Ayabadhu language
Ayabadhu, also known as Ayapathu or Badhu, is an extinct Australian Aboriginal language in the Paman group of the Pama–Nyungan language family. It was spoken on the Cape York Peninsula in North Queensland by the Ayapathu people.
The Ayabadhu language region includes Cook Shire and areas around Coen and Port Stewart, located north of the Coleman River and south of Coen.
Ayabadhu belongs to the Pama–Nyungan family, in the North Cape York Paman subgroup.
It is closely related to Yintyingka (spoken by the Yintyingka and Lamalama people) and is sometimes called a coastal variety of Ayapathu. Dialects of Ayabadhu and Yintyingka are considered to be the same language, though Western Ayapathu is structurally different from Ayabadhu.
The name Yintjinggu/Jintjingga has been used for both Ayabadhu and the Umbindhamu language.
Extinction date is unknown.
Language codes: ISO 639-3 ay d; Glottolog ayab1239.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 13:32 (CET).