Biographical note

Nick Piper, who is associated with the Language and Culture Research Centre, has been involved with the people from the Mer, or Murray Islands, since 1987 when she first went there to study their language. She completed a sketch grammar for her Masters at the Australian National University, which was published in 2013. The Meriam wanted her to continue researching their language. As one of her language teachers put it: “It's not because you're good, it's because we've already spent so much time with you!”, so now Nick is keeping to her word.

Research topic

A grammar of Meriam Mir

Research outline

Nick's topic of research is a comprehensive grammar of Meriam Mir, a language spoken in the eastern Torres Strait, the stretch of sea between Australia and Papua New Guinea. The Meriam, or Murray Islanders, became well known to Australians when a Murray Islander, Eddie Koiki Mabo, legally challenged the notion that Australia was 'terra nullius' when it was first colonised. He took his case all the way to the High Court and won. Meriam people are very proud of this achievement.

Today, the language is at risk of dying out as young people are learning the Torres Strait creole rather than Meriam. Most of the Meriam speakers are now aged in their 60s or 70s and when they pass away, so will their knowledge. It is difficult to estimate the number of speakers as many Torres Strait Islanders have settled on the Australian mainland in cities and towns such as Cairns, Townsville, Innisfail, Mackay and Mareeba. A conservative estimate would be less than 50 speakers.

Nick is planning to work with the speakers in Cairns as well as on Mer/Murray Island.

Supervisory team

Distinguished Professor Alexandra Aikhenvald

Professor Rosita Henry

Publications

Piper, N. (2014). Saltwater placenames around Mer in the Torres Strait. In I. D. Clark, L. Hercus & L. Kostanski (Eds.), Indigenous and minority placenames, Australian and international perspectives (pp. 163-185). Canberra: ANU Press.