Ngura languages
Ngura is a disputed and possibly spurious ethnic and language designation of central Australia. The name 'Nura', short for Ngurawarla, means 'empty camp', referring to lands abandoned after a massacre. It is not a language or ethnic designation.
Of the various language varieties that have gone by this name, all of which are extinct, Bowern classifies the Wilson River language of the 'modern' Galali/Garlali and Wangkumara-plus-Bundhamara/Punthamara peoples as an Eastern Karnic language, while the Bulloo River language of the 'old' Garlali and Wangkumara remains an unclassified Karna–Mari 'fringe' language.
Bidjara or less ambiguously 'Bitharra' may be another variety of Bulloo River, but there is not enough data to be sure.
Bowern believes that Badjiri was probably a Maric language. Bowern said the data is too sketchy to be sure, but Bowern simply assigned it to Maric.
There seems to be enough data to establish three "Ngura" languages, which do not form a coherent group:
- The Bulloo River language, including 'Old' Garlali and Wanggumara, plus possibly Bidjara and Mingbari.
- The Wilson River language, including 'modern' Garlali and Wanggumara, Punthamara, Ngandangara, Yarumarra, Karenggapa and Gungadidji. Mambangura / Dhiraila may also belong here.
- The Badjiri language
Besides those names covered above, there is no data associated with the name 'Garandala', apart from a few words of 'Kunandaburi' that may be Kungadutji.