Mangarrayi language

Mangarrayi (Manggarrai, Mungerry, Ngarrabadji) is an Australian language spoken in the Northern Territory. Its classification is uncertain. Margaret Sharpe originally sought to record the language but turned to the study of Alawa after the station owner where her informants lived denied her access, having tired of the presence of researchers on the property.

The 2016 Australian Bureau of Statistics official census indicates that there are no speakers of Mangarrayi remaining, however elders Sheila Conway and Jessie Roberts are both speakers of Mangarrayi. Conway continues to make an important contribution to language revitalization projects in the Jilkminggan community.

Vowels /i, u, e, o/ can have lax allophones of [ɪ, ʊ, ɛ, o̞].

Mangarrayi has a number system that extends only to three.

Capell (1940) lists the following basic vocabulary items for Mungarai (Mangarayi):