Our language belongs to our families
The words in this dictionary were recorded by our Elder George Webb and are shared by his family
"This is a record of memories, language, people and places, as remembered and passed on. These words were learned through listening, watching and living. Some meanings may vary from place to place, and some words may have more than one use. It is shared so that younger generations may learn, remember and respect the knowledge that has been handed down."
— from the words of Elder George Webb
Notes on the language
These words were documented by various linguists, and depending on their heritage, words were sometimes interpreted differently. Words recorded by French speakers, for instance, would have been spelt with different phonetics than words recorded by English speakers. The Wardandi language was predominantly written down by French, German and English linguists.
We have included audio pronunciation spoken by a traditional custodian, which is how Indigenous people say and interpret the word.
There may be other interpretations, as within each region there are sub-dialect groups who may say the same thing in a slightly different way, like an accent.
CULTURAL PERMISSION
Thinking of using a Wardandi word as a name?
For a business, a boat, a property, an event or anything else, please ask us first. Naming with language is a cultural permissions matter, and we welcome the conversation.