Darug
/dəˈrʊɡ/noun
Darug is an Aboriginal Australian people and their traditionally spoken language associated with the Sydney Basin region of New South Wales.
Did you know?Darug is also written Dharug, and the language is undergoing revitalization after severe disruption caused by colonization and assimilation policies.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-1788
Dharug
darug/dharug
“An Indigenous ethnonym and language name used in the Sydney Basin; the precise original meaning is uncertain.”
1788
English records
Dharug and related spellings
“British observers began recording Aboriginal languages and group names around the Sydney region, often inconsistently.”
19th Century
Colonial English
Darug/Dharug
“Multiple spellings appeared in missionary, administrative, and ethnographic records.”
20th Century
English and Dharug
Darug
“Darug became a widely used modern spelling for the people, while Dharug remained prominent for the language and cultural identity.”
Modern English
English
Darug
“A recognized name for the Darug people and, in some contexts, their language and cultural heritage.”