ABSTRACT
Most Kimberley languages, like Australian languages generally, make more distinctions in their pronouns than does English. All the languages have distinct singular (referring to one individual) and non-singular (referring to more than individual) pronouns in all persons. Unlike standard English, no language has a single form ‘you’ covering any number of hearers. Many languages also have Dual forms, specifying that two persons or things are being referred to; some languages have Trial form indicating three, and/or a Paucal indicating a few (three to about ten). Dual, trial, and paucal pronouns are usually formed from the non-singular form by adding a suffix.
