澳大利亚原住民语言

语言分布图，不同颜色代表不同语族。从西到东排序：

  Nyulnyulan

  Bunuban

  Worrorran

  Jarrakan

  Yirram

  Daly

  Laragiya

  Tiwi

  Limilngan

  Umbugarla

  Giimbiyu

  Iwaidjan

  Gunwinyguan

  West Barkly

  Garawa(包含部分Tangkic和Pama–Nyungan语言)

  Pama–Nyungan(包含部分Tangkic语言)

澳大利亞原住民语言包括在澳大利亞大陸和周边岛屿（不过一般不包括塔斯马尼亚岛）使用的语言，可以分为数个语系和一些孤立语言，其中最著名的是帕马-恩永甘语系。欧洲人来澳前，澳大利亞原住民语言数量约为350至750种。目前，澳大利亞原住民语言的数目已经减少到大约150，并且绝大多数语言还是处于高度濒危状态。目前只有约20种语言未处于高度濒危中，在今存的语种中，只有大约10%仍在学校中教授，并且这些语言大多使用在一些生活较孤立的地区。一些语言如塔斯马尼亚语系语言已经完全灭亡。

澳大利亞原住民语言形成一个语言区域，享有众多共同词汇和独特的语音特征。典型的澳大利亞原住民语言只含有三个元音，一般为[a, i, u]（可能有长短音的区别）。清浊音的区别很少见，而且擦音也极为罕见。

很多澳大利亞原住民语言为作格语言。

參考文獻

• Dalby, Andrew. Dictionary of Languages. Bloomsbury Publishing plc. 1998: 43. ISBN 0-7475-3117-X. 
• Dixon, R.M.W. 1989. Searching for Aboriginal Languages. University of Chicago Press, 1989. ISBN 0-226-15430-0
• Dixon, R. M. W. 2002. Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development.
• Evans, Nicholas (ed.). 2003. The non-Pama–Nyungan languages of northern Australia: comparative studies of the continent's most linguistically complex region. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
• McConvell, Patrick and Nicholas Evans. (eds.) 1997. Archaeology and Linguistics: Global Perspectives on Ancient Australia. Melbourne: Oxford University Press
• O'Grady, Geoff; Ken Hale. 2004. The Coherence and Distinctiveness of the Pama–Nyungan Language Family within the Australian Linguistic Phylum. In Claire Bowern and Harold Koch, eds., Australian Languages: Classification and the Comparative Method. John Benjamins Pub. Co.
• UNESCO Interactive Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger (retrieved 8/6/10)
• Walsh, Michael. 1991. Overview of indigenous languages of Australia. In Suzane Romaine (ed), Language in Australia. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-33983-9
• Zuckermann, Ghil'ad, "Aboriginal languages deserve revival", The Australian Higher Education, 26 August 2009.

外部鏈接

• AustLang database of Australian languages
• The Linguist List MultiTree Project: Australian Family Tree
• Map of indigenous Australian languages from Muturzikin.com (current ranges)
• Australian languages plotted on Google Maps (Claire Bowern)
• Aboriginal Languages of Australia
• The Horton map of Australian indigenous languages (recorded ranges; full view here
• Languages of Australia, as listed by Ethnologue
• National Indigenous Languages Survey Report 2005 PDF format, size 2.6 MB Accessed 16 February 2009
• Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)
• Ethnologue report on all languages by alphabetical order
• Finding the meaning of an Aboriginal word
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Social Justice Report 2009 for more information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages and policy.