Dyirbal language
| Dyirbal | |
|---|---|
| Region | Northeast Queensland |
| Ethnicity | Dyirbal, Ngajanji, Mamu, Gulngai, Djiru, Girramay |
Native speakers | 24 (2021 census) |
| Dialects |
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | dbl |
| Glottolog | dyir1250 |
| AIATSIS | Y123 |
| ELP | Dyirbal |
| Girramay | |
Area of historical use | |
Dyirbal is classified as Severely Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger. | |
Dyirbal (/ˈdʒɜːrbəl/ JUR-bəl; also Djirubal) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken in northeast Queensland by the Dyirbal people. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics there were eight speakers of the language in 2016 and 24 speakers in 2021. It is a member of the small Dyirbalic branch of the Pama–Nyungan family. It possesses many outstanding features that have made it well known among linguists.
In the years since the Dyirbal grammar by Robert Dixon was published in 1972, Dyirbal has steadily moved closer to extinction as younger community members have failed to learn it.