M - m

ma   excl. here! take it! Marna nhanha intama. Ma! Here is the food. Take it!

-ma1   v.end. 1 • happening now, present tense. Kara ltumpala intaarlpala kngama The hunter is returning with the kill over his shoulder.

2 • usually happens, makes timeless statements, generic. lmurra irna urlpara kwaarnala nama. Possums live in hollow trees. Nyingkala kwatja ntelama. Zebra finches show where water is.

-ma2   n.end. It is often added to a question word. Iwunhama unta ngkaka? What did you say? Nhanhama tjaiya era? Is this the road?

maaka   n. elbow. Irna tnyimala, maakanha tumanga, ilkaarta wulhama. Something falling and hitting my elbow, makes it feel painful.

maama   n. sore, ulcer. Relhala marna marra itja ilkumanga, etna maama-karta-errama. People who do not eat good food get sores. Wurra nhanha arna karraka tnyika, erinha-ntama mpara tuka. Mpara ekuranha maama-karta naka. This boy fell down on the flat ground and hit his knee. So his knee had a sore then. Para tjalka etama, relha maama­karta ilkngilitjika. River red gum bark is boiled and used to heal sores. Arrathala maama, errkintja ilkngilitjika. Hill fuchsia leaves are used to clean sores and scabies.

maarla   n. female.

maarnama   vt. 1 • Fix something to, fix onto something, grab tightly, seize.

2 •  Rriwala iltja ekuranha maarnama. The door jams his fingers.

maarnpa waama   vt. make fire with a firesaw. Relhala ura itjanga, maarnpa waama. When people have no fire, they make one with a firesaw.

maarnta   n. 1 • closed, end, conclusion, finish. Rriwa nhanha era maarnta! Unta yaarna irrpuma! This door is closed. You can't go in!

2 • blunt. Ilapa nhanha itja wutha rrirlpa. Era maarnta. This axe is not sharp any more. It is blunt.

maarnta-ilama   vt. shut, turn off, close up, plug, Kwatja kngarra thaalalhamanga, atha tap erinha maarnta-ilaka. As there was a lot of water pouring out, I turned the tap off. Altjura-ilakala, tipinhala maarnta­-ilama. The opening is closed with a skewer.

maarnta-maarnta   n. closed in, end of (eg. cave, valley). Intia maarta-maarnta ingwa inthurra, alkngantha itja. It is very dark at the end of the cave. There is no light. Morph: [marnta‑reduplic‑].

maarnta-maarntala   n. at the rear or the end of. Wurra kuka maarnta-maarntala intaka, kwatjala nhamanga. As it was raining, the little boy slept tucked away in the back, end area. Pmara kwaarnala maarnta-maarntala, rrangkarra intai! You can lie down inside the house, in that end part. Morph: [maarnta‑maarnta + suff. –la].

maarntarra   n. clothes, dress, cloak, Miala kwaara ekuranha ilaka, "Maarntarra ungkwanga ekarralhai!" Mum told her daughter, "Put on your clothes!" Maarntarra ilkngakala ilparaanama. The clean clothes are hanging up.

maarntilparla   n. disrespectful, unheedful, disobedient. Relha nhanha maarntilparla. Atha yaarna wutha erinha ilama. This person is disrespectful. I'm not able to tell him again.

maartara   n. cloud. Maartara wurla-errakala, kwatjala nhama. Clouds having gathered, it rains. Ankartala maartara arama. Bearded dragons look out for rain clouds.

makalaria   n. wonderful, beautiful. Artwa nhanha makalaria era football iltja nyintala errkuma. This man takes a great mark of the football with one hand. Nhanha arai! Ntulya makalaria inthurra mpaarakala! Look at this! This is a very beautiful painting! Kurunga lherraka arrkutja makalaria Rubina. He fell for a beautiful young woman named Rubina.

makamaka   n. sacred, secret or dangerous place or site. A describing word. Arrkutja pa katjia yaarna pmara makamaka ekura-urna lhama. Women and children are not allowed to go to a sacred site.

makarama   vt. Express and show feelings. have regard for, consider, esteem. Relhala pmarrama, "Nganha era paka tuka?" Atha ilama, "Yinga itja ilkaarta-karta. Era yinganha makarama waara". People ask, "Did he maybe hit you?" I respond, "I'm not feeling any pain. He was just showing that he was angry".

makita   n. gun, rifle. See: inturra.

-mala1   v.end. Dependent clause marker, indicates the main and dependent clauses have the same Subject. The event of the dependent clause occurs before, during or around the time that the event of the main clause occurs. Arrkutjala lyimala lyupara tulhama. As the women sing, they beat the rhythm on their laps. Pulya-erramala, marna kupaarta arnaka tnyima. Once ripe, plum bush fruits fall to the ground. ltitja anga kutjima, thamala ilkuma. Mulga seeds are collected, ground up and eaten. Era urala wumpia-ilama, tarnamala rraatja-ilama. He is warming the crooked stick over the fire, and bending it to straighten it. Tnyaamala nurna tuka rabbit ntjaarra inthurra. We dug, and we got lots of rabbits.

-mala2   v.end. This forms a describing word. Artwa pitjimala era inurra. The man who's coming is lame. Atha katjia irtnimala erinha alkngurlkngilaka. I comforted the crying child.

-mala3   v.end. Dependent clause marker which indicates a time, 'when', 'while' and 'after'. Etna wurlerramala kngarripata era ngkaka. When they had come together the old man spoke.

-mala-iperra   end. after, when. Eturnaka kwatja kngarra nhamala­-iperra, langkwa mangkama. Bush bananas grow after good summer rains.

-malanga   v.end. Dependent clause marker. The event of the dependent clause occurs just prior to the event of the main clause. Contrasted with -manga in which the events occur simultaneously. The verb of the main clause is usually -ma referring to present or typical events. Marna akia kuka ntjaarra urrpurla­ erramalanga, relhala ilkuma. The small native currants turn black, and then people eat them. Kwatja kngarrala nhamalanga, yalka mangkama. Wild onions grow after lots of rain.

maltha   n. arm.

malthala tnyinama   vt. hold, carry on hip. Miala katjia malthala tnyinama. Mother is holding her child on her hip.

mamam   kt. Grandmother, any and all grandmothers. Grandmother on father's and also mother's side of the family.

-manga   v.end. dependent clause marker.

1. • v.end. The verb of the main clause is usually wuma 'hear' or arama 'see' and events of the main and dependent clauses occur simultaneously. Relha ntjaarra wurlerraka nantha etnanha aritjika arrtjanamanga. People came together to watch the horses racing. Atha artwa erinha wuma lyilhamanga. I can hear the man singing. Altjurilamala pula eratharra araka apma rraatitjalhamanga kwaarnanga. But when they had made an opening, they saw a snake coming out of the hole.

2 • v.end. If an event happens. Conditional. Atha iwupa mpaaramanga, mpurrka errkumala, nturlp-nturlp­ errama. If I touch an itchy grub, my skin becomes itchy. Katjiala marna itja rraatja ilkumanga, era tjuwa nama. Children who do not eat properly are thin (If children don't eat properly, they become thin).

3 • v.end. When the event happens. Kwatja kngarrala nhamanga, tnatharta rraatama. After lots of rain, scorpions come out. (When it rains a lot, scorpions come out). Mangala alknga nuka kaakumanga wangkintja kngarritja mpaarama. When flies bite my eyes, my eyes swell.

