yirra

English

Alternative forms

• jinne, jirr, jirra, jirre

Etymology

From Afrikaans jere, a minced oath or alteration of Heere or Here (“Lord, God”, interjection), derived from Heer (“Lord”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈjɜrə/, /ˈjɪrə/

Interjection

yirra

1. (South Africa, colloquial, possibly offensive) An exclamation used to express shock or exasperation.
   • 1987, Marguerite Poland, Train to Doringbult, page 11:

     We’re going to have a hell of a drought. Yirra it’s tough being a farmer!

Martuthunira

Etymology

From Proto-Ngayarda *yirra, from Proto-Pama-Nyungan *rirra / *lirra.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /jira/

Noun

yirra

1. tooth

Synonyms

• nganthari

References

• Barry Alpher Proto-Pama-Nyungan etyma, in Australian Languages: Classification and the Comparative Method, edited by Claire Bowern and Harold Koch (Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2004)
• Dench, Alan Charles. 1995. Martuthunira: A Language of the Pilbara Region of Western Australia. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics. Series C-125.

Nyawaygi

Etymology

Ultimately from Proto-Pama-Nyungan *rirra.

Noun

yirra

1. teeth
2. seed(s)

Further reading

• Barry Alpher, Proto-Pama-Nyungan etyma, in Claire Bowern, Harold James Koch, Australian Languages: Classification and the Comparative Method (2004, →ISBN

Panyjima

Etymology

From Proto-Ngayarda *yirra, from Proto-Pama-Nyungan *rirra / *lirra.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /jira/

Noun

yirra

1. tooth

References

• Barry Alpher Proto-Pama-Nyungan etyma, in Australian Languages: Classification and the Comparative Method, edited by Claire Bowern and Harold Koch (Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2004)
• Dench, Alan. 1991. ‘Panyjima’. R.M.W. Dixon, Barry J. Blake (eds.) The Handbook of Australian Languages, Volume 4. Melbourne: Oxford University Press Australia, 125–244.

Warrgamay

Etymology

From Proto-Pama-Nyungan *rirra / *lirra.

Noun

yirra

1. tooth

Further reading

• Tasaku Tsunoda, A Grammar of Warrongo (2012, →ISBN, in notes on page 224)