Bible Portions in Anindilyakwa (AOIBSA)

Overview

Bible portions in the Anindilyakwa language, a non–Pama-Nyungan language spoken by the Warnindilyakwa people on Groote Eylandt, the largest island in Australia's Gulf of Carpentaria, and the nearby Bickerton Islands in the Northern Territory. [1] The Anindilyakwa and English diglot MiniBible, titled Neningikarrawara-langwa Ayakwa, was published in 1992 by Bible Society Australia and sold as an English–Anindilyakwa parallel reading edition. It contains selections from Genesis (Jenijija), the Gospels of John and Luke, Ephesians, 1 Timothy, and James. [1][2] Additional Bible stories, including the narratives of Abraham, Jonah, Jacob and Esau, and Joseph, have also been translated into Anindilyakwa. [1]

The Church Missionary Society (CMS) established the Angurugu Mission on Groote Eylandt in 1943 and played a central role in developing the Anindilyakwa orthography using the Latin script for Bible translation purposes. [2][3] CMS ran the Groote Eylandt Linguistics department until 2006, when it was succeeded by the Groote Eylandt Language Centre. [2] Missionaries relied heavily on Anindilyakwa interpreters, whose varied translation choices shaped how the mission's messages were received by the local community. [3]

Language and People

Anindilyakwa (ISO 639-3: aoi) is spoken by approximately 1,240 people in Northern Australia. [Glottolog: anin1240]

Publishing and Organizations

Published by BS in Australia, Canberra.

References