
There are approximately 11,500 individual manuscript collections in the Library. More language material is waiting to be discovered.
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MS 1761 - Wolfgang Laade
Specimens of the langauge of Saibai Island, Torres Strait.
Pages 1-38 includes notes on pronunciation of vowels, sentence structure and case (nominative, plural), directional (pointing towards something), movement, verbs, questions, imperatives, time. Pages 39-52 comprises word lists titled "special subjects" includes geographical terms, names of birds, insects, fish, shells, turtles, crustaceans, reptiles and parts of the human body. Pages 53-64 contain transcripts of texts from tape recordings from Biogu, Saibai and Dauan. Pages 62-64 are transcripts from a recording of a "Modern teenager secret langauge" which originated on Thursday Island. It is stated that all of the girls on Dauan know this secret langauge, but only a few girls on Saibai know it.
There are approximately 11,500 individual manuscript collections in the Library. More language material is waiting to be discovered.