Language

Style of language

The language in “N’goola” by Katharine Susannah Prichard reflects the social setting which adds realism to the story. The main characters – Mary and Gwelnit – use Australian standard English combined with Aboriginal dialect words such as “nyoongar” (p. 38, l. 9), “coolimon” (p. 40, l. 15), “mumae”(p. 37, l. 2). This was the way many Aboriginals spoke at the time. Thus, the mixed language itself shows how many Aboriginals and half-Aboriginals were caught between two cultures.

Both the narration and the dialogue are generally characterized by a formal style (p. 43, ll. 31-33). Other times, non-standard grammar makes the dialogue sound more informal: “ ‘Gwelnit, the name my fathers gave me. Jo Moses, what the white people called me.’ ” (p. 39, ll. 11-12). This quote has incorrect syntax because words are missing.

The narrator uses free indirect speech when conveying Mary’s thoughts: “Who was she? Where had she come from? She had no idea…” (p. 36, ll. 24-25). This gives the reader the impression of having direct access to Mary's thoughts. 

Choice of words

Adverbs and adjectives contribute to characterizations and to showing Mary’s troubled state of mind: “wiry figure”(p. 35, l. 7); “yellowish tinge” (p. 35, l. 11), “bitterly” (p. 36, l. 10), “Hauntingly, irritatingly” (p. 36, l. 23), “deeply furrowed, weather-beaten” (p. 43, l. ...