The Yura or Thura-Yura languages are a group of Australian Aboriginal languages surrounding Spencer Gulf and Gulf St Vincent in South Australia, that comprise a genetic language family of the Pama–Nyungan family. The name Yura comes from the word for "person" in the northern languages; this is a lenited form of the thura found in other languages, hence Thura-Yura. Similar words for "person" are found in languages outside the group, however.
The following classification is proposed by Bowern & Koch (2004):
- Nangga: Wirangu, Nauo
- Core Thura-Yura
- Yura (northern): Adnyamathanha–Kuyani, Barngarla
- Kadli (southern): Narangga, Kaurna,
- (unclassified) Nukunu, Ngadjuri
A Nukunu speaker reported that the Nukunu could understand Barngarla and Kuyani, but not more distant varieties.
Dixon (2002) lists a Nantuwara language, but there is no data for it.
Famous quotes containing the word languages:
“The very natural tendency to use terms derived from traditional grammar like verb, noun, adjective, passive voice, in describing languages outside of Indo-European is fraught with grave possibilities of misunderstanding.”
—Benjamin Lee Whorf (1897–1934)