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Nyiyaparli language

Australian Language Families

Nyiyaparli is a nearly extinct Pama-Nyungan language of the Ngayarda branch, spoken in the Pilbara region of Western Australia by the Palyku (Bailko) and Niabali (Jana) peoples; the language is also known by the community name Palyku. Only 8 native speakers were documented as of 2025. It includes several named dialects, among them Palyku itself along with Nankilakuthu, a formal or high register, and Martuyitha, a low register, and like other Ngayarda languages it maintains a distinct formal speech style called padupadu.

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