Diversity of language

While English is the dominant language in Australia, many people speak a language other than English within their families and communities. This linguistic diversity is an asset for Australia and makes us more competitive in trade as well as fostering international ties and cultural exchange. 

The following data is derived from the 2021 Census:

  • Collectively, Australians speak over 400 languages. Of these, 167 are actively spoken Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages.
  • About 23% of respondents reported speaking a language other than English at home. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages are spoken by less than 1% of the total population.
  • The most common languages other than English are: Mandarin (685, 274), Arabic (367,159), Vietnamese (320,758), Cantonese (295,281), Punjabi (239,033), Greek (229,643) and Italian (228,042). Collectively, Chinese languages (including Cantonese, Mandarin and other Chinese languages) have the greatest number of speakers after English, accounting for approximately 4% of the total population.
  • The languages other than English spoken at home vary between the states.
Figure 5: Languages other than English spoken at home 2021

Graph: Languages other than English spoken at home 2021

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021, Customised tables

 

Top 10 languages other than English spoken at home in 2021 by State and Territory
NSWVictoriaQueenslandSouth AustraliaWestern AustraliaTasmaniaNorthern TerritoryAustralian Capital TerritoryOther Territories
MandarinMandarinMandarinMandarinMandarinMandarinKriolMandarinMalay
ArabicVietnameseVietnameseItalianItalianNepaliDjambarrpuynguNepaliNorf’k-Pitcairn
CantoneseGreekPunjabiGreekVietnamesePunjabiGreekVietnameseMandarin
VietnamesePunjabiSpanishVietnamesePunjabiSpanishNepaliPunjabiCantonese
HindiItalianCantonesePunjabiCantoneseCantoneseTagalogHindiMin Nan
GreekArabicKoreanArabicTagalogUrduMandarinCantoneseTagalog
SpanishCantoneseHindiCantoneseArabicVietnameseWarlpiriSpanishFijian
NepaliHindiTaglagHindiAfrikaansGermanFilipinoArabicIndonesian
ItalianSinhaleseItalianNepaliSpanishHindiMurrinh PathaUrduFilipino
KoreanSpanishJapaneseHazaraghiFilipinoGreekTiwiItalianSpanish
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021, Customised tables

At the time of European colonisation, there were an estimated 250 languages spoken by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These languages were made up collectively of a total of about 500 different dialects. Since European colonisation many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages and dialects were lost as speakers died or instead learned to speak other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages, English or creoles. Creoles are pidgin languages which develop as the primary language of a community.

Today, over 160 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages including creoles are spoken. Some of these languages have very few speakers. About 60 of these languages have 150 speakers or more for each language group.

The following data is derived from the 2021 Census:

  • 78,656 people speak an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander language.
  • A significant number of people speak an Australian creole including Yumplatok (Torres Strait Creole) (7,776 speakers) and Kriol (Australian Creole) (7,478 speakers). 1,444 people indicated that they speak Aboriginal English.
  • Other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages with large numbers of speakers are Djambarrpuyngu (3,870 speakers), Pitantjatjara (3,458 speakers) Walpiri (2,624 speakers) and Tiwi (2,103 speakers).
  • The most common Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages differ between states and territories reflecting the origins of particular Aboriginal groups and their continuity with their traditional lands.
  • Over half (59%) of the Northern Territory’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population speak an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander language, by far the greatest proportion of any state or territory. Around 13% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Western Australia and 10% in South Australia speak an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander language.
  • The Northern Territory has nearly half (46%) of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language speakers, with most of the remainder in Queensland (25%), Western Australia (15%), New South Wales (7%) and South Australia (5%).

