59

COPY.

"Nyleta"
Union Street,
Off Mogill Road,
TOOWONG. S.W.1.

November 9th, 1940.

Mr. Sydney May,
Hon. Secretary,
Queensland Place Names Committee,
University of Queensland.

Dear Sir,

With reference to your letter of 8th inst. asking for
an aboriginal word, reminiscent of the setting Sun, suitable
for the name of a boat, I cannot think of any one word that
would be applicable, and phrases representing such would be too
long to be euphonious. At Wide Bay the blacks actually used the
words Tirum karin (Teeroom kareen), literally, Sun go in).
At Brisbane, Bigi yanna (Beegee yan-na), and at the Logan River,
Nyunga-yani (Nyunga yan-ee) each meaning "Sun gone" would be
applicable.

A simple and euphonious Yugumbir (Logan River) word
which may meet the case is Nyinala. This word really indicates
that night has come and, literally, means "rest time".

This would certainly be suitable if the boat is to be
used for pleasure purposes. The word may, if wished, be quite
correctly written and pronounced Inala, although the earlier
generation of blacks would have used the sound of Spanish n
as the initial sound. In pronounciation the first vowel 'a' is
long as in In-ah-la.

Yours faithfully,

(Signed) F.J. WATSON

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