Research Unit for Indigenous Language

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Research Unit for Indigenous Language RUIL: working with communities in Australia and the region to strengthen Indigenous languages

In 2013 the University of Melbourne formally established the Research Unit for Indigenous language (RUIL) in the School of Languages and Linguistics. This research unit is the first of its kind in Australia and draws on a wide range of varying expertise from linguists. Its overarching focus is to undertake research relevant to understanding:

What is the nature of Indigenous language in Australia in all of its forms, across generations and communities, and how can we identify and address the needs of Indigenous people and their languages into the future? The research unit is centred around a team from the School of Languages and Linguistics with an exemplary record in research on the languages of Australia’s Indigenous communities. The University of Melbourne is the national (and global) leader in this important area of research. Over the last 10 years the team has held 10 Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Project grants in the area, including five held currently, has graduated eight PhD students working specifically in the area of Indigenous languages, and currently supervise a further six PhD students and two Masters students working on Indigenous language related topics. The staffing of the research unit revolves around four key staff with different but complementary expertise, associated research only staff, and external collaborators with whom the core staff work very closely. The key staff associated with the research unit all have substantial track records of publications and ARC and other competitive grants in the area, and an established history of collaboration. The establishment of this research unit places the Faculty of Arts and The University of Melbourne at the forefront of this research domain, with its recognized importance for government policy, education, and the health and well-being of Australia’s indigenous population. The research unit is also guided and advised by an external Steering Committee that includes experts from a range of organisations across the country, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous.

07/10/2026
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06/10/2026

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Please join us at 4pm on Wednesday 28 October, when Prof. Rachel Nordlinger (University of Melbourne) will present the 2026 Margaret Dalziel Lecture, "Australia’s Indigenous languages and what they can teach us.” The lecture takes place in the College of Education Auditorium.

Australia’s Indigenous languages offer remarkable insights into how people perceive, categorise and communicate about the world. In this lecture, Rachel Nordlinger explores their distinctive grammatical structures, the knowledge and worldviews they encode, and what they reveal about how language is learned and processed. She shows why these languages matter not only to the communities who speak and treasure them, but to anyone interested in what it means to be human.

Rachel Nordlinger directs the Research Unit for Indigenous Language at the University of Melbourne. She has undertaken extensive fieldwork with the Bilinarra, Wambaya, Gudanji, Murrinhpatha and Marri Ngarr communities and works alongside Indigenous communities across Australia to support the preservation of their linguistic and cultural heritage.

We hope to see you on 28 October.

The languages keep coming!🤩We're thrilled to announce Western Arrarnta as the newest language on 50Words. Many thanks to...
01/10/2026

The languages keep coming!🤩

We're thrilled to announce Western Arrarnta as the newest language on 50Words. Many thanks to speaker Marjorie Nunga Williams and collaborator David Moore.

Listen here https://50words.online/languages/Western%20Arrarnta

Time to get excited! 🎊Boonwurrung is the latest language to be added to the 50 Words map 🎉 Thank you to speaker Jaeden W...
29/09/2026

Time to get excited! 🎊
Boonwurrung is the latest language to be added to the 50 Words map 🎉 Thank you to speaker Jaeden Williams-Briggs for contributing!
Listen 🖱 https://50words.online/languages/Boonwurrung

How many more Australian Indigenous languages would there have been with this population size?
15/09/2026

How many more Australian Indigenous languages would there have been with this population size?

Genetic, archaeological and environmental evidence suggest the Indigenous population fell by more than 90% In the 70 years after the British invaded.

If you are in Canberra this wonderful exhibition celebrates the work of the Papunya Literature Production Centre
22/08/2026

If you are in Canberra this wonderful exhibition celebrates the work of the Papunya Literature Production Centre

Explore the decades-long, remarkable efforts of the Papunya community to record language and culture and keep it alive.

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21/08/2026

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Are you interested in learning about or developing a language revitalization plan for your community?

FPCC’s Language Revitalization Planning Toolkit is for B.C. First Nations or any Indigenous community looking to develop a language revitalization plan.

The guide was developed to support community goals and cultural protocols. You can easily adapt this guide to align with your community’s natural planning practices.

This guide includes the following:

Part 1: Introduction to Language Revitalization Planning 📖
Part 2: Creating a Language Revitalization Plan 📝
Part 3: Planning Tools🔧
Part 4: Additional Resources📚

👉🏾 Access the FREE Language Revitalization Planning Toolkit and all our language toolkits by visiting, fpcc.ca/programs/fpcc-toolkits

Are you interested in learning your B.C. First Nations language? We are accepting applications for all FPCC language immersion programs until October 15, 2026.

For more information, visit fpcc.ca/language-immersion

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School Of Languages And Linguistics, The University Of Melbourne
Parkville, VIC
3010

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