Aboriginal languages in NT
More than 100 Aboriginal languages and dialects are spoken in the Northern Territory (NT).
Aboriginal languages of the NT vary greatly in their grammatical structures, concepts and vocabulary.
Get the map of major Aboriginal languages of the NT PDF (363.2 KB).
Most widely spoken Aboriginal languages
| Language | Region |
|---|---|
| East Side/West Side Kriol | Katherine |
| Yolngu Matha | Top End |
| Warlpiri | Katherine, Tennant Creek, Alice Springs |
| Pitjantjatjara* | Alice Springs |
| Murrinh-Patha | Top End |
| Anindilyakwa | Top End |
| Eastern/Central Arrernte, Western Arrarnta+ | Alice Springs |
| Kunwinjku | Top End |
| Burarra | Top End |
| Modern Tiwi | Top End |
| Luritja/Pintupi* | Alice Springs |
| Gurindji | Katherine |
| Maung | Top End |
| Alyawarr/Anmatyerr+ | Alice Springs, Tennant Creek |
| Warumungu | Tennant Creek |
| *Western Desert family +Arandic family |
Languages by community
| Region | Language |
|---|---|
| Tiwi Islands | |
| Milikapiti | Tiwi (Modern and Traditional) |
| Pirlangimpi (Garden Point) | Tiwi (Modern and Traditional) |
| Wurrumiyanga (Nguiu) | Tiwi (Modern and Traditional) |
| West Arnhem region | |
| Gunbalanya (Oenpelli) | Kunwinjku |
| Maningrida | Burarra, Ndjebbana, Kunwinjku, Yolngu Matha |
| Minjilang (Croker Island) | Iwaidja |
| Warruwi | Maung |
| East Arnhem region | |
| Angurugu (Groote Eylandt) | Anindilyakwa |
| Galiwin'ku | Yolngu Matha (Djambarrpuyngu, Galpu, Golumala, Rirratjingu) |
| Gapuwiyak | Yolngu Matha (Djambarrpuyngu) |
| Gunyangara (Ski Beach) | Yolngu Matha (Gumatj, Dhuwaya, Galpu, Rirratjingu) |
| Milingimbi | Yolngu Matha (Djambarrpuyngu, Gupapuyngu) |
| Milyakburra (Bickerton Island) | Anindilyakwa |
| Ramingining | Yolngu Matha (Gupapuyngu, Djambarrpuyngu, Djinang) |
| Umbakumba (Groote Eylandt) | Anindilyakwa |
| Yirrkala | Yolngu Matha (Gumatj, Dhuwaya, Galpu, Rirratjingu, Djapu, Djambarrpuyngu) |
| Victoria Daly region | |
| Kalkaringi/Daguragu | Gurindji, Westside Kriol |
| Nauiyu (Daly River) | Ngan’gikurrunggurr, Kriol |
| Nganmarriyanga (Palumpa) | Ngan’gikurrunggurr, Kriol, Murrinh Patha |
| Peppimenarti | Murrinh-Patha, Ngan’gikurrunggurr, Kriol |
| Pine Creek | Kriol, Mayali |
| Timber Creek | Westside Kriol |
| Yarralin | Ngarinyman, Westside Kriol |
| Wadeye | Murrinh-Patha |
| Roper Gulf region | |
| Barunga | Eastside Kriol |
| Borroloola | Yanyuwa, Garrwa, Eastside Kriol |
| Bulman | Eastside Kriol |
| Jilkminggan/Mataranka | Eastside Kriol |
| Manyallaluk | Eastside Kriol |
| Minyerri | Eastside Kriol |
| Ngukurr | Eastside Kriol |
| Numbulwar | Eastside Kriol, Nunggubuyu (Wubuy) |
| Wugularr (Beswick) | Eastside Kriol |
| Barkly region | |
| Ali Curung | Warlpiri, Wumpurrarni English* |
| Alpurrurulam | Alyawarr |
| Ampilatwatja | Alyawarr |
| Arlparra (Utopia) | Alyawarr, Anmatyerr |
| Elliott | Kriol |
| Tennant Creek | Warumungu, Wumpurrarni English*, Warlpiri, Alyawarr |
| Wutunugurra | Alyawarr |
| Central Desert region | |
| Lajamanu | Warlpiri |
| Laramba | Anmatyerr |
| Nyirrpi | Warlpiri |
| Pmara Jutunta (Ti Tree) | Anmatyerr, Warlpiri |
| Willowra | Warlpiri |
| Yuelamu | Anmatyerr, Warlpiri |
| Yuendumu | Warlpiri |
| MacDonnell region | |
| Amoonguna | Eastern/Central Arrernte, Western Arrarnta |
| Apatula (Finke) | Pitjantjatjara, Yankunytjatjara, Southern Luritja |
| Hermannsburg (Ntaria) | Western Arrarnta |
| Kaltukatjara (Docker River) | Pitjantjatjara, Ngaatjatjarra and Yanunytjatjara |
| Ltyentye Apurte (Santa Teresa) | Eastern/Central Arrernte, Western Arrarnta |
| Utju (Areyonga) | Pitjantjatjara, Southern Luritja, Western Arrarnta |
| Walungurru (Kintore) | Luritja/Pintupi |
| Watiyawanu (Mt. Liebig) | Luritja/Pintupi |
| Warumpi (Papunya) | Luritja/Pintupi |
This information is not intended to be exhaustive of all languages and dialects spoken in the NT.
The NT is one of the most linguistically diverse areas of the world.
For more information about Aboriginal languages of the NT, go to the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies website.
Last updated: 20 May 2022
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