Kala Lagaw Ya is a mixed language with a Pama-Nyungan base and Papuan and Austronesian overlays. It is spoken by about 4,000 people on the Western and Central Torres Strait Islands, part of the Australian state of Queensland. Until the late 19th century, Kala Lagaw ya was the main lingua franca in the Torres Strait Islands, in Northern Cape York, and along the coast of the Western Province of Papua New Guinea. Currently on some of the Torres Strait Islands, Kala Lagaw Ya is being or has been replaced by Torres Strait Creole, and Kala Lagaw Ya is considered severly endangered.
Kala Lagaw Ya is also known as Kalau Lagau Ya, Kalaw Lagaw Ya, KLY, Mabuiag or Western Torres Strait language. Other names are available. Kala Lagaw Ya speakers generally refer to their langauge as Langgus ('language') or KLY/KulY It is one of the few Australian languages with the sounds /s/ and /z/, and voiced-voiceless distinctions.
There are a number of different orthographies Kala Lagaw Ya. Some were developed by different missionaries, starting in the 1870s. Others were devised by linguists during the 20th century.
a) Mission/Cambridge Reports
a, ă, ā, b, d, dth, e, ĕ, ē, g, i, ĭ,
ī, k, l , m, n, ng, o, ŏ, ō, ò, ö/ë/oe/œ,
p/f, r, s/ch, t, th, u, ŭ, ū, w, y, z/j
Diphthong glides : -i, -u (ai, ei, òi, öi, ui; au, eu, iu, ou, öu)
b) Bani-Klokheid
a, aa, b, d, dh, e, ee, g, i, ii, k, l, m, n, ng, o, oo, oe, ooe, p, r, s, t, th, u, uu, w, y, z
Diphthong glides : -y, -w (ay, aay, ey, eey, oy, ooy, oey, ooey, uy, uuy; aw, aaw, ew, eew, iw, iiw, ow, oew, ooew)
c) KKY
a, b, d, dh, e, g, k, l, m, n, ng, o, oe (œ), p, r, s, t, th, u, w, y, z
Diphthong glides : -y, -w (ay, ey, oy, oey/œy, uy; aw, ew, iw, ow, oew/œw)
d) Mixed – a dominating tendency to use the KKY orthography, and to mark the glides as in the Mission script.
e) Manuscript Dictionary
a, á, b, d, dh, e, é, g, i, í, k, l, m, n, ng, o, ó,
ò, œ, p, r, s, t, th, u, ù, ú, w, y, z
Diphthong glides : if phonological consonants - -y, -w; if phonological vowels - -i, -u
Vowel length is only overtly marked in two of the orthographies, and sporadically so in the others.
In long diphthongs the first vowel is pronounced long. Vowel length in diphthongs is only overtly marked in one of the orthographies, and sporadically so in the others.
Download an alphabet chart for Kala Lagaw Ya (Excel)
Information compiled by Rod Mitchell
Source: https://ebible.org/study/
Source: https://www.bible.com/bible/1/LUK.11.KJV
Information about Kala Lagaw Ya | Numbers | Tower of Babel
Information about the Kala Lagaw Ya language
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kala_Lagaw_Ya_language
https://www.tstlanguages.org/our-languages/kala-lagaw-ya
https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/36380
https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/torres-strait-islander-everyday-words
https://aboriginalbibles.org.au/kala-lagaw-ya/
Alyawarr, Arrernte, Bundjalung, Dharawal, Dhuwal, Diyari, Djabugay, Djinang, Djinba, Gamilaraay, Gooniyandi, Gugadja, Guugu Yalandji, Guugu Yimithirr, Kala Lagaw Ya, Kalkatungu, Kaurna, Kuku Nyungkal, Kunjen, Kuuk Thaayorre, Lamalama, Martu Wangka, Ngaanyatjarra, Ngiyambaa, Nhangu, Noongar, Paakantyi, Pintupi, Pitjantjatjara, Warlpiri, Wemba Wemba, Wik-Mungkan, Wiradjuri, Yankunytjatjara, Yindjibarndi, Yolŋu
Languages written with the Latin alphabet
Page last modified: 03.04.25
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