Visiting Linguist

Torbjörn from Sweden helping to work on Ngarla language

In 2008 and 2010, Torbjörn Westerlund visited from Sweden to work with the late Mr Brown on the Ngarla language. The work will form part of Toro's PhD thesis. Brian Geytenbeek and staff at UWA have also contributed to the project.

The Ngarla language is one of the most highly endangered languages of the Pilbara. There are several partial speakers and many more people of Ngarla heritage. Mr Brown worked hard for many years to ensure his language was recorded and described. His devotion to this work was inspiring. In Brian Geytenbeek and then Toro, he found equally devoted people who, as a team, worked to ensure this language was described as fully as possible for the future. Unfortunately, Mr Brown passed away in 2010 before all the work for the grammar could be completed. Toro has returned to Sweden where he continues to work on the Ngarla grammar.

Wangka Maya welcomes collaborative work with students, particularly on the writing of grammars, as this is work the field linguists of Wangka Maya usually don't have the time to do as they are so busy recording vital recordings and making dictionaries.