Kuku-Thaypan is an extinct Paman language spoken on the southwestern part of the Cape York Peninsula, Queensland in Australia, by the Kuku-Thaypan people. The language was sometimes called Alaya or Awu Alaya.[3] Koko-Rarmul may have been a dialect,[4] though Bowern (2012) lists Gugu-Rarmul and Kuku-Thaypan as separate languages.[5] The last native speaker, Tommy George, died on 29 July 2016 in Cooktown Hospital.[6]

Quick Facts Kuku-Thaypan, Native to ...
Kuku-Thaypan
Awu Alaya
Native toAustralia
RegionCape York Peninsula, Queensland
EthnicityKuku Thaypan, Gugu Rarmul
Extinct2016 (with the death of Tommy George)[1]
Dialects
  • Koko-Rarmul
Language codes
ISO 639-3typ
Glottologthay1248
AIATSIS[2]Y84 Kuku Thaypan, Y71 Gugu Rarmul
ELPAwu Laya
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Phonology

Vowels

Kuku-Thaypan has six vowels and two marginal vowels possibly only in loan words.[7]

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  • Sounds /æ/ and /ɔ/ are only marginal, as phonemes.
  • /e/ is heard as [ɛ] when after palatals and /j/.

Consonants

Kuku-Thaypan has 23 consonants.[7]

  • /r/ may be heard as a voiceless trill [] when in initial position.
  • /r/ may freely be heard as a tap [ɾ] or trill [r].

References

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