4 • v.end. Because, the reason for. Causal. See: -malanga. Nhanha urrkaapuntja etnaka. Etna yirnintja nhanha mpaaraka. Tnuntha parramala, nhanha-urna itja irrpintjitjika, tharrka kurna kngarra mangkamanga. This is their project. They made an enclosure. Animals were kept out, unable to enter this area, as poisonous grass was growing there in abundance.

manga   n. fly, small bush fly. Mangala alknga nuka kaakumanga wangkintja kngarritja mpaarama. When flies bite my eyes, my eyes swell.

mangkama   vi. 1 • grow, increase. Katjia kurrka mangkamanga, era kaltjerrama ngkitjika. As a baby grows, she learns to talk. Wurra kngarritja mangkamanga, era-ntama inginya-karta-errama. A big boy, growing up, grows whiskers. Marna katjirra rirrkala mangkama. Desert raisins grow in sandhill habitats.

2 • grow up.

mangkalhelama   vt. cause to grow, bring up, nurture, raise. Kwatja kngarra intamanga, etna irna pa marna kngarra mangkalhelama. With an abundant water supply, they grow fruit trees and vegetables. Morph: [mangkama + suff.‑lhela‑,‑ma].

mangkilama   vt. complete, finish. Artwa nhanhala urrkaapuntja ekuranha kala mangkilama. This man truly completes his work.

manhanga   kt. mother and child. Mia pa katjia ekura, eratharra manhanga. A mother and her child are together called 'manhanga'.

mapa   n. three or more, Plural marker. This word comes from the English word 'mob'. See: ntjaarra.

-mara   v.end. 1 • Should be able to, will be able to do something. May be possible, but doubtful. In sentences with only one verb -mara can be used to make a request or enquiry "would?" Unta paka yinganha nthamara? Would you give me some? Era nuka mpaaramara? Would he do it for me? Arrkutja nyintala yinganha ilitjaarta, “Kwaarrai, kwatja kuka nuka initjika lharlathanai!”Atha-ntama windlass lanha kwaarninya mpaaritjaarta, kwatja initjaarta. "Arai! Atha nganha yaarna inthurra well lanhanga urlpuntjimara. Unta muntja waara, rraatja waara mpaarai!" One lady used to tell me, "My girl, go and get me a little bit of water!"So I went and used to lower the windlass, and used to get some water. "Look here! I won't at all be able to get you out of that well. Do everything carefully, just in the right way!"

2 • In complex sentences occurs with one of the verbs to show what might happen.

marlkamaara   n. blowfly. Marlkamaarala karaka mpaara iwuma. Blowflies leave maggot eggs on meat.

marna   n. 1 • food, food plants, fruit. Marna mpaltjarta eturnaka urnma-erramanga. Wild oranges ripen in summer. Karaka yunthama, marna kutjima hunting and gathering. Katjia nhanha ltarrknga, marna rraatja ilkumala. This healthy child eats properly.

2 • damper, bread, cake of seeds. Marna intanga thaka, etamala ilkuma. The seed damper is kneaded. It is cooked and eaten. Marna urnma urltaakama, ilkuma. The cooked damper is divided up and eaten.

marna-kunya   n. without food. Marna-kunya relha ngaiyala wulhama. Without food, people feel hungry. Morph: [marna + suff.‑kunya].

marna kutjima   vt. gathering food. Arrkutja ntjaarra urlpaiya-urna lhama. Etna marna yalka kutjima. The women go to the river. They collect wild onions.

marna thama   vt. make damper. Urlpmantha-lela kwatja thaalama, marna thama. People pour water into the flour, and then knead the dough.

marra   n. 1 • well, in good health. Unta marra? Are you well? Yinga marra-ntema Yes, I'm well.

2 • good, nice. Ntatha nhanha marra inthurra! This flower is really nice! I'm well too.

marra-marra   n. fairly good, reasonably well. Morph: [marra‑reduplic‑].

marra-errama   vi. become well. Morph: [marra + suff.‑erra‑,‑ma].

marra-ilama   vt. make well, heal. lwupa antjua ingkwiala maama marra-ilama. An old itchy grub bag is a good bandage for sores. Ngangkarala relha minta erinha marra-ilama. The traditional healer heals the sick person.

marra-ilalhama   vi. heal self. Relha minta marra intamanga, era marra-ilalhama. A sick person, who rests up, heals themself. Morph: [marrilama + suff.‑lha‑,‑ma].

