Yirrk-Thangalkl (Yir Thangedl) is a dialect of

Yir-Yoront The Yir-Yoront, also known as the Yir Yiront, are an Indigenous Australian people of the Cape York Peninsula now living mostly in Kowanyama (''kawn yamar'' or 'many waters') but also in Lirrqar/Pormpuraaw, both towns outside their traditional ...

, a

Paman language The Paman languages are an Australian language family spoken on Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. First noted by Kenneth Hale, Paman is noteworthy for the profound phonological changes which have affected some of its descendants. Classifica ...

spoken on the southwestern part of the

Cape York Peninsula Cape York Peninsula is a large peninsula located in Far North Queensland, Australia. It is the largest unspoiled wilderness in northern Australia.Mittermeier, R.E. et al. (2002). Wilderness: Earth’s last wild places. Mexico City: Agrupación ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

in Australia, by the Yirrk-Thangalkl people. The language is also known as ''Yirr-Thangell'' and ''Yirrk-Mel''. During the early 1900s (decade), Yirrk-Thangalkl speakers started shifting to the Yir-Yoront dialect with the arrival of the Mitchell River Mission.

Phonology

Consonants

Yirrk-Thangalkl has 16

consonant In articulatory phonetics, a consonant is a speech sound that is articulated with complete or partial closure of the vocal tract. Examples are and pronounced with the lips; and pronounced with the front of the tongue; and pronounced ...

s. The inventory is the same as that of

, except that Yirrk-Thangalkl lacks the

retroflex A retroflex ( /ˈɹɛtʃɹoːflɛks/), apico-domal ( /əpɪkoːˈdɔmɪnəl/), or cacuminal () consonant is a coronal consonant where the tongue has a flat, concave, or even curled shape, and is articulated between the alveolar ridge and the ha ...

and glottal consonants and .

References

Southwestern Paman languages Extinct languages of Queensland {{ia-lang-stub