Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages

Editor: David Nathan

Update 2024

This site is no longer current and is not being updated. Since 2016, happily, the number of online sources of knowledge about Australian Indigenous languages exploded in number and diversity of sources, especially from Indigenous organisations and individuals. As a result, it became impossible to keep ALoA up to date. It is no longer a key resource.

As the main web portal for Australian Aboriginal languages on the web (part of Tim Berners-Lee’s official W3C Virtual Library (now defunct at https://www.vlib.org/ - see its history) this site provided summaries, guidance and links to quality resources on Aboriginal languages, especially those produced from communities and by community members. It was listed in most of the major international libraries and other institutions as a key site for Australian languages, and attracted over 500,000 hits a year.

Approximately half of the linked sites still exist and the site’s back-end database remains valuable because it contains data which tracks 20 years of the emergence, expansion and changes in the online presence of Australian First Nations languages from the birth of the web.

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RESULTS: 24 ITEMS FOR CATEGORY Catalogues & bibliographies

Sound Printed Books | NT Language Centre Support

Source: Batchelor Press/Batchelor Institute

Information and resources about innovative ‘sound printed’ books developed through the Centre for Australian Languages and Linguistics. Catalogue of talking books, plus information about the technology and downloadable audio.

http://soundprinting.batchelor.edu.au/

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.10/10/2015

 

Sound Printed Books | NT Language Centre Support

Source: Batchelor Press/Batchelor Institute

Information and resources about innovative ‘sound printed’ books developed through the Centre for Australian Languages and Linguistics. Catalogue of talking books, plus information about the technology and downloadable audio.

http://soundprinting.batchelor.edu.au/

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.10/10/2015

 

Sound Printed Books | NT Language Centre Support

Source: Batchelor Press/Batchelor Institute

Information and resources about innovative ‘sound printed’ books developed through the Centre for Australian Languages and Linguistics. Catalogue of talking books, plus information about the technology and downloadable audio.

http://soundprinting.batchelor.edu.au/

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.10/10/2015

 

Dieri - Archival Resources

Source: Mobile Language Team/University of Adelaide

Bibliogrpahy of online and other references and resources for Dieri.

http://www.mobilelanguageteam.com.au/languages/resources/dieri

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.10/11/2015

 

Sound Printed Books | NT Language Centre Support

Source: Batchelor Press/Batchelor Institute

Information and resources about innovative ‘sound printed’ books developed through the Centre for Australian Languages and Linguistics. Catalogue of talking books, plus information about the technology and downloadable audio.

http://soundprinting.batchelor.edu.au/

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.10/10/2015

 

Glottolog: Language: Gupapuyngu

Source: Glottolog

Glottolog’s resource page for Gupapuyngu, a Yolngu language of NT. The page shows Gupapuyngu’s location on a map, its place within its language family, and a large number of references for the language (most are harvested from bibliographic sources and the items are not necessarily online). See also the main Glottolog page.

http://glottolog.org/resource/languoid/id/gupa1247

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.06/08/2015

 

Wadeye Song Database

Source: Linda Barwick/Allan Marett/Michael Walsh/Joe Blythe/Nick Reid/Lysbeth Ford

This site documents the history, language and music of public songs and dances composed and performed at Wadeye, NT (aka Port Keats). You can search the database, listen to songs and see information about the singers, translations, and other musicological documentation. Some of the recordings are for community access only or are not publicly available, but you can apply for access. See also the Murrinh-Patha song project description.

http://sydney.edu.au/arts/indigenous_song/wadeye/

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.10/10/2015

 

Narrunga Archival Resources

Source: Mobile Language team / University of Adelaide

This page consists of a bibliography of about 35 language resources for Narrunga, from the early 19th century until now.

http://www.mobilelanguageteam.com.au/languages/resources/narungga

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.06/08/2015

 

Selected bibliography of material on the Paakantyi / Paakantji / Barkindji language and people held in the AIATSIS Library

Source: AIATSIS Library

Classical and comprehensive bibliography of books, serials and some electronic materials held by AIATSIS on the Paakantyi language. See also all AIATSIS language and people bibliographies.

http://aiatsis.gov.au/sites/default/files/docs/collections/language_bibs/paakantji_paakantji_barkindji.pdf

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.06/08/2015

 

Sound Printed Books | NT Language Centre Support

Source: Batchelor Press/Batchelor Institute

Information and resources about innovative ‘sound printed’ books developed through the Centre for Australian Languages and Linguistics. Catalogue of talking books, plus information about the technology and downloadable audio.

http://soundprinting.batchelor.edu.au/

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.10/10/2015

 

Warlpiri

Source: David Nash

Resources and links for Warlpiri.The most comprehensive web resource for any single Australian language. See also David Nash's Home Page.

http://www.anu.edu.au/linguistics/nash/aust/wlp/index.html

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.14/01/1998

 

Warumungu bibliography

Source: David Nash

See also David Nash's Home Page.

http://www.anu.edu.au/linguistics/nash/aust/wru/

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.14/01/1998

 

Glottolog: Language: Gupapuyngu

Source: Glottolog

Glottolog’s resource page for Gupapuyngu, a Yolngu language of NT. The page shows Gupapuyngu’s location on a map, its place within its language family, and a large number of references for the language (most are harvested from bibliographic sources and the items are not necessarily online). See also the main Glottolog page.

http://glottolog.org/resource/languoid/id/gupa1247

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.06/08/2015

 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language services and collections in NSLA libraries

