150:
has suggested that, having worked with literally dozens of individuals who were the last speakers of a variety of
Australian languages, Breen can be said to be the last speaker of the languages he has described, since he retained a working knowledge, if partial, of an otherwise extinct language.
91:
He was thinking of somewhere to take a holiday break and a job when, in 1967, he chanced to listen to a public lecture at his university in which the need to record dying languages was mentioned. The work was well paid, and Breen took a grant to do a master's degree at
879:
176:
143:
918:
641:
183:
and was still there as of
January 2016. He has also offered his expertise in legal cases, helping native peoples establish their claims to
667:
293:
72:
824:
868:
800:
773:
748:
723:
698:
675:
426:
399:
374:
349:
324:
301:
908:
815:
164:
64:
24:
267:
37:
811:
765:
740:
715:
690:
391:
366:
341:
316:
237:
160:
884:
541:
218:
105:
784:
410:
268:
Breen, J. G.; Monash
University. Department of Linguistics; Monash University. Thesis (1971),
854:
836:
734:
709:
360:
335:
241:
214:
759:
385:
913:
903:
841:
130:
Breen's work, which has extended over many distinct language groups in western and central
120:
80:
57:
637:
8:
198:
97:
49:
231:
135:
864:
860:
796:
769:
744:
719:
694:
671:
654:
422:
395:
370:
345:
320:
297:
224:
93:
203:
112:
139:
850:
147:
897:
180:
208:
184:
146:, of which he was a member. He has studied and recorded 49 such languages.
116:
279:
269:
256:
124:
263:, Canberra: Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies, pp. 336–339
257:"Ergative, locative and instrumental case inflections : Wangkumara"
175:
Although Breen officially retired in 2001, he continued to work at the
131:
76:
111:
He was appointed a research fellow at Monash, and there worked on the
792:
418:
880:"Alice man's crusade to save indigenous languages honoured with OAM"
736:
Innamincka Talk: A grammar of the
Innamincka dialect of Yandruwandha
362:
Innamincka Talk: A grammar of the
Innamincka dialect of Yandruwandha
101:
33:
53:
785:"W E Roth and the Study of Aboriginal Languages in Queensland"
411:"W E Roth and the Study of Aboriginal Languages in Queensland"
716:
Department of
Linguistics, Research School of Pacific Studies
691:
Department of
Linguistics, Research School of Pacific Studies
342:
Department of
Linguistics, Research School of Pacific Studies
317:
Department of
Linguistics, Research School of Pacific Studies
789:
The Roth Family, Anthropology, and
Colonial Administration
711:
The grammar of Yalarnnga: a language of western Queensland
687:
Salvage Studies of Western Queensland Aboriginal Languages
509:
415:
The Roth Family, Anthropology, and Colonial Administration
337:
The grammar of Yalarnnga: a language of western Queensland
313:
Salvage Studies of Western Queensland Aboriginal Languages
856:
Endangerment and Language Revitalization: An Introduction
108:, before deciding that this was where his vocation lay.
68:
590:
761:
Innamincka Words: Yandruwandha dictionary and stories
454:
452:
450:
387:
Innamincka Words: Yandruwandha dictionary and stories
642:
Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education
521:
499:
497:
484:
482:
566:
556:
554:
469:
467:
193:Breen helped to salvage many languages, including:
614:
602:
447:
96:, working initially with the last speakers of the
664:The Mayi Languages of the Queensland Gulf Country
578:
494:
479:
290:The Mayi Languages of the Queensland Gulf Country
895:
787:. In McDougall, Russell; Davidson, Iain (eds.).
551:
464:
413:. In McDougall, Russell; Davidson, Iain (eds.).
170:
825:"Bid to save native languages from extinction"
261:Grammatical categories in Australian languages
822:
651:Bidyara and Gungabula: grammar and vocabulary
515:
40:. He studied and recorded 49 such languages.
919:Linguists of Australian Aboriginal languages
277:
254:
190:He died on 5 October 2023 in Alice Springs.
142:, was mostly done under the auspices of the
43:
707:
668:Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies
596:
294:Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies
71:in his final year. He went on to study at
539:
877:
849:
527:
458:
436:
63:He received his secondary education at
896:
834:
757:
732:
708:Breen, Gavan; Blake, Barry J. (2007).
636:
620:
608:
503:
488:
334:Breen, Gavan; Blake, Barry J. (2007).
271:A description of the Waluwara language
67:(1948–1952), where he matriculated as
809:
782:
684:
661:
648:
584:
572:
560:
473:
383:
358:
310:
36:, specialising in the description of
177:Institute for Aboriginal Development
837:"Veteran linguist's work preserved"
22:(22 January 1935 – 5 October 2023)
13:
823:O'Donnell, Mietta (2 April 1973).