-marta, -martai   end. Strong encouragement suffix. Kala lhamarta! Alright, go then!

matja   n. fire. See: ura.

merra   n. woomera, spear-thrower. Merrala tjaarta errkuma. The spearthrower holds the spear ready for throwing.

Merral Intarrakala   n. place name.

mia   n. mother, mother's sister.

minta   n. sick. Era itja ltarrknga marra. Era relha minta. He is not strong and healthy. He's a sick person. Relha ngangkara-kartala minta angkerra-iwuma. The ngangkara heals the sick person.

minta-minta   a bit sick, not completely well. Kapurta ilkaartanga, yinga minta-minta wulhama. With a headache, I feel a bit sick.

minta ngerra   feeling a bit sick. Era kngarra urrkaapuka. Era itja kwatja kngarra ntjuka. Era minta ngerra wulhama. He worked a lot. He did not drink much water. He's feeling a bit sick.

minta-errama   vi. become ill. Morph: [minta suff.‑rra‑,‑ma].

minta-ilama   vt. make sick. Relha nhanhala kara ntara kngarra-karta ilkumala, era minta-ilama. This person, having eaten meat with a lot of fat, has been made sick. Morph: [minta. + suff.‑ila‑,‑ma].

mit    See: nua.

kt. spouse, husband or wife. Arrkutjai, mit ungkwanga nthau-urna lhaka? Lyurrala ekuranha yunthama. Woman, where has your spouse gone to? His grandmother is searching for him.

mit-mit   boyfriend, girlfriend. Era itja nua-karta, era mit-mit-akarta. He does not have a wife. He has a girlfriend. Kwaarra warnkala artwa kurrka nhanhala mit-mit-ilama. The teenage girl has a young man as her boyfriend.

-mitja   end. Variant: -kitja. might happen. A warning to avoid something. "Wurra, tuperrai, mia ungkwanganhala yunthamitja". "Boy, come back here, so your mother doesn't have to look for you!" Nurna nhanhanga kala lhitjika, relha arrpunha etna pitjimitja. We should just go from here, in case other people come!

-mitjanga   end. See: -kitjanga. Lauwulhai, era nganha iltaaramitjanga. Hide, or he might find you!

mpa   excl. Let's go. Mpa, kala pmara-urna alputjika! Come on, let's go back home!

mpaakama   vt. 1 • break off. Kara nhanha ekarlta, atha yaarna mpaakama. This meat is tough, and I cannot bite a piece off.

2 • take hold of, catch.

mpaakalhama   vi. separate self. Wumala, relha kurna ntjaarra pitjimanga, era tjina ekuranga mpaakalhama, etnanha empurlalhama, era-ntema relha arrpunha-lela lhama. Hearing that bad people are coming, she abandons her family. She leaves them and goes with other people. Morph: [mpakama + suff. ·‑.lha‑,‑ma].

mpaaka-mpaaka-errama   vi. pull in opposite directions. (eg. tug of war). Relha tharra yultha arrpunhaka mpaakama-mpaakama-errama. Two people debate about how to share some things.

mpaangara   n. Bush tomato. Solanum orbiculatum. Marna mpaangara itnaama rrirrkala pa partala. Era nama annga kngarritja, arlparrantji-ngerra, marna pura-ngerra. The bush tomato grows on the sandhills and stony hills. The fruit is big, like some of the other kinds of wild tomatoes.

mpaara   n. maggot. Marlkamaarala karaka mpaara iwuma. Blowflies leave maggot eggs on meat. Thepa ringala mpaara ilkunha. Tawny frogmouth birds eat maggots.

mpaarama   vt. 1 • do, make. Yurta etakala, era tjarlangka mpaarama. Heating the spinifex, he makes tar. Thukiala antjua mpaarama. Mice make nests.

