Kaytetye language
| Kaytetye | |
|---|---|
| Kaititj, Gaididj, Kaiditj, Kaytej | |
| Native to | Australia |
| Region | central Northern Territory |
| Ethnicity | Kaytetye people |
Native speakers | 109 (2021 census) |
Pama–Nyungan
| |
| Akitiri Sign Language | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | gbb |
| Glottolog | kayt1238 |
| AIATSIS | C13 |
| ELP | Kaytetye |
Map showing languages in Central Australia | |
Kaytetye (also spelt Kaititj, Gaididj, Kaiditj, Kaytej) is an Australian Aboriginal language primarily spoken in the Northern Territory north of Alice Springs by the Kaytetye people, who live around Barrow Creek and Tennant Creek. It belongs to the Arandic subgroup of the Pama-Nyungan languages and is related to Alyawarra, which is one of the Upper Arrernte dialects. It has an unusual phonology and there are no known dialects.
The language is considered to be threatened; it is used for face-to-face communication within all generations, but it is losing users, with only 109 speakers of the language in the 2021 census.
The Kaytetye have (or had) a well-developed sign language known as Akitiri or Eltye eltyarrenke.