Source: National and State Libraries Australasia

Library policy document acknowledging: 1. The right of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to be informed about language materials relating to their own culture and heritage; 2. The role of communities as custodians of language as central to the development of policy and practice; 3. The right of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to determine use and access provisions for language materials which may be community controlled or require cultural consideration. See also NSLA Position Statement for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander library servic

http://www.nsla.org.au/publication/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-language-services-and-collections-nsla-libraries

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.06/08/2015

 

Aboriginal Studies Electronic Data Archive

Source: AIATSIS

ASEDA - Aboriginal Studies Electronic Data Archive: A catalogue of files on Australian Indigenous Languages held by the ASEDA project at AIATSIS.

http://aseda.aiatsis.gov.au

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.14/01/1998

 

AUSTLANG: Australian Indigenous Languages Database

Source: AIATSIS

AIATSIS' searchable database on Australian languages, with information on language names, numbers of speakers, locations, resources, researchers, and "documentation scores", assembled from a number of sources. Searchable by map (not functioning at time of review), language name and location.

http://austlang.aiatsis.gov.au

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.15/12/2012

 

Australian Indigenous language collections

Source: National Library of Australia

A guide to help identify NLA material on languages, arranged by State/Territory and then by language name. Note that most most of the material you might identify is not actually available online, although some have Finding Aids (summaries and indexes).

http://www.nla.gov.au/research-guides/indigenous-language-resources

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.10/11/2015

 

Batchelor Press Online Store

Source: Batchelor Press

Batchelor Press is the publishing arm of Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education. Batchelor Institute develops teaching and learning resources primarily for Indigenous students in remote communities, where most students have English as a second or third language. These resources are developed by community elders, students and teaching staff.

http://batchelorpress.com/

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.06/08/2015

 

Bibliography on Language Endangerment

Source: Tasaku Tsunoda

A 2003 bibliography on language endangerment, revival, policy, and social and ethical issues. Note: as of 2011, the original version is offline, but there are still some versions on the web, including this one from the University of Hawaii.

http://www2.hawaii.edu/~kroddy/bib/tsunoda.html

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.01/12/2003

 

Dennis Daniel Bannister collection

Source: AIATSIS

The Dennis Daniel Bannister collection, Papers on The Aboriginal Languages of Queensland, 1977 [Finding aid].

http://unicorn.aiatsis.gov.au/ms/finding_aid/MS2171.htm

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.23/09/2001

 

Flint Catalogue

Source: Jeanie Bell, Anke Boewe, Kate Donnelly and Mary Laughren

Catalogue of the E. Flint papers held in the Fryer Library, with detailed information about Aboriginal languages and their speakers.

http://www.library.uq.edu.au/fryer/ms/Flint/flint_catalogue.html

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.16/08/1999

 

Glottolog

Source: Harald Hammarstr

Glottolog provides a comprehensive, innovative, easily-searchable catalogue of classification and reference information for the world’s languages, especially lesser known languages.

http://glottolog.org

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.06/08/2015

 

Indigenous Language bibliographies

Source: AIATSIS Library

Language and people bibliographies: lists of print materials held in AIATSIS collections. See also AUSTLANG and OZBIB language databases.

http://aiatsis.gov.au/research/guides-and-resources/language-and-people-bibliographies

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.14/01/1998

 

Language and Peoples Thesaurus

Source: AIATSIS

Searchable database of names, codes and locations for Australian languages and peoples.

http://www1.aiatsis.gov.au/language/language.asp

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.17/10/2015

 

Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages

Source: Charles Darwin University / Batchelor Institute / NT Government / ANU

LAAL (Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages) is a digital archive of endangered literature in Australian languages from the Northern Territory. Much of the literature is language teaching/literacy material created in schools, which is otherwise endangered by the instability of governmental support for mother tongue and bilingual programs. You can search the site by map, placename, language name, author, or category (such as Narrative or Language instruction). The literature materials are beautifully displayed and are viewable and downloadable as PDF or plain text. The site currently holds about 2250 books in 32 languages. Updates are posted on http://laal.cdu.edu.au/

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.06/08/2015

 

Mura, the AIATSIS Library catalogue

Source: AIATSIS

Online library catalogue of AIATSIS. Searchable for its large collection of Indigenous language-related materials. Click the iLink icon to go to the catalogue.

http://mura.aiatsis.gov.au

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.16/08/1999

 

Our Oldest Languages Online

Source: State Library NSW / Tara Callinan / NITV

News item about the Rediscovering Indigenous Languages project by the State Library of NSW to identify, transcribe, digitise and catalogue its formerly unidentified Aboriginal languages materials, resulting in over 150 language collections across all states.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGZNkSl_DIw&feature=youtu.be

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.06/08/2015

 

Papers of Robert Hamilton Mathews (1841-1918)

Source: National Library of Australia

Catalogue MS 8006:The R.H Mathews Papers consist largely of material relating to Mathews' anthropological research on the customs, social life and languages of the Australian Aborigines.

http://www.nla.gov.au/ms/findaids/8006.html

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.16/08/1999

 

Tindale's Catalogue of Australian Aboriginal Tribes

Source: South Australian Museum Archives

A detailed catalogue of Aboriginal language groups from Tindale's 1974 book Aboriginal Tribes of Australia. Information on locations, alternatives names, colonial/historical sources, and more. The catalogue is also an index to Tindale's Tribal Boundaries Map. The SA Museum's caution that the "catalogue represents Tindale's attempt to depict Aboriginal tribal distribution at the time of European contact" is itself highly problematic.

http://archives.samuseum.sa.gov.au/tindaletribes/index.html

This is the date when the item first appeared in this virtual library. It may have been changed or updated since then.10/04/2015