2 • touch. Atha iwupa mpaaramanga, mpurrka errkumala, nturlpa-nturlpa-­errama. If I touch an itchy grub, my skin becomes itchy.

mpaaralhama   vi. get ready, prepare oneself. Artwa tjaartanga mpaaralhama, erinha thanthamitja. The man prepares himself for the spear coming, so he does not get speared. Morph: [mpaarama + suff.‑lha‑,‑ma].

mpaaranha   n. maker. Artwa nyinta nhanha merra mpaaranha, arrpunha itjanga. This one man is a maker of woomeras. There is no other one. Morph: [mpaarama + suff‑–nha].

mpaaretnama   vt. make or do while going along. Artwa ntjaarrala tjaiya mpaaretnama, kwatjala iparta-ilakalanga. The men make the road as they go along, as it was eroded by the rain. Morph: [mpaarama + suff.‑etna‑,‑ma].

mpaarangaranga   n. custom, tradition. Mpaarangaranga nurnaka nama: arrkutja ntjaarrala arlta kngarra inamala, etna twaakalhama. This is our custom: as women come to receive the Lord's Supper, they bow.

mpaarla   pron. You two. Yinga tungka inthurranga, mpaarla paka nuka tangitjala nama, marna langkwa etnanha initjika? I am very short, so can you two maybe help me out, to get the bush bananas down? Atha manhanga aramala, erinhatharra pmarraka, "Mpaarla nuka-lela urlpaiya-urna lhama?" Seeing the mum and her child there, I asked them, "Will you two go with me to the creek?"

mpaarlaka   pron. Belonging to you two. Katjia erinhatharra aramala, atha ilaka, "Ngkwaltja nhanha mpaarlaka." Seeing the two children there I said, "These coins belong to you two".

mpaarlanha   pron. You two in a transitive sentence. The action of the verb is not done by those two but the action is done to them. Atha katjia erinhatharra pmarraka, "Ngunhala mpaarlanha yairnaka?" I asked the two children, "Who sent you two?"

mpaarna   kt. brother-in-law. Nua nukanhaka kalya pa tjia, era nama mpaarna nuka. My spouse's older or younger brother is my brother-in-law.

Mpaiyal-Irrpuka   n. place name. A site west of Wurrapa and the Finke River (Lhara Pinta).

mpakaanama   vi. stand leaning on something. Katjia nhanha purrka, mpakaanama mia-lela. Tired, this child is leaning on his mother.

mpakarrarnama   v.t. holding close. Arrkutja nyintala katjia kuka tnurtala inamala, era mpakarrarnama. A woman, putting her baby on her lap, holds her baby close.

mpakarrarnalhama   vi. become attached to.

mpakiwulhama   vi. throw self on a dead body, lean on somebody. Unta tjina ungkwanga pairpilamala, unta ekura-karlaka mpakiwulhama. Losing a person dear to you, you throw yourself onto that person's body.

mpalha   n. hot weather.

mpalha kapurta   very hot weather, heatwaves, sweltering weather, hot weather in the middle of summer. See: eturna. Mpalha kapurta kwatja ipartala kutatha intama. There is always water in the rockhole, even in the middle of summer's sweltering heat. Etna eturnaka antalala tjuntaka urrkaaputjika. Mpalha kngarra naka. They began to work in summer. It was very hot.

mpaltjarta   n. wild orange. See: twakia. Variant: mparltjarta. Capparis mitchelli. Marna mpaltjarta eturnaka urnma-erramanga. Wild oranges ripen in summer.

mpangkama   vi. groan with pain.

mpangkarlaanama   vi. keep on groaning. Relha nhanha kutatha mpangkarlaanama, ilkaarta itja yarramanga. These people are always groaning, when the pain does not go away. Morph: [mpangkama. + suff‑rlana‑,‑ma].

mpanka   n. whole, entire, undivided.

mpanya   n. marriage.

mpara   n. knee.

mparlknga   n. scar, wound marks.

mparnama   vi. give birth (used about animals),

mparrama   adv. beforehand.

mparrka    See: mpurrka.

mpinya   n. leftovers, the last bit of.

-mpinya   n.end. location, part of, the part belonging to. Older language. ekngarra-mpinya eastern part, eastern side. ingka-mpinyala at the feet of. ingkarna-mpinya the back part, the rear part. Nururrka era nama ingka ingkarna-mpinya. The heel is the back part of the foot. kartninya-mpinya the part along the top. katha-mpinya the part on the outside. ngaatha-mpinyala at the nearest part, closest to.

Mpitjaana   kt. skin name.

mpulya   n. innocent.

mpuma   vi. 1 • burn (like a fire). Ura alkngantha mpuma. The flame is burning.

2 • cooking. Kara-arra twaapala mpuma. The kangaroo is cooking in the coals.

mpurlaanama   v. keep burning. Morph: [mpuma‑suff‑rlaana‑. –ma].

mpungaarra   n. Side by side, level, parallel (of two equal things). Nuarta mpungaarra intama. A married couple lie down together side by side.

mpupa   n. middle, midst. Ingkinyala langa mpupala itnaama. At midday the sun is high up above. Artwa tharranga mpupala kngulya nama. The dog is sitting in the middle between the two men.

mpupaka-ilama   vt. put or place into the middle. Morph: [mpupa + suff.‑ka,‑ila‑,‑ma].

mpupaturra   n. island.

mpurlaarra   n. rainbow. Kwatja yarranhamanga, mpurlaarra itnaama. When the rain clears, a rainbow appears.

mpurlparna   n. bat (generic: all bats). Mpurlparna arrkanerrama alkngarraka. Bats fly around when it gets dark.

mpurrka   n. body. Lukatur-tur mpurrka urrpurla, kanha tjurra thathaka. Black-tailed native hens have black bodies and red legs.

mpurrkaka intalhintja   n. women's ceremonial designs, body paint, designs on ground. Katjianha kaltjinthama mpurrkaka intalhintja. They are teaching the children the women's ceremonial designs.

mpwuntha   n. ceremony. Artwa, arrkutja, katjia turta mpwunthaka wurlerrama. Men, women and children all gather for the ceremony.

mukaarta   n. hat. Artwa mukaarta ekarralhama. The man is putting on his hat.

mukunha   n. offended.

mukunha-errama   vi. become offended, take umbrage at.

mukunha-erranha   n. offended one. Morph: [mukunherrama + suff‑–nha].

muntja   n. slow, slowly. Era muntja irnangaarra lhama. She is walking slowly with her hands behind her back. Yultha inpura-karta, artwa era muntja waara lhapalhama. Carrying heavy things, the man walks along quite slowly.

muntja-muntja   n. caring, patient, merciful, somewhat slowly. Morph: [muntja, reduplic‑].

muntja-muntja-errama   vi. become merciful. Morph: [muntjamuntja +. suff.‑erra‑,‑ma].

muntja-muntja-ilama   vt. be kind, merciful. Morph: [muntjamuntja + suff. –ila‑,‑ma].

muntja-errama   vi. Become slow. Kngarripata-erramanga, era muntja-errama. Becoming old, his movements become slow. Morph: [muntja + suff. –erra‑,‑ma).

murnta   n. thick, dense. Kwatja kngarrala nhakanga, irna tharrka murnta nama. As there had been a lot of rain, the trees and grass were dense and abundant. Kurunga era tharrka murnta inthurra arrpunha-urna lhamala. Era wuka katjia ntjaarra irtnimanga. After that he went into some other very dense grass. Then he heard many children crying.