Strategies of Spatial Reference in Kune (Bininj Kunwok)

This thesis explores how speakers of Kune, an Aboriginal language spoken in north-central Arnhem Land, NT, refer to the location of objects in space. It shows that people vary in how they speak about space depending on the physical context, social context, and according to their age/generation. Younger speakers in urban locations use different language strategies compared to when they are speaking on Country. As a result, this thesis supports community efforts to maintain the Kune language through on-Country activities and gives insight into how language reflects culture, pragmatics, and the external environment.