

(speaker) said that it is a possum skin worn around the front and back, not a belt. Possibly related to gumil (armlet).

(speaker) said: 'Gun.giyan, you see him on the river, when the wind blow the leaves down you'll see lots of round, white spots on it, just like a pain tablet, aspirin, and its round and you open them and taste them, its sweet like sugar.' Possibly includes -(b)iyan.

(recorder) states it is the smaller bora ring, around 15 m in diameter. The secret part of the ceremony takes place in the gunaba (sometimes called 'Baayami's ground') and, under penalty of death, no uninitiated person or woman is allowed to see it.

This word is used if fire is burning a lot of things or a large area, as in a bush fire.

May have originally meant a bark shelter.

An unidentified eucalypt.

Original sources say 'kangaroo rat', but it is probably a bettong Bettongia (→W) (→EOL) (→ALA) . See the story about the making of fire ( (speaker) , (recorder) ). Some thought of the kangaroo rat as a very promiscuous animal, the name gunharr was applied to a young woman who was a 'run-around'.

The grey bird with a black face is like a child covered in clay or ash, mourning its dead parent or mother. (speaker) said: 'Gunidjaa - you can hear them naming themselves like that'.

There are several possible derivations for this placename.

(recorder) said that children call out to their mother 'gunii!'. This is probably the vocative form which is used when talking to someone. It is probably an abbreviation of gunidjarr. Also guni which is commonly used today.

Uncle (speaker) translates this word as 'cadging, look at something with a greedy look, a wanting look in the eye'.

Said to be a place west of Goodooga. Also gunuwaa.

Commonly thought of as 'place of white stone', this town name may be based on gunu (lime gypsum).

Also a general word for any spider.

(speaker) also translated this verb as '(He) cleaned it all up'.

Possibly refers to any cypress pine. See gurraay for more information.

Can be a large tree, its softwood timber is known for its resistance to termite attack. The leaves are ground and boiled in water, which is used in the treatment of sores and scabies and can be rubbed on the chest, like Vicks Vaporub. Also can be used for smoking sick people. Possibly gurraay refers to any cypress pine.

Possibly swamp lily Ottelia ovalifolia (→W) (→EOL) (→ALA) . Has floating oval leaves and white three-petalled flowers.

Name for any hole including graves, cooking holes and potholes and 'crab holes', a naturally occurring hole in black soil, over 50 cm wide; also any little depression in the ground.

This expression was used to refer to the place away from the main camp where a woman stayed when she was menstruating or giving birth. It is not clear whether this expression involves a verb or not. Possibly gurru-ga baabi-li or from a variant of baabi-li.

This tree is similar to black wattle Acacia salicina (→W) (→EOL) (→ALA) , but more slender; it grows on inland watercourses, often with river red gums. Also called river cooba. The dhani (gum) is eaten and the seed pods can be roasted and the seeds eaten. The wood is hard, and the bark is used for making string when kurrajong is not available.