en

Twentieth International Linguistics Olympiad

Bansko (Bulgaria), 23–29 July 2023
Team Contest Problem

The Murrinh-patha dictionary compiled by Chester S. Street with the help of Gregory
Panpawa Mollingin 40 years ago, in 1983, begins as follows:

Murrinh-patha is spoken by approximately 1,100 [Aboriginal people] (as either

their first or second language) who live at Port Keats — Wadeye, Northern Territory,
250 kilometres to the south-west of Darwin. A small number of Murrinh-patha
speakers also live on nearby cattle stations, and a number live at Kununurra, Western
Australia.

At the time of the 2016 census, there were 1,973 native speakers of Murrinh-patha. According to
some sources, there are more than 2,500 speakers now. It is one of the few Australian Aboriginal
languages whose number of speakers has increased and whose usage has expanded over the past
generation.
The dictionary includes English–Murrinh-patha and Murrinh-patha–English sections and is
84 pages long. Sometimes there are pictures in the margins. The entries under the letter M
in the second section begin on page 57 and end on page 61. All of these pages are reproduced
below, with some minor adjustments and omissions. Further examples from the PhD thesis of
Michael James Walsh from 1976 have also been added. English translations of the entries on
each page are given after the relevant page, in arbitrary order.

(a) Match the Murrinh-patha words and phrases with their English equivalents. Each Murrinh-
patha dictionary entry has a single English equivalent.

(b) Restore translation 60-T-54 that was replaced by ***.

(du, m) stands for dual masculine form. (du, f) stands for dual feminine form.
Knowledge of the different species mentioned in the problem is not necessary for solving the
problem.
No additional explanation besides the answers is required, nor will be marked.
—Boris Iomdin, Milena Veneva

Editors: Samuel Ahmed, Ivan Derzhanski (technical editor), Hugh Dobbs,

Dmitry Gerasimov, Ksenia Gilyarova, Stanislav Gurevich, Gabrijela Hladnik, Boris Iomdin,
Bruno L’Astorina, Liam McKnight, Dan Mirea, Aleksejs Peguševs, Jan Petr,
Maria Rubinstein, Daniel Rucki, Milena Veneva (editor-in-chief), Elysia Warner.
English text: Boris Iomdin, Milena Veneva.
Good luck!
( 
1 ma 
 33 MARDABI

2 ma!  34 bamardabinu


 3 MA 

 35 bangammardabi

4 
nanthi perrenemadhaneme pirrine 
36 bangamnginthamardabi


5 murrinh wangu nenamanu nukunu-nu 
 37 MARDARDE


6 nanthi pi demma dim 38 danmardarderdenu thurru



7 MABI 
39 mukmuk bangammardarde ngem
8 memabinu 
 40 MARDARDU


9 memmabi 41 buymardardu nukun


( 10 marda ( 42 bammardardu ngem
11 marda 43 MARDALE

12 marda the mabath 
44 damngimardale murrinh thangunu

 13 marda nanthi 
 45 MARDALILI
14 marda manganart ngem 46 nanthi thay banmardalili pirrim

 


15 nanthi 
47 bumardalilinu

 16 MARDA 
 48 MARDARL
17 banhimardanu 49 ngamardarlnu

 


18 bangammarda 
50 nanthi tharntu dammardarl wurran

 19 MARDA 
 51 MARDAN
20 be[nu]mardanu 52 bangimardannu

 


21 bem[nu]marda ( 53 bangampunmardan dim

 22 MARDA 54 MARDANGKARDU
23 nganumardanu ( 55 banhimardangkardunu



24 nganthinnumarda ngarrim 56 MARDANGURRK

 25 MARDA 
57 murrinh memmardangurrk dim
26 ngunhimardanu mani? 
 58 MARDARARTAL



27 panmarda 59 pangimardarartalnu



 28 MARDA 
60 damngimardarartal
29 ngunamardanu 
 61 MARDARR


( 30 ngamnamarda 62 bemardarrnu


31 MARDABAY 63 nanthi bemmardarr nganam
32 panngimardabay dim

57
Twentieth International Linguistics Olympiad (2023) 57
Team Contest Problem

57-T-1 the tree is swaying (in the wind) 57-T-33 I will save
57-T-2 Can I request something from 57-T-34 I don’t know
yousg ? 57-T-35 it surged
57-T-3 I desire it [lit. my belly has got it] 57-T-36 I gave to him
57-T-4 I will hold him to my chest 57-T-37 pregnant
57-T-5 I will give to yousg 57-T-38 I will be satisfied
57-T-6 verb negator – archaic 57-T-39 she is making a string design
57-T-7 I met him 57-T-40 Give it to me!
57-T-8 it will surge 57-T-41 they are satisfied
57-T-9 I am out of breath 57-T-42 I will know yoursg thoughts [lit. I
57-T-10 I know his thoughts will see yoursg belly]
57-T-11 they (du, f) met him 57-T-43 I rejoiced for him
57-T-12 abdomen (belly), the seat of the 57-T-44 I will have a stomach ache
emotions
57-T-13 I am disillusioned
57-T-14 I rejoiced at the news 57-T-45 to hold/take to one’s chest
57-T-15 I requested something from him 57-T-46 to give
57-T-16 I will sway 57-T-47 to be puffed out, to be out of breath
57-T-17 I had a stomach ache 57-T-48 to be disappointed with something,
57-T-18 I am holding him to my chest to be disillusioned
(standing) 57-T-49 to request something
57-T-19 the boat is ploughing through (the 57-T-50 to know another’s thoughts
water) 57-T-51 to mumble
57-T-20 non-conjugated verb: to give 57-T-52 to surge (fresh or salt-water)
57-T-21 they were passing the thing 57-T-53 to give to oneself
on/along to rejoice
57-T-54
57-T-22 I will plough the ground
57-T-55 to rejoice (at news, etc.)
57-T-23 I will meet him
57-T-56 to meet
57-T-24 he is mumbling
57-T-57 to be satisfied
57-T-25 I will give to myself
57-T-58 to sway
57-T-26 I might get out of breath
57-T-59 to pass on/along; to make string
57-T-27 large bamboo (used for spears) designs with one’s hands
57-T-28 I gave to myself 57-T-60 to have a stomach ache
57-T-29 yousg will continually know their 57-T-61 to plough
thoughts to know another’s thoughts [lit. to
57-T-62
57-T-30 pass the word along to him! see one’s belly]
57-T-31 I will rejoice for him 57-T-63 to save up, to hoard
57-T-32 I save things
 {

1 mardarrmardarr kardu 33 makarduma kardu e

2 MARDAT 34 palngun makarduma

3 manhimardatnu 
 35 MAKUT

 

4 mammardat  36 ku money (< Eng. ‘money’)

5 MARDAT 

 dininmatkuttha

6 i kardu ngamere-ka pumemmardat 37 nganammakut



ku ngurlmirl nhini-nu-yu 38 malarnpakpak da


7 MARDAT 
 39 malarntath thu

8 bumardatnu  40 ku



9 banmardat 

 41 thangku numa ku malarntath


 10 MARDATAT tamngardu?
11 peninthamardatatnu 42
malarnturntuma nanthi

 

12 demninthamardatat 
 43 malangan ku

 13 MARDARTA 44 nanthi


14 bangimardartanu 45 mi


15 banganmardarta dim 46 malgaga ku
 

 16 MARDAWAL 
 47 MARLIP

 17 ngurrmardawalnu 48 kardu wurnangat weyida



 18 ngunungamnamardawal menamarliptha wurrini da-yu



19 ngunungamnamardalal ngurran 49 marluk nanthi

 20 MARDAYARRARR 50 mamadhalert nanthi, mi, ku etc.
21 mangimardayarrarrnu  51 mamangalin da


22 mamngimardayarrarr dim 
 52 MAMATH


23 marda yidi nanthi 
 pimamathnu
  53

 24 MARDI 54 dimngamamath


25 buynginthamardinu 
 55 picture (< Eng. ‘film’)

 

bamnginthamardi  dimngarramamath
{ 26 
27 mardinhpunku ku 
 56 MAMATH
28 yakay ku mardinhpunku 57 mamamathnu


{ 29 magarn mi 58 mammamath

30 magulkul nanthi 
 59 MAMAWATHA
31 nukunu-ka magulkul pirrimkarrknintha 60 mamawathanu


32 mak nanthi 61 ngay-dha ngatha-ka memawathadha-w

58
( 62 mamay kardu
63 maminmanga ku
64 ma yukuwi ku maminmanga
( 65 mampurrkin nanthi
66 mamurt nanthi
( 67 mi
68 manangka
69 manangka thipmam
( 70 manangkaningi kardu
71 mani

72 bangkardu mani

 73 manman ku
74 nanthi


75 mi

58
Twentieth International Linguistics Olympiad (2023) 58
Team Contest Problem

58-T-1 message stick 58-T-40 they (du, m) faced each other

58-T-2 thunder and lightning 58-T-41 he was collecting money from them
58-T-3 I will rectify it 58-T-42 unmarried woman
58-T-4 oh, yes, it is a black cormorant 58-T-43 he was washed ashore
58-T-5 didgeridoo (musical instrument) 58-T-44 I continually reprove him
58-T-6 butterfly 58-T-45 I will flash it (operate the
58-T-7 fruit from butterfly tree projector)
they (du, f) married 58-T-46 left-overs
58-T-8
edible fruit from Morinda citrifolia 58-T-47 wedge shell (mollusc)
58-T-9
he is lamenting for another man 58-T-48 I collected them from him
58-T-10
season — end of the wet season 58-T-49 butterfly tree
58-T-11
I will move straight through the 58-T-50 not
58-T-12
middle 58-T-51 if it had been me, I would have
58-T-13 many people had filled up the place rectified it
instead 58-T-52 praying mantis (insect)
58-T-14 not black baby girl
58-T-53
58-T-15 the lightning will flash they (du, f) will marry
58-T-54
58-T-16 water lily How many praying mantises did
58-T-55
58-T-17 young child yousg see?
58-T-18 and the few men were amazed at 58-T-56 heart
all those fish 58-T-57 fruit tree
58-T-19 they (du, m) will face/oppose each
other 58-T-58 saver, hoarder
58-T-20 I can have a look 58-T-59 the picture (movie) flashed at us
58-T-21 I told him off (we saw the picture)
58-T-60 he will be washed ashore
58-T-22 women’s dance
58-T-61 I flashed it (operated the projector)
58-T-23 season — new leaves appear
58-T-62 I will amaze yousg
58-T-24 Hey! (It is) a wedge shell
58-T-25 small wallaby (a wallaby is like a
kangaroo, but smaller) 58-T-63 to be upset, to be troubled
58-T-26 chest (body part) to have hunger pains
58-T-64
58-T-27 I will be upset to be amazed, to marvel
58-T-65
58-T-28 I have hunger pains to collect from another
58-T-66
58-T-29 particle that indicates ability to do to marry [lit. to put a finger into
58-T-67
something (a ring)]
58-T-30 I amazed him
58-T-68 to fill up with people (only)
58-T-31 black stingray (fish)
58-T-69 to rectify
58-T-32 he is upset
58-T-70 to flash (used of operating a
58-T-33 Morinda citrifolia (tree) projector)
58-T-34 black cormorant (bird) 58-T-71 to be opposite, to face
58-T-35 crab legs 58-T-72 to wash ashore
58-T-36 the lightning flashed at me 58-T-73 to move straight through the
58-T-37 edible fruit from nanthi thay middle; to tell another off, to
malangan reprove
58-T-38 I will have hunger pains 58-T-74 to amaze another
58-T-39 unmarried man 58-T-75 [verb for] lightning flash
 

1 MANPI 
 29 MANGKART
2 me[nu]manpinu 30 memangkartnu

 

3 ngumem[nu]manpi ngarnam 31 memmangkarart wurran
4 manthayway kardu ( 32 manguruwerr ku


 5 MANTHI 33 mapu ku

6 nguymanthinu 
34 ku mapu mabibirlnu


 7 ngammanthi 
 35 MAPUTH

8 ku malgaga pammanthawath wurran 36 mere nangimathputh nukun thurru


9 marnirra nanthi ( 37 pumengimathpuththa pardi


 10 marnpi ku 38 maran nanthi

 11 ngay ngamyekum ku marrawarnparn 39 nanthi


 kamayya ku marnpi kamayya ku 
40 MARIT

( math kamayya 
 41 marra
12 manhpilyi da 42 thamul marra


13 kura ( 43 marra kanhi

14 mange murrinh 44 marrarl nanthi

 15 mange da 45 mi
16 da mange patha 46 marrathirri kardu


( 17 nanthi 47 marrawarnparn ku
18 mange . . . mani ( 48 marray mi
19 mange kanhi mani 49 MARRIK
20 mange numi ( 50 panngimarrik wurran
( 21 mange ngala nanthi 51 MARRIK
22 mange ngay 
52 nguy[nu]marriknu mange ngay
23 mange ngay ngunungam ngem 
 53 MART
24 mange wurrung nanthi 54 namart


( purrpurrk 55 manganngimart

25 mangini . . . mani 
 56 MARTA

26 mangini kanhi mani  57 mere menhimartadha
27 mangka kardu 

 58 manganmarta

28 mangkamurr mi 59 ngurranmangawurt
60 math ku

59
Twentieth International Linguistics Olympiad (2023) 59
Team Contest Problem

59-T-1 mother with first-born child 59-T-31 like this

59-T-2 he took it from me 59-T-32 new spear
59-T-3 I didn’t understand yousg 59-T-33 tree, used for making wooden
59-T-4 one who has a speech impediment hammers and dugout canoes
he continually chooses one item 59-T-34 fingers
59-T-5
father’s mother, father’s mother’s 59-T-35 new, now
59-T-6
sister(s) 59-T-36 an action
59-T-7 I will choose it 59-T-37 I continually understand
59-T-8 thumb, big hand 59-T-38 a good action
59-T-9 here now 59-T-39 cold rain—in dry season
59-T-10 season — showers of rain in the 59-T-40 I will help myself
cold season; also eucalyptus flower 59-T-41 perch (fish)
time
59-T-11 like this 59-T-42 hand
59-T-12 spider 59-T-43 wild grape
59-T-13 fruit tree 59-T-44 edible fruit from nanthi thay
marrarl
59-T-14 small pied goose (bird) 59-T-45 five
59-T-15 catfish (fish) 59-T-46 sign language
59-T-16 wooden hammer made from thay 59-T-47 I understood him
maran, used for breaking open mi
lala 59-T-48 I carried it over my shoulder
59-T-17 I will singe the pied geese 59-T-49 bush potato
59-T-18 I forget: maybe [it was] a pied stilt, 59-T-50 I am going by myself
maybe a catfish, maybe a perch 59-T-51 they were continually disturbing me
59-T-19 like, similar
59-T-20 pied stilt (bird)
59-T-21 sky
59-T-52 to learn by observation
59-T-22 by myself [lit. my hand]
59-T-53 to trust
59-T-23 I will trust myself
59-T-54 to help oneself
59-T-24 don’t yousg continually disturb me
59-T-55 to carry over one’s shoulder
59-T-25 he always carries the wallaby over
his shoulder 59-T-56 to trust oneself
59-T-26 like, similar 59-T-57 to choose, to select (one item)
59-T-27 we always help each other 59-T-58 to understand
59-T-28 he continually trusts me 59-T-59 to take from another
59-T-29 I will carry it over my shoulder 59-T-60 to disturb from rest/sleep
59-T-30 yousg took it from him
 

1 MATHAK 
 32 MENGKAT
2 nanthi pungimathaknu 33 panmengkat

 

3 ku were panngimathak 34 panhimengkat
4 matharr nanthi ( 35 me purrpurrk nanthi

5 matharr pimut nanthi 36 mere

6 MATHBATH 
37 mere the mabath
7 memathbathnu tharra 
 38 merrk nanthi



8 memmathbath ngurran 39 da



9 -mawu 40 ku
10 Darwinmawu 
41 merrk ngulimingki nanthi


( 11 Kangkarlmawu 
 42 METHARDAY
12 MAYEPUP 43 nanthi ngurntinh


13 bimnamayepup panngankumethardaynintha
14 mayi ku/kardu 44 me thingin nanthi
15 mayirdarri ku/kardu 45 mi
16 mayiyin ku 
46 mikilik nanthi
( 17 me nanthi 
 47 mikmunurr kardu
18 medeyi 48 kardu palngun mikmunurr



19 medeyi ngem 
49 kardu nugarn mikmunurr

 20 MEKAT 
 50 milinthat ku
21 bangamngimekat 51 bangamdutngurran ku

 


22 bengimerrarrdha tharra milinthat warda

 23 MEKAT 52 milu ku
24 ngumekatnu 53 mimpi nanthi


25 ku ngurlmirl panmerrarr wurran 54 mirnarrthi kardu
( 26 merl ku
27 MERLMERL
( 28 mamngimerlmerl dim
29 me ngardarda nanthi
30 kardu ngardardama
31 me ngala nanthi

60
Twentieth International Linguistics Olympiad (2023) 60
Team Contest Problem

60-T-1 I tripped yousg 60-T-29 murderess: actually refers to a

60-T-2 verb negator woman who by her interaction
with several men causes jealousy,
60-T-3 I had a dog with me and thereby they kill each other off
60-T-4 the One who abides above for that woman
60-T-5 one month 60-T-30 sickness, illness
60-T-6 suffix to abide, to reside 60-T-31 I am exhausted
60-T-7 I don’t know 60-T-32 I am carrying it
60-T-8 grass whistling duck (bird) 60-T-33 widow
60-T-9 toenail 60-T-34 I am hungry [lit. I’m sitting with
hunger]
60-T-10 big toe, big foot
60-T-35 person with sore ankle(s)
60-T-11 sandfly (insect)
60-T-36 murderer
60-T-12 dragon-fly (insect)
60-T-37 necklace [< Eng. necklace]
60-T-13 non-conjugated verb: to be hungry
60-T-38 the wave(s) knocked us off our feet
60-T-14 then I chanced on a sea snake as I
went along 60-T-39 seaweed
60-T-15 widow or widower 60-T-40 he always takes all the fish
60-T-16 full moon 60-T-41 foot/feet, track
60-T-17 I heard (the story) from him 60-T-42 I tripped him
60-T-18 I will take everything 60-T-43 widower
60-T-19 fever 60-T-44 toes
60-T-20 orphan (or child with just one 60-T-45 I tripped/stumbled
parent)
60-T-21 moon
60-T-22 I will carry it 60-T-46 to take all
60-T-23 one who resides in Darwin 60-T-47 to have with one (things, animals,
people)
60-T-24 ankle
60-T-48 to be knocked off one’s feet (by
60-T-25 I will have things with me waves or strong current)
60-T-26 I was continually tripping 60-T-49 to be exhausted
60-T-27 sea snake 60-T-50 to carry a stretcher, etc.
60-T-28 pearly nautilus shell (a nautilus is a 60-T-51 to hear (the story) from another
type of mollusc) 60-T-52 to trip another
60-T-53 to trip, to stumble

60-T-54 ***
 (
(1 MINMINKA 32 murnu ku
2 mirnka nanthi 33 nanthi
(3 mirnka nguritharramenu 34 mururi
4 mirntal ku 35 murr mi
(5 mi 
36 murrikin kardu
6 mira ku 
 37 murrinh
7 ku mira detj ngamam 38 murrinh mamay


8 mirrangan da ( 39 murrinh thelerrdhe
9 mirringi kardu (wakal) 40 murrirr nanthi

10 mirrmilinthi ku ( 41 ku

 11 MIRRMIRR 42 murrirrbe ku
12 dimmirrmirr ( 43 ku murrirrbe dimnaku


13 dinimirrmirrdha 44 MURRK

14 mirrmirrmirrmam 
45 ku ngurlmirl kanammurrk

 15 MIT 
 46 MURRK
16 nanthi ngirramitnu 47 pirramurrknu

 

17 nanthi ngirranganmit ngem 48 pardimurrktha
18 mirturl kura ( 49 murruwurl
19 miyernu nanthi 50 MURRUWURL
20 murdak nanthi 51 mardarrimurruwurlnu
21 mugarurr mi 52 murruwurldhay kardu
22 mukmuk nanthi
23 mulunthuk nanthi


 24 murlak

 25 kura murlak


 26 ku pangkuy murlak

27 kardu murlak

28 mune da

 29 murntak
30 nanthi murntak


31 da murntak

61
Twentieth International Linguistics Olympiad (2023) 61
Team Contest Problem

61-T-1 the thunder is rumbling 61-T-28 speech, language, name(s), places

61-T-2 (place name) associated with talking or learning,
non-Aboriginal songs, stories,
61-T-3 she will dance legends, news
61-T-4 he habitually eats fish 61-T-29 grevillea (plant)
61-T-5 I will speed up the clapsticks 61-T-30 old time, long ago, before, etc.
61-T-6 feather(s) 61-T-31 brains
61-T-7 old 61-T-32 bone
61-T-8 I will keep the thing for myself 61-T-33 nasty person
61-T-9 thick (blanket, etc.) 61-T-34 snake
61-T-10 coolibah tree 61-T-35 purple shell (mollusc)
61-T-11 the thunder was rumbling 61-T-36 a quiet person (i. e. doesn’t talk
61-T-12 he hit the bird much)
61-T-13 dangerous snake 61-T-37 bony, skinny, lean
61-T-14 I squashed the lice eggs 61-T-38 season — dry/cold
61-T-15 clapping sticks (used for creating 61-T-39 bitter yam
rhythm by clapping the sticks 61-T-40 water lily
together), firing sticks (used for 61-T-41 tail
lighting a fire)
61-T-16 correct, pleasant 61-T-42 news
61-T-17 I am keeping the thing for myself 61-T-43 old thing
61-T-18 brackish water 61-T-44 lice eggs
61-T-19 ornament worn in hair for dancing 61-T-45 they were dancing
(made from feathers) 61-T-46 children’s talk
61-T-20 good storyteller [lit. beautiful
mouth]
61-T-21 flock pigeon (bird) 61-T-47 to keep something for oneself
61-T-22 baby girl 61-T-48 to dance, women only
61-T-23 I will beautify the top/back of it 61-T-49 to beautify
61-T-24 alcohol 61-T-50 [verb for] thunder rumbling
61-T-25 bird 61-T-51 to eat (more than one thing, or
habitually)
61-T-26 water lily
61-T-52 to blink one’s eye
61-T-27 dangerous, nasty, cheeky