14:
930:
540:Erickson, Tim (10 October 2023).
248:
165:Officer of the Order of Australia
878:Volling, Tom (26 January 2016).
812:"Old Boy's Australia Day honour"
38:Australian Aboriginal languages
835:Sleath, Emma (24 April 2014).
816:St Patrick's College, Ballarat
766:Australian National University
741:Australian National University
547:. Victorian Race Walking Club.
542:"Vale Gavan Breen: 1935 -2023"
533:
392:Australian National University
367:Australian National University
281:Andegerenbenha vowel phonology
65:St Patrick's College, Ballarat
1:
629:
171:Later life, death and legacy
7:
10:
935:
259:, in Dixon, Robert (ed.),
154:
86:
56:district of the state of
909:Linguists from Australia
638:"Honour for Gavan Breen"
441:
163:, Breen was awarded the
44:Early life and education
885:Northern Territory News
758:Breen, Gavan (2015b) .
733:Breen, Gavan (2015a) .
597:Breen & Blake 2007
384:Breen, Gavan (2015) .
359:Breen, Gavan (2015) .
215:Antekerrepenhe dialect
783:Breen, Gavan (2016).
685:Breen, Gavan (1990).
662:Breen, Gavan (1981).
649:Breen, Gavan (1973).
409:Breen, Gavan (2016).
311:Breen, Gavan (1990).
288:Breen, Gavan (1981).
278:Breen, Gavan (1977),
255:Breen, Gavan (1976),
104:, and later with the
60:on 22 January 1935.
810:Nolan, Paul (2016).
795:. pp. 133–155.
437:Notes and references
421:. pp. 133–155.
81:Melbourne University
32:, was an Australian
98:Warluwarra language
16:Australian linguist
830:. Monash Reporter.
238:Innamincka dialect
232:Yalarnnga language
136:Northern Territory
75:, graduating as a
48:Breen was born at
870:978-3-110-18429-7
861:Walter de Gruyter
802:978-1-315-41728-8
775:978-1-921-93422-3
750:978-1-921-93420-9
725:978-3-110-18429-7
700:978-0-858-83401-9
677:978-0-858-83567-2
655:Monash University
428:978-1-315-41728-8
401:978-1-921-93422-3
376:978-1-921-93420-9
351:978-3-110-18429-7
326:978-0-858-83401-9
303:978-0-858-83567-2
225:Mayabic languages
106:Woorabinda people
94:Monash University
926:
889:
874:
846:
831:
829:
819:
806:
779:
754:
729:
704:
681:
658:
645:
624:
618:
612:
606:
600:
594:
588:
582:
576:
570:
564:
558:
549:
548:
546:
537:
531:
525:
519:
513:
507:
501:
492:
486:
477:
471:
462:
456:
432:
405:
380:
355:
330:
307:
284:
274:
264:
28:, also known as
27:
934:
933:
929:
928:
927:
925:
924:
923:
894:
893:
892:
871:
851:Tsunoda, Tasaku
827:
803:
776:
751:
726:
701:
678:
632:
627:
619:
615:
607:
603:
595:
591:
583:
579:
571:
567:
559:
552:
544:
538:
534:
526:
522:
514:
510:
502:
495:
487:
480:
472:
465:
457:
448:
444:
439:
429:
408:
402:
377:
352:
333:
327:
304:
287:
251:
246:
173:
161:26 January 2016
157:
140:South Australia
89:
46:
23:
17:
12:
11:
5:
932:
922:
921:
916:
911:
906:
891:
890:
875:
869:
847:
832:
820:
807:
801:
780:
774:
755:
749:
730:
724:
705:
699:
682:
676:
659:
646:
633:
631:
628:
626:
625:
613:
601:
589:
577:
575:, p. 139.
565:
550:
532:
520:
516:O'Donnell 1973
508:
493:
478:
463:
445:
443:
440:
438:
435:
434:
433:
427:
406:
400:
381:
375:
356:
350:
331:
325:
308:
302:
285:
275:
265:
250:
249:Selected works
247:
245:
244:
234:
228:
221:
219:Upper Arrernte
211:
206:
201:
195:
172:
169:
156:
153:
148:Tasaku Tsunoda
119:languages and
88:
85:
73:Newman College
45:
42:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
931:
920:
917:
915:
912:
910:
907:
905:
902:
901:
899:
887:
886:
881:
876:
872:
866:
862:
858:
857:
852:
848:
844:
843:
838