Australia's cultural diversity
Diversity of language
Languages other than English | Australian Indigenous languages
Language is a key marker of membership of an ethnic group. Language allows communication of values and beliefs of a particular culture and allows participation in family and community life. The majority of Australians speak English as a first or other language, however a significant number of people also speak languages other than English. About 78% of Australians speak only English.
Languages other than English
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 2006 Census:
- Collectively, Australians speak over 200 languages[10]. Of these, about 50 are Australian Indigenous languages.
- About 16% of Australians speak a language other than English. Australian Indigenous languages are spoken by about 0.3% of the total population.
- The most common languages other than English are: Italian, Greek, Cantonese, Arabic, Mandarin and Vietnamese. Collectively, Chinese languages (including Cantonese, Mandarin and other Chinese languages) have the greatest number of speakers after English, accounting for approximately 2.5% of the total population.
- The languages other than English spoken at home vary between the states.
Top 10 languages other than English spoken at home in 2006 by state/territory
| NSW | Vic | Qld | SA | WA | ACT | NT | Tas | Other Territories |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arabic | Italian | Mandarin | Italian | Italian | Mandarin | Australian Indigenous | German | Malay |
| Cantonese | Greek | Italian | Greek | Mandarin | Italian | Greek | Italian | Mandarin |
| Mandarin | Vietnamese | Cantonese | Vietnamese | Cantonese | Vietnamese | Indonesian | Greek | Cantonese |
| Italian | Cantonese | Vietnamese | Mandarin | Vietnamese | Cantonese | Vietnamese | Mandarin | Chinese languages (b) |
| Greek | Mandarin | German | German | Australian Indigenous | Greek | Tagalog (a) | Dutch | Indonesian |
| Vietnamese | Arabic | Australian Indigenous | Cantonese | Arabic | Croatian | Italian | Polish | Tamil |
| Spanish | Macedonian | Spanish | Polish | German | Spanish | Cantonese | Cantonese | Spanish |
| Hindi | Turkish | Greek | Arabic | Indonesian | German | Chinese languages (b) | Arabic | Italian |
| Korean | Spanish | Japanese | Serbian | Polish | Arabic | Filipino (a) | Spanish | Arabic |
| Tagalog (a) | Croatian | Samoan | Croatian | Croatian | Hindi | German | French | Greek |
(a) In the 2006 Census, Tagalog and Filipino were identified individually.
(b) Includes Hakka, Hokkien: teochew; Wuu; and Chinese languages, not futther defined or not elsewhere classified. Excludes Cantonese and Mandarin
Australian Indigenous languages
At the time of European settlement, there were an estimated 250 languages spoken by the Indigenous people of Australia. These languages were made up collectively of a total of about 500 different dialects. Since European settlement many Indigenous languages and dialects were lost as speakers died or instead learned to speak other Indigenous languages, English or creoles. Creoles are pidgin languages which develop as the primary language of a community. Australian creoles combine English, Indigenous languages and other languages.
Today, over 100 Australian Indigenous languages including creoles are spoken. Some of these languages have very few speakers. About 50 of these languages are actively spoken with 150 speakers or more for each language group.
The following data is derived from the 2006 Census:
- About 56,000 people speak an Indigenous language. Of these, approximately 18% speak an Australian creole.
- A significant number of people speak an Australian creole including Torres Strait Creole (6,042 speakers) and Kriol (4,213 speakers). 488 people indicated that they speak Aboriginal English.
- Other Indigenous languages with large numbers of speakers are Arrernte (2,835 speakers), Djambarrpuyngu (2,766), Pitantjatjara (2,657) and Walpiri (2,507).
- The most common Indigenous languages differ between states and territories reflecting the origins of particular Aboriginal groups and their continuity with their traditional lands.
- Over half (54%) of the Northern Territory's Indigenous population speak an Indigenous language, by far the greatest proportion of any state or territory. 13% of Indigenous people in Western Australia and 11.6% in South Australia speak an Indigenous language.
- The Northern Territory has over half (55.7%) of Australia's Indigenous language speakers, with most of the remainder in Queensland (21.6%), Western Australia (14.6%) and South Australia (5.7%).
