A Grammar for the Awabakal Language - 2nd Edition

This document constitutes a treatise on the reconstruction of the grammar of the language known as Awabakal. In most places, it is like any descriptive grammar developed for a language, laying out the detectable patterns of phonology, morphology and syntax.

But one fact that keeps this project somewhat distinct from many others is that the corpus of data comprises a set of sentential "illustrations" compiled by the Reverend Lancelot Edward Threlkeld; one set was published in 1827 and another in 1834. There is no other source with equal authority vis-à-vis sentence structures and the like that is not itself supervenient on the work of Threlkeld. Threlkeld published another work in 1850, but by this time he had developed a "phono-semantic theory" (see below), and was more focussed on his translation of the Gospel According to St Luke, and "illustrations" therein are either excerpts from the translation or present his own ruminations on modes of expression.

Another feature that distinguishes this work is that it is intended from the outset as a work for the sake of the local community and is not produced for the strict purpose of advancing the science of linguistics. For this reason, certain conventions have been adopted to facilitate the possibility of reintroduction. These conventions are noted and explicated; it is ultimately a matter for a prospective community of speakers to adopt or reject all such conventions.

 

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