Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A large family of Australian aboriginal languages, spoken throughout Australia except in the extreme north, and including Pitjantjatjara and Warlpiri.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • proper noun the most widespread family of Australian Aboriginal languages, including Pitjantjatjara and Warlpiri.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[pama, man (in northeast languages) + nyunga, man (in southwest languages).]

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Examples

  • Kala Lagaw Ya spoken in the west is an Australian Pama-Nyungan language, Meriam Mir spoken in the east, is Australia's only Papuan indigenous language.

    languagehat.com: LINKING LANGUAGES. 2005

  • Yolngu is used in Armhem Land both for Yolngu people ie speakers of Pama-Nyungan Yolngu languages and for Aboriginal people in general.

    languagehat.com: ABORIGINES. 2005

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