Indigenous languages and Australian creoles spoken 2006
| LANGUAGES | NO. OF SPEAKERS |
| Arnhem Land and Daly River Region Languages | |
|---|---|
| Anindilyakwa | 1,283 |
| Burarra | 1,074 |
| Kunwinjku | 915 |
| Maung | 261 |
| Ngan'gikurunggurr | 182 |
| Nunggubuyu | 109 |
| Rembarrnga | 38 |
| Tiwi | 1,716 |
| Alawa | 12 |
| Dalabon | 15 |
| Gudanji | 0 |
| Gundjeihmi | 7 |
| Gun-nartpa | 6 |
| Gurr-goni | 0 |
| Iwaidja | 134 |
| Jaminjung | 12 |
| Jawoyn | 42 |
| Jingulu | 43 |
| Kunbarlang | 19 |
| Kune | 40 |
| Kuninjku | 88 |
| Larrakiya | 29 |
| Malak Malak | 37 |
| Mangarrayi | 15 |
| Maringarr | 8 |
| Marra | 58 |
| Marrithiyel | 6 |
| Matngala | 0 |
| Mayali | 173 |
| Murrinh Patha | 1,832 |
| Na-kara | 51 |
| Ndjébbana (Gunavidji) | 241 |
| Ngalakgan | 3 |
| Ngaliwurru | 117 |
| Nungali | 0 |
| Wambaya | 88 |
| Wardaman | 89 |
| Arnhem Land and Daly River Region Languages, nfd | 6 |
| Arnhem Land and Daly River Region Languages, nec | 112 |
| Sub-total | 8,861 |
| Yolngu Matha | |
|---|---|
| Dhangu | |
| Galpu | 167 |
| Golumala | 6 |
| Wangurri | 47 |
| Dhangu, nfd | 41 |
| Dhangu, nec | 15 |
| Dhay'yi | |
| Dhalwangu | 53 |
| Djarrwark | 4 |
| Dhay'yi, nfd | 118 |
| Dhay'yi, nec | 0 |
| Dhuwal | |
| Djambarrpuyngu | 2,766 |
| Djapu | 46 |
| Daatiwuy | 21 |
| Marrangu | 11 |
| Liyagalawumirr | 56 |
| Dhuwal, nfd | 141 |
| Dhuwal, nec | 3 |
| Dhuwala | |
| Dhuwaya | 326 |
| Gumatj | 236 |
| Gupapuyngu | 251 |
| Guyamirrilili | 0 |
| Madarrpa | 0 |
| Manggalili | 5 |
| Wubulkarra | 7 |
| Dhuwala, nfd | 69 |
| Dhuwala, nec | 4 |
| Djinang | |
| Djinang, nfd | 178 |
| Wurlaki | 46 |
| Djinang, nec | 5 |
| Djinba | |
| Ganalbingu | 44 |
| Djinba, nfd | 6 |
| Djinba, nec | 3 |
| Yakuy | |
| Ritharrngu | 32 |
| Yakuy, nfd | 0 |
| Yakuy, nec | 0 |
| Nhangu | |
| Nhangu | 0 |
| Yongu Matha, nfd | 673 |
| Other Yolngu Matha | 8 |
| Sub-total | 5,388 |
| Cape York Peninsula Languages | |
|---|---|
| Kuku Yalanji | 360 |
| Guugu Yimidhirr | 783 |
| Kuuku-Ya'u | 13 |
| Wik Mungkan | 1,050 |
| Djabugay | 28 |
| Dyirbal | 0 |
| Girramay | 28 |
| Koko-Bera | 101 |
| Kuuk Thayorre | 24 |
| Lamalama | 20 |
| Yidiny | 140 |
| Wik Ngathan | 0 |
| Cape York Peninsula Languages, nfd | 3 |
| Cape York Peninsula Languages, nec | 302 |
| Sub-total | 2,852 |
| Torres Strait Island Languages | |
|---|---|
| Kalaw Kawaw Ya/Kalaw Lagaw Ya | 1,216 |
| Meriam Mir | 212 |
| Torres Strait Creole | 6,042 |
| Torres Strait Island Languages, nfd | 463 |
| Sub-total | 7,933 |
| Northern Desert Fringe Area Languages | |
|---|---|
| Bilinarra | 18 |
| Gurindji | 592 |
| Gurindji Kriol | 4 |
| Jaru | 353 |
| Light Warlpiri | 0 |
| Malngin | 9 |
| Mudburra | 47 |
| Ngandi | 9 |
| Ngardi | 14 |
| Ngarinyman | 354 |
| Walmajarri | 518 |
| Wanyjirra | 0 |
| Warlmanpa | 48 |
| Warlpiri | 2,507 |
| Warumungu | 307 |
| Northern Desert Fringe Area Languages, nfd | 0 |
| Northern Desert Fringe Area Languages, nec | 0 |
| Sub-total | 4,780 |
| Arandic | |
|---|---|
| Alyawarr | 1,664 |
| Anmatyerr | 1,002 |
| Arrernte | 2,835 |
