4.3.3 BIDUNGU
Location: Inland north of the Murchison River; source of the Murchison River, Lake Way, Lake Nabberu (Oates 1975).
1. Names of the language and different spellings that have been used:
Bedengo
Beedung
Beedungo (Bates)
Bidungo
Pardoo
Peedong (Curr)
Pidunga
Pidungu (Brandenstein)
2. Classification of the language:
O'Grady, Voegelin and Voegelin (1966): Marngu
(This classification clearly applies to the language of the same name located in thePilbara. The actual classification would appear to be Kardu).
Identification codes:AIATSIS:A.40
Capell (1963):W.05
Oates (1975):56.3a
Oates (1975) identifies Bidungu with Ngayawanga and Ngadawanga.
Tindale says 'Pidong' is a name applied to Watjarri and Badimaya, and 'Pitangu' is a 'derogatory Kokatja name' for Walmajarri, also an alternative name for Kukatja.
O'Grady places Bidungu further north close to Nyangumarta.
3. Dialects of the language:
Brandenstein (1969g) says Pidungu seems to have at least three dialects, seen from Peak Hill: Ngarrka (east), Kurdun (west), Yirrakalan (south but north of Meekatharra).
4. Number and distribution of speakers:
No information
5. People who have worked intensively to record the language:
No one
6. Practical spelling system:
None
7. Word lists:
Bates (n.d.81, n.d.82)
Brandenstein (1969g)
Davidson (1932)
Helms (1896)
Wells (1893)
8. Texts:
None
9. Grammar or sketch grammar:
None
10. Language programmes:
None
11. Language learning material:
None
12. Literature in the language:
None
13. Material available:
(see section 5 (Bibliography) for annotations on the following works)
Bates, D.M. (n.d.81) Native vocabularies - Murchison Magisterial District, typescript copy of MS, Section 12, 2F, ANL-MS365-54/52-73.
Bates, D.M. (n.d.82) Native vocabularies - Murchison Magisterial District, typescript copy of MS, Section 12, 2F, ANL-MS365-55/123-138.
Brandenstein, C.G. von (1969g) The diaries of C.G. von Brandenstein, 1964-1969, MS.
Davidson, D.S. (1932) Comparative vocabularies of 19 Western Australian languages, ts.
Dunn, L. (1982) Badimaya, a Western Australian language, MA thesis, UWA.
Dunn, L. (1988) 'Badimaya, a Western Australian language', pp.19-149 in Papers in Australian linguistics, No. 17, Pacific Linguistics, A-71, Canberra.
Fink, R.A. (1956) Fieldnotes, 8 notebooks, MS.
Fink, R.A. (1960b) Traditional songs: being an appendix to 'The changing status and cultural identity of Western Australian Aborigines, a field study of Aborigines in the Murchison district, Western Australia, 1955-1957', New York, ts.
Gratte, S.G. (1968) Notes and audiotapes on the Badimaya language, Geraldton Historical Society, Geraldton.
Helms, R. (1896) 'Anthropology', pp.237-332 in Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, Vol.16.
Wells, L.A. (1893) 'Vocabularies of words and phrases with translations', pp.192-207 in Journal of the Elder Scientific Exploring Expedition.
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