Wergaia language

{{Short description|Endangered Australian Aboriginal language}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}

{{Use Australian English|date=July 2020}}

{{Infobox language

| name = Wergaia

| nativename =

| region = Victoria

| ethnicity = Wergaia, Wotjobaluk

| extinct = ?

| familycolor = Australian

| fam1 = Pama–Nyungan

| fam2 = Kulinic

| fam3 = Kulin

| fam4 = Wemba-Wemba

| dia1 = Biwadjali

| dia2 = Wudjubalug

| lc1 = weg

| ld1 = Wergaia

| lc2 = xwt

| ld2 = Wotjobaluk

| glotto = none

| aiatsis = S17

| map = Map Victoria Aboriginal tribes (colourmap).jpg

| mapcaption = Map of Victorian Aborigines language territories

| revived = 2020–2021

}}

Wergaia or Werrigia is an Australian Aboriginal language in the Wimmera region of north-Western Victoria. The Wergaia language consisted of four distinct dialects: Wudjubalug/Wotjobaluk, Djadjala/Djadjali, Buibadjali, Biwadjali.{{sfn|Clark|1990}} Wergaia was in turn apparently a dialect of the Wemba Wemba language, a member of the Kulinic branch of Pama–Nyungan.{{sfn|Dixon|2002|p=xxxvi}}

The Aboriginal people who speak Wergaia dialects include the Maligundidj or Wergaia people, which means the people belonging to the mali (mallee) eucalypt bushland which covers much of their territory,{{sfn|Clark|1995|pp=177–183}}{{cite web | title=Wooroonook Lakes | website=Charlton | url=https://www.charlton.vic.au/business/3-wooroonook-lakes/ | access-date=21 June 2021}} and the Wotjobaluk people.{{cite web | title=Rural Northwest Health service absorbs Aboriginal culture| website=Victorian Government Health Information: Health Victoria| publisher= Government of Victoria | date=July 2016 | url=http://www.health.vic.gov.au/healthvictoria/jul16/culture.htm | access-date=21 June 2021}}{{cite web | title=Cultural Awareness Training – Wimmera Primary Care Partnership Inc. | website=Wimmera Primary Care Partnership | date=20 August 2019 | url=https://wimmerapcp.org.au/cultural-awareness-training/ | access-date=21 June 2021}}

In mid-2021 a language revival project started up at the Wotjobaluk Knowledge Place, established in December 2020 at Dimboola. A Wergaia language program would run over 20 weeks.{{cite web | last=Kelso | first=Andrew | title=Dimboola to 'revive' Wergaia language, in Victorian first | website=ABC News |publisher = Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date=3 June 2021 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-03/wotjobaluk-knowledge-place/100185642 | access-date=21 June 2021}}