| Kaytetye | 145 |
| Arandic, nfd | 0 |
| Arandic, nec | 0 |
| Sub-total | 5,646 |
| Western Desert Language | |
|---|---|
| Antikarinya | 6 |
| Kartujarra | 26 |
| Kukatha | 25 |
| Kukatja | 447 |
| Luritja | 1,480 |
| Manyjilyjarra | 170 |
| Martu Wangka | 649 |
| Ngaanyatjarra | 1,000 |
| Pintupi | 203 |
| Pitjantjatjara | 2,657 |
| Wangkajunga | 16 |
| Wangkatha | 321 |
| Warnman | 4 |
| Yankunytjatjara | 561 |
| Yulparija | 19 |
| Western Desert Language, nfd | 0 |
| Western Desert Language, nec | 14 |
| Sub-total | 7,598 |
| Kimberley Area Languages | |
|---|---|
| Bardi | 152 |
| Bunuba | 114 |
| Gooniyandi | 418 |
| Miriwoong | 208 |
| Ngarinyin | 56 |
| Nyikina | 68 |
| Worla | 0 |
| Worrorra | 22 |
| Wunambal | 28 |
| Yawuru | 6 |
| Kimberley Area Languages, nfd | 0 |
| Kimberley Area Languages, nec | 9 |
| Sub-total | 1,081 |
| Other Australian Indigenous Languages | |
|---|---|
| Adnymathanha | 107 |
| Arabana | 21 |
| Bandjalang | 95 |
| Banyjima | 100 |
| Batjala | 7 |
| Bidjara | 12 |
| Dhanggatti | 4 |
| Diyari | 13 |
| Gamilaraay | 37 |
| Garrwa | 87 |
| Garuwali | 6 |
| Githabul | 20 |
| Gumbaynggir | 33 |
| Kanai | 21 |
| Karajarri | 28 |
| Kariyarra | 10 |
| Kaurna | 34 |
| Kayardild | 25 |
| Kija | 206 |
| Kriol | 4,213 |
| Lardil | 50 |
| Mangala | 63 |
| Muruwari | 3 |
| Narungga | 24 |
| Ngarluma | 32 |
| Ngarrindjeri | 159 |
| Nyamal | 34 |
| Nyangumarta | 312 |
| Nyungar | 232 |
| Paakantyi | 22 |
| Palyku/Nyiyaparli | 3 |
| Wajarri | 86 |
| Wiradjuri | 102 |
| Yanyuwa | 129 |
| Yindjibarndi | 318 |
| Yinhawangka | 3 |
| Yorta Yorta | 21 |
| Aboriginal English, so described | 488 |
| Other Australian Indigenous Languages, nfd | 0 |
| Other Australian Indigenous Languages, nec | 52 |
| Sub-total | 7,212 |
| Australian Indigenous Languages, nfd | |
|---|---|
| Australian Indigenous Languages, nfd | 4,344 |
| Sub-total | 4,344 |
| TOTAL | 55,695 |
Indigenous languages and Australian creoles 2006
Indigenous languages by state/territory 2006
| Languages | NSW | ACT | NT | Qld | SA | Tas | Viic | WA | Aust |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arhem Land and Daly River Region Languages | 131 | 10 | 8,427 | 60 | 21 | 8 | 126 | 66 | 8,849 |
| Yolngu Matha | 117 | 6 | 5,124 | 39 | 22 | 3 | 69 | 17 | 5,397 |
| Cape York Peninsula Languages | 142 | 8 | 9 | 2,604 | 8 | 0 | 70 | 27 | 2,868 |
| Torres Strait Island Languages | 148 | 25 | 87 | 7,492 | 29 | 0 | 86 | 68 | 7,935 |
| Northern Desert Fringe Area Languages | 59 | 0 | 3,629 | 53 | 86 | 11 | 53 | 886 | 4,777 |
| Arandic | 26 | 0 | 5,437 | 84 | 72 | 0 | 28 | 3 | 5,650 |
| Western Desert Languages | 74 | 0 | 2,682 | 35 | 2,054 | 3 | 62 | 2,697 | 7,607 |
| Kimberley Area Languages | 192 | 6 | 13 | 63 | 15 | 7 | 79 | 720 | 1,095 |
| Australian Indigenous Languages, not further defined | 509 | 49 | 1,087 | 1,054 | 519 | 34 | 355 | 735 | 4,342 |
| Other Australian Indigenous Languages | 548 | 42 | 2,697 | 526 | 401 | 23 | 210 | 2,733 | 7,180 |
| TOTAL | 1,946 | 146 | 29,192 | 12,010 | 3,227 | 89 | 1,138 | 7,952 | 55,700 |