Table 7: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages 2021

Kimberley Area LanguagesNo. of Speakers
Kimberley Area Languages, nfd4
Bardi384
Bunuba149
Gooniyandi205
Miriwoong168
Ngarinyin59
Nyikina46
Worla6
Worrorra8
Wunambal4
Yawuru152
Gambera0
Jawi0
Kija266
Kimberley Area Languages, nec103
Total1,546
Cape York Peninsula LanguagesNo. of Speakers
Cape York Peninsula Languages, nfd180
Kuku Yalanji388
Guugu Yimidhirr806
Kuuku-Ya’u38
Wik Mungkan952
Djabugay81
Dyirbal24
Girramay50
Koko-Bera18
Kuuk Thayorre174
Lamalama0
Yidiny52
Wik Ngathan7
Alngith0
Kugu Muminh0
Morrobalama0
Thaynakwith0
Yupangathi0
Tjungundji0
Cape York Peninsula Languages, nec2,701
Total5,478
Western Desert LanguageNo. of speakers
Western Desert Language, nfd3
Antikarinya7
Kartujarra0
Kukatha90
Kukatja457
Luritja1,300
Manyjilyjarra65
Martu Wangka814
Ngaanyatjarra1,051
Pintupi271
Pitjantjatjara3,458
Wangkajunga6
Wangkatha355
Warnman9
Yankunytjatjara598
Yulparija33
Tjupany24
Western Desert Language, nec0
Total8,550
Other Australian Indigenous LanguagesNo. of Speakers
Other Australian Indigenous Languages, nfd0
Adnymathanha262
Arabana31
Bandjalang460
Banyjima136
Batjala89
Bidjara62
Dhanggatti135
Diyari34
Gamilaraay1,065
Garuwali0
Githabul28
Gumbaynggir309
Kanai30
Karajarri50
Kariyarra29
Kaurna130
Kayardild43
Kriol7,478
Lardil301
Mangala38
Muruwari24
Narungga94
Ngarluma83
Ngarrindjeri468
Nyamal42
Nyangumarta240
Nyungar1,536
Paakantyi111
Palyku/Nyiyaparli12
Wajarri300
Wiradjuri1,544
Yindjibarndi383
Yinhawangka12
Yorta Yorta151
Baanbay0
Badimaya20
Barababaraba0
Dadi Dadi0
Dharawal103
Djabwurrung23
Gudjal4
Keerray-Woorroong0
Ladji Ladji0
Mirning13
Ngatjumaya20
Waluwarra0
Wangkangurru0
Wargamay0
Wergaia16
Yugambeh208
Aboriginal English, so described1,444
Other Australian Indigenous Languages, nec2,917
Australian Indigenous Languages, nfd4,432
Total20,467
ArandicNo. of Speakers
Arandic, nfd8
Alyawarr1,951
Kaytetye109
Antekerrepenh0
Anmatyerr, nfd230
Central Anmatyerr487
Eastern Anmatyerr137
Anmatyerr, nec0
Arrernte, nfd1,437
Eastern Arrernte490
Western Arrarnta907
Arrernte, nec7
Arandic, nec0
Total5,754
Northern Desert Fringe Area LanguagesNo. of Speakers
Northern Desert Fringe Area Languages, nfd0
Bilinarra79
Gurindji623
Gurindji Kriol25
Jaru557
Light Warlpiri0
Malngin16
Mudburra125
Ngardi0
Ngarinyman313
Walmajarri291
Wanyjirra5
Warlmanpa37
Warlpiri2,624
Warumungu424
Northern Desert Fringe Area Languages, nec0
Total5,120
Arnhem Land and Daly River Region LanguagesNo. of Speakers
Arnhem Land and Daly River Region Languages, nfd4
Anindilyakwa1,516
Maung360
Ngan’gikurunggurr99
Nunggubuyu283
Rembarrnga51
Tiwi2,103
Alawa5
Dalabon28
Gudanji19
Iwaidja154
Jaminjung6
Jawoyn15
Jingulu40
Kunbarlang5
Larrakiya41
Malak Malak7
Mangarrayi10
Maringarr8
Marra34
Marrithiyel13
Matngala0
Murrinh Patha2,081
Na-kara55
Ndjebbana (Gunavidji)367
Ngalakgan0
Ngaliwurru90
Nungali10
Wambaya24
Wardaman16
Amurdak0
Garrwa147
Kuwema0
Marramaninyshi0
Ngandi6
Waanyi26
Wagiman28
Yanyuwa47
Marridan (Maridan)5
Kuwinjkuan, nfd0
Gundjeihmi12
Kune257
Kuninjku423
Kunwinjku1,494
Mayali71
Kunwinjkuan, nec0
Burarran, nfd10
Burarra1,229
Gun-nartpa50
Gurr-goni40
Burraran, nec0
Arnhem Land and Daly River Region Languages, nec0
Total11,284
Yolngu MathaNo. of Speakers
Yolngu Matha, nfd1,786
Dhangu, nfd10
Galpu130
Golumala6
Wangurri27
Dhangu, nec0
Dhay’yi, nfd0
Dhalwangu13
Djarrwark0
Dhay’yi, nec0
Dhuwal, nfd41
Djambarrpuyngu3,870
Djapu28
Daatiwuy19
Marrangu0
Liyagalawumirr12
Liyagawumirr0
Dhuwal, nec18
Dhuwala, nfd36
Gumatj102
Gupapuyngu108
Guyamirrilili0
Manggalili0
Wubulkarra0
Dhuwala, nec0
Djinang, nfd111
Wurlaki33
Djinang, nec8
Djinba, nfd0
Ganalbingu37
Djinba15
Manyjalpingu0
Djinba, nec0
Yakuy, nfd0
Ritharrngu12
Wagilak9
Yakuy, nec0
Nhangu0
Yan-nhangu0
Nhangu, nec3
Dhuwaya144
Djangu0
Madarrpa6
Warramiri21
Rirratjingu9
Other Yolngu Matha, nec14
Total6,624
Torres Strait Island LanguagesNo. of Speakers
Torres Strait Island Languages, nfd497
Kalaw Kawaw Ya/Kalaw Lagaw Ya888
Meriam Mir259
Yumplatok (Torres Strait Creole)7,776
Total9,417

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021, Customised tables

Figure 8: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages and Australian creoles 2021

Graph: Indigenous languages and Australian creoles 2021

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021, Customised tables

Table 9: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages by State/Territory 2021
LanguagesNew South WalesVictoriaQueenslandSouth AustraliaWestern AustraliaTasmaniaNorthern TerritoryAustralian Capital TerritoryOther TerritoriesAustralia
Arnhem Land and Daly River Region Languages22821422565510,93314011,284
Yolngu Matha193141131106,508006,624
Cape York Peninsula Languages45145,3757120121205,478
Torres Strait Island Languages111408,9541414701143209,417
Northern Desert Fringe Area Languages3015426690564,051405,120
Arandic252294831605,511005,754
Western Desert Languages2921322,7203,08802,662308,550
Kimberley Area Languages49444281,3385451101,546
Other Australian Indigenous Languages4,3126273,2941,1355,1681415,6041771420,467
Australian Indigenous Languages, nfd8572581,485378742346413544,432
Total5.494114319,4984,45011,49319436,0772941278,656
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021, Customised tables