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Article published In:
Australian Contact Languages
Edited by Carmel O'Shannessy, Denise Angelo and Jane Simpson
[Journal of Pidgin and Creole Languages 39:1] 2024
► pp. 219–249

Recognising Yarrie Lingo, the creole language of Yarrabah community in far north-eastern Queensland Australia

ORCID logo | Australian National University
ORCID logo | Australian National University
Yarrie Lingo is the local name for the English-lexified creole language spoken in the Aboriginal community of Yarrabah in far north-eastern Queensland, Australia. This creole has only recently been gaining recognition but it is the main language of everyday interactions in Yarrabah. This study describes the recognitional trajectory of Yarrie Lingo and what has fostered this language awareness. With a focus on the experiences of the local Aboriginal educator, language activist and researcher, Bernadine Yeatman, we showcase a range of grounded methodologies, including devices like language posters, interviews and illustrative stories, along with maps, timelines and cartoons developed in conjunction with a linguist, Denise Angelo. This shines a light onto the practical ‘how to’ of language awareness for under-recognised language communities and the potential support a linguist can provide. It exemplifies a research approach which engages linguistic knowledge with local language expertise to co-design materials for community members, educators and service providers.
Keywords: Yarrie Lingo, Yarrabah Creole, Australian creoles, pidgin and creole languages, language recognition, language awareness, language shift, creoles in education, English as a Second Language for creole speakers, grounded language research methodology
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.The start of my personal language awareness journey
  • 3.Yarrabah community history – A language perspective
  • 4.A family language story
  • 5.Continuing my language awareness journey
    • 5.1School initiative: Language of Maths
    • 5.2Community initiative: Vernacular Language Poster ‘At da Crick’
  • 6.Raising the recognition trajectory of Yarrie Lingo
    • 6.1Grounded methodologies for community and educators
    • 6.2Recognition of Yarrie Lingo in the public domain
  • 7.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
Available under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 3.0 license.

For any use beyond this license, please contact the publisher at [email protected].

Published online: 20 November 2023
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/jpcl.00124.yea
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Cited by one other publication

Angelo, Denise
2024. Indigenous Language Ecologies framework. Journal of Pidgin and Creole Languages 39:1 ► pp. 34 ff. DOI logo

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