Aboriginal English: It’s all in the yarning
Australian Aboriginal English is an indigenised variety of English that is spoken by approximately 80% of First Nations people in Australia. It is the first and only language for many Aboriginal children and is often incorrectly described as ‘broken English’.
An important feature of this oral language is yarning, or storytelling. Yarning is highly dramatic, using facial expression, variation in tone and volume, and gestures and body language. Aboriginal English yarning makes it possible to communicate experiences and knowledge unique to First Nations people in Australia.