Western Desert speech styles and verbal arts

Verbal arts are central to social interaction. In the Western Desert Ngaanyatjarra and Ngaatjatjarra people use special speech styles to mark particular occasions and life transitions. Led by Ngaatjatjarra linguist, researcher and educator Elizabeth Marrkilyi Ellis, the research team will build on a corpus of these endangered oral traditions. Following in-depth linguistics analysis the project will implement strategies to revitalise these endangered forms through dynamic contemporary applications thus reintegrating them into the language socialisation framework of youth. The study will assist Aboriginal people to safeguard their heritage and contribute to wider public appreciation of Aboriginal languages and cultures.