Names
The language is known by several names besides Kalaw Lagaw Ya, most of which (including Kalaw Lagaw Ya), are strictly speaking names of dialects, spelling variants, dialect variants, and the like - and include translations of the English terms, Western Island Language and Central Island Language. The following list includes most of the commonest:
- Kalaw Lagaw Ya/Kala Lagaw Ya, Kalaw Kawaw Ya/Kalau Kawau Ya, Lagaw Ya/Lagau Ya, Kala Lagaw Langgus/Kala Lagau Langgus, Kalaw Kawaw Langgus/Kalau Kawau Langgus, Langus, Lingo, Kawalgaw Ya/Kaywalgaw Ya/Kaiwaligau Ya, Kowrareg (Kaurareg) (strictly speaking Kaurareg/Kauraraig is the person, not the language, which is/was Kauraregau/Kauraraigau Ya ), Kulkalgau Ya, Mabuiag (the name of one of the islands where it is spoken), Westen or West Torres or Western Torres Strait, Dhadhalagau Ya, Sentrel or Central Islands. One term used by Eastern islanders and neighbouring Papuans for Kala Lagaw Ya is Yagar Yagar, from the word yagar (yá speech, etc. + gár sympathy clitic (dear, please, etc.), often used by Western and Central Islanders in speech to show a sympathetic or nostalgic frame of mind.
In literature on the language the abbreviations KLY (Kalaw Lagaw Ya), KKY (Kalau Kawau Ya), KulY (Kulkalgau Ya), MY (Muwalgau Ya) and KY (Kaiwaligau Ya) are often used as abbreviations. According to Ober (2007), the preferred term in English is Kala Lagaw Ya.
When speaking to each other, speakers generally refer to the language as Langgus Language or use phrases such as KLY/KulY ngalpudh muli, MY-KY ngalpudh/ngalpadh muli, KKY ngalpadh muliz, e.g. KLY/KulY ngalpudh muuli, thanamunungu tidailai!, MY-KY ngalpudh/ngalpadh muuli, thanamuningu tidailai!, KKY Ngalpadh muli, thanamulngu tidaile! Speak in our language so they don't understand!. Ngalpudh/ngalpadh literally means like us. The construction X-dh mula+i- speak X-like is used to refer to speaking in a language, e.g. KKY markaidh muliz speak English, zapanisadh muliz speak Japanese, dhaudhalgadh muliz speak Papuan, mœyamadh muliz speak Meriam Mìr, thanamudh muliz speak like them, speak their language. It is otherwise common for speakers to use nominal phrases like KLY/KulY ngalpun ya, MY-KY ngalpun//ngalpan ya, KKY ngalpan ya our language to refer to the language when speaking to each other.
The other languages spoken on the Torres Strait Islands are the Meriam language and Torres Strait Creole.
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