Dhuwal language

Dhuwal
Dhay'yi
Native toAustralia
RegionNorthern Territory
EthnicityDaii, Dhuwal, Dhuwala, Makarrwanhalmirr
Native speakers
4,200 (2021 census)
Pama–Nyungan
Standard forms
  • Dhuwaya
Dialects
  • Gupapuyngu
  • Gumatj
  • Djambarrpuyngu
  • Djapu
  • Liyagalawumirr
  • Guyamirlili
  • Dhalwangu [Dhay'yi]
  • Djarrwark [Dhay'yi]
Yolŋu Sign Language
Official status
Official language in
Northern Territory (as lingua franca for Aboriginal people)
Language codes
ISO 639-3Variously:
dwu – Dhuwal
djr – Djambarrpuyngu
gnn – Gumatj
guf – Gupapuyngu
dax – Dayi (Dhay'yi)
dwy – Dhuwaya
Glottologdhuw1248  Dhuwal-Dhuwala
dayi1244  Dayi
AIATSISN198 Dhuwal, N199 Dhuwala, N118 Dhay'yi
ELPDhuwala
 Liyagalawumirr
 Liyagawumirr
 Dhay'yi

Dhuwal (also Dual, Duala) is one of the Yolŋu languages spoken by Aboriginal Australians in the Northern Territory, Australia. Although all Yolŋu languages are mutually intelligible to some extent, Dhuwal represents a distinct dialect continuum of eight separate varieties.