The Kulin languages are a group of closely related languages of the Kulin people, part of the ''Kulinic'' branch of Pama–Nyungan.

Languages

* Woiwurrung (Woy-wur-rung): spoken from Mount Baw Baw in the east to Mount Macedon, Sunbury and Gisborne in the west. The ''Wurrundjeri-willam'' were a clan who occupied the Yarra River and its tributaries. Referred to initially by Europeans as the ''Yarra Yarra tribe''. Other Woiwurrung clans include the ''Marin-Bulluk'', ''Kurung-Jang-Bulluk'', ''Wurundjeri-Balluk'', ''Balluk-willam''. ''

Wurundjeri The Wurundjeri people are an Aboriginal peoples, Aboriginal people of the Woiwurrung language, Woiwurrung language group, in the Kulin nation. They are the traditional owners of the Yarra River Valley, covering much of the present location of ...

'' is now the common term for descendants of all the Woiwurrung clans. *

Bunurong The Boonwurrung, also spelt Bunurong or Bun wurrung, are an Aboriginal people of the Kulin nation, who are the traditional owners of the land from the Werribee River to Wilsons Promontory in the Australian state of Victoria. Their territory ...

(Bun-wurrung): spoken by six clans along the coast from the Werribee River, across the

Mornington Peninsula The Mornington Peninsula is a peninsula located in the south of Greater Melbourne, Victoria (state), Victoria, Australia. It is surrounded by Port Phillip to the west, Western Port to the east and Bass Strait to the south, and is connected to ...

, Western Port Bay to

Wilsons Promontory Wilsons Promontory is a peninsula that forms the southernmost part of the Australian mainland, located in the state of Victoria (Australia), Victoria. South Point (Wilsons Promontory), South Point at is the southernmost tip of Wilsons Promon ...

. Referred to by Europeans as the ''Western Port'' or ''Port Philip tribe''. The Yalukit-willam clan occupied the thin coastal strip from Werribee, to Williamstown. ''

'' is now the common term for all the people of this language group. * Taungurung (Tung-ger-rung): spoken north of the Great Dividing Range in the Goulburn River Valley around Mansfield, Benalla and Heathcote. Referred to by Europeans as the ''Goulburn River tribe''. '' Taungurung'' is now the common term for all the people of this language group.Richard Broome, pp123-125, Aboriginal Victorians: A History Since 1800, Allen & Unwin, 2005, , * Wathaurong (Wadha-wurrung): spoken by 15 clans south of the Werribee River and the Bellarine Peninsula to Streatham. Referred to by Europeans as the ''Barrabool people''. The escaped convict, William Buckley lived with this community for 32 years, between 1803 and 1835, before being found by

John Batman John Batman (21 January 18016 May 1839) was an Australian Pastoral farming, grazier, entrepreneur and explorer, who had a prominent role in the foundation of Melbourne, founding of Melbourne. He also was involved in many attacks against Indigen ...

on 6 July 1835. * Dja Dja Wurrung (Jar-Jar-wur-rung: spoken by the 16 clans of the Jaara or Dja Dja Wurrung people around Bendigo, the central highlands region, east to Kyneton, west to the Pyrenees, north to Boort and south to the Great Dividing Range. Referred to by Europeans as the ''Loddon Aborigines''. Kulin, or perhaps Kulinic: *Western Central Murray: Madhi-Madhi (Muthimuthi), Ledji-Ledji, and Wadi-Wadi share 80% of vocabulary, suggesting they might have formed a group. *Eastern Central Murray: Wemba-Wemba ( Baraba-Baraba, Nari-Nari) * Tjapwurrung (Jab-wurrung, Djabwarrung) as a distinct language is included by Bowern (2011), who excludes Taungurung and Baraba-Baraba. * Bindjali, the language of the Bodaruwitj (Bedaruwidj, Potaruwutj, Tatiara) people in south-eastern

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...

, is classified as a Kulinic language by Austlang.

Classification

Dixon (2002) accepts the Kulin languages as a family, and sees them as forming three languages: *Kulin ** Wuy-wurrung ***Wuy-wurrung dialect ***Bun-wurrung dialect ***Dhagung-wurrung dialect (the first three entries above) ** Wadha-wurrung (Wuddyawurru, Witouro) ** Wemba-Wemba ***Jaja-wurrung dialect *** Madhi-Madhi dialect ***Ladji-Ladji dialect ***Wadi-Wadi dialect ***Nari-Nari dialect ***Wemba-Wemba dialect ***Baraba-Baraba dialect *** Wergaya dialect ***Djadjala dialect ***Wutjabulak dialect ***Martijali dialect ***Buibatyalli dialect ***Nundatyalli dialect ***Jab-wurrung dialect ***Pirt-Koopen-Noot dialect

References

{{Australian Aboriginal languages Kulinic languages