First Nations Language Collection

In the Wide Bay district I have heard the word nginta, meaning "you", pronounced by the native variously as nginta, ginta, ninta, and inta. And in the Logan River District I have heard the equivalent pronounced as ngamung, namung and amung. Very few of the latter day blacks ever use this digraph and few white men could ever master it. With regard to names of place names in Stradbroke, Moreton Island and the isles near them, I would mention that, apparently, the inhabitants thereof spoke different languages to the mainland natives, although they must had had many word in common. Other than the the three negative words used by them I know nothing of the their languages. Possibly, Mr. Tom Welsby, who has spent much time about Moreton Bay could give some information thereon.

Trusting this information may be of service to, I am, yours faithfully FJWatson (F.J.Watson).

P.S. Re. the name Moombee Moombee, meaning huts, the initial letter m is probably accounted for as a white man's attempt at pronouncing the peculiar digraph ng.