Yankunytjatjara (also Yankuntatjara, Jangkundjara, or Kulpantja) is an Australian Aboriginal language. It is one of the Wati languages, belonging to the large Pama–Nyungan family. It is one of the many varieties of the Western Desert Language, all of which are mutually intelligible. Yankunytjatjara is spoken in the north-west of South Australia and is one of the most easterly of the Western Desert dialects, being spoken around the communities of Mimili, Indulkana and Fregon and across to Oodnadatta and Coober Pedy (although this latter is not on traditional Yankunytjatjara land). Dialects Yankunytjatjara is one of the many dialects of the Western Desert language and is very similar to the better known, more widely spoken Pitjantjatjara. According to a study carried out mainly in Coober Pedy where many speakers of both varieties reside (although the town is on what was traditionally Arabana lands), young speakers of Yankunytjatjara often borrow words from English and also from Pitjantjatjara (which has expanded eastwards into Yankunytjatjara country and beyond). Yankunytjatjara shows some variation across its range with, for example, Northern Yankunytjatjara sharing features with Southern Luritja. Phonology Vowels are realized as when preceding laminal consonants. Consonants can be trilled when pronounced emphatically, or may also occur as voiceless in word-final position. Name The name used for Yankunytjatjara is based on a single prominent word, the verb for 'come/go', which distinguishes it from its near neighbour, Pitjantjatjara. The latter has (in the present tense ) for this verb while Yankunytjatjara has (present tense ). The ending is the comitative suffix, and means 'having' or 'with'. Thus Yankunytjatjara means 'to have ' as opposed to Pitjantjatjara which has . Alternatively, the northernmost Yankunytjatjara and parts of Southern Luritja both have the word 'true' and so are sometimes grouped together as Maṯutjara to contrast them with the Southern Yankunytjatjara who use for 'true' and so can be referred to as Mulatjara. Another classification used by speakers groups Yankunytjatjara and Pitjantjatjara together as Nyangatjatjara as they both use for the demonstrative 'this' or 'this one'; this contrasts them with Ngaanyatjara, which has for the demonstrative and Nyanganyatjara varieties (still further west) which have . Pronunciation The name Yankunytjatjara is usually pronounced (in normal, fast speech) with one of the repeated syllables deleted, thus: . In slow, careful speech all syllables will be pronounced. Status There seems to be no exhaustive evidence on the vitality of Yankunytjatjara. McConvell & Thieberger found