Phrase Detail

Say: war-ii-wah terl-kaiy-ah

Vowels: Standard - 'a' as in 'path' or 'car', 'i' as in 'sit'. Variation - when 'a' follows a 'w' and is followed by an ‘r’ it is 'a' as in 'war'.- 'e' followed by 'l' or 'r' is 'e' as in 'fern', - 'a'  followed by 'y' and another vowel is pronounced 'ai' or 'i' as in 'ice'.
(note: there are three different 'a' sound pronunciations in this phrase so it makes a good pronunciation practice phrase)

Sentence with two verbs or action words. This is a simple casual form. It uses the present tense verbs without any other endings.
A more careful or formal version would be 'Wariwangarr telkaya'. This uses the same two verbs but 'wariwa' has the 'ang' happening now ending and the 'arr' (you) ending added. It literally means 'leaving-you be well' or 'you are leaving be well'.

Younger learners - As young children arrive or leave start using the WW for 'hullo' and 'good bye' and add each child's name to the sentence. Build by asking children to say 'Putheka telkuk' (hullo) and 'Wariwa telkaya' (goodbye) to you and to each other.

Older Build - Game 1 - in a group take turns to add someone's name to the phrase eg 'Wariwa telkaya Ikah'.  Ikah could reply 'Wariwa telkaya' or 'Wariwa telkaya Ruby' and walk to the other side of the room. Once all but one have moved the last person calls 'Putheka telkuk Ikah'. Ikah stands up and walks back saying 'Putheka telkuk Ruby' and sits down.

Build - Game 2 - Use the family names snap cards (or the Family Learning list). Hold up a family member card eg 'Kuka' and say 'Putheka telkuk Kuka'. Put the card down and say 'Wariwa telkaya Kuka' repeat with each card. Game can easily be extended with a teacher shuffling the cards, picking one and showing the class. Class responds as quickly as possible 'Putheka telkuk Kuka'. Teacher decides who is going to say 'Wariwa telkaya Kuka'. Can also add in 'Nyarindek Ikah'.

(Note this game can be expanded in many ways with different language phrases. For example 'nyuka-wara kiki' (come here now), nyenggarr (you sit) )