Description
Introduction:
The creation of this record of Yolŋu signs aligns two strands of research – one on the ethnolinguistics of alternate sign language and the other on the intergenerational transmission of Indigenous Australian culture. (Adone, James, Kendon). Yolŋu Sign language (YSL) is at the centre of the research presented in this book. This research, directed by the Yolŋu signers and speakers of this rare endangered language, has been conducted over the past 25 years on the homelands and the communities of North East Arnhem Land. The importance of passing on this language to a new generation of Yolŋu children is bonded to the need to share YSL with all Australians. As each indigenous language disappears all our worlds are diminished. For this reason, we bring together some 500 signs of YSL collected from the east to the west of Yolŋu Country.
This is a work of love. We trust you will find this handbook engaging, informative and an easy tool for learning. For simplicity, this guide for appreciating the deeper cultural insights embodied in YSL is organised into semantic domains and indexed into English alphabetical and Yolŋu bilingual alphabetical order.
Documentation: Bentley James
Photography, Graphic design and illustrator: Therese Ritchie
ISBN: 978-1-64826-070-4
Number Of Pages: 326
