Werrki werrki kuyinggurrangalak nyuwa-mana.
Quick! Our mother is coming right here!
Pronunciation:
Say: werr-kii werr-kii kuuy-ing-guurr-ahng-ahl-ahk nyuu-wah-mahn-ah
(Note - the 'h' is not sounded it is being used to encourage 'a' as in 'path'.)
Notes:
Vowels: Standard -  'i' as in 'pin', 'a' as in ‘path’, ‘u’ as in ‘put’. Variation - 'e' followed by 'l' or 'r' is 'e' as in 'fern'.
Consonant combination - 'ng' (velar-nasal) combine 'n' and 'g' while back of tongue touches soft palate plus nasal vibration, - 'ny' (palato-nasal) combine 'n' and 'y' while top of tongue touches hard palate plus nasal vibration. - 'rr' roll or trill tongue.
Literal Meaning:
Lit. Quick, quick mother-ours coming right here!
Shows:
Noun ending - belonging to us two - you and me - angalak
Explanation:
Sentence beginning with the verb 'werrki' (quick) ('i' ending rather than 'ak' ending because the action is not being done to anything). Exclamations or orders are often repeated. Next is the noun 'kuyinggurrangalak' (mother-ours) ie mother of both the speaker and the spoken to. 'nyuka-mana' (coming right here). Sentence points out one of the differences between the English 'our mother' and Wamba Wamba 'kuyinggurrangalak' (our mother).
Learning Focus:
Communication, Interacting, Language Building
Learning Exercise:
Build: What else might two people have? Look up, write down and practice saying in Wamba Wamba - 'Quick our grandmother has fallen over!', 'Quick our dog has bitten a man on the bottom!', 'Quick our baby is crawling away!'
Phrase Sentence:
Sentence
Words Associated:
kuyinggurrin - mother (your)
nyuwa-mana - to arrive, to come right here
werrkak, werrki - quickly! hurry up!
Topics:
Communication - order or direction, Conversation
Age Guides:
Yr 10-12, Yr 7-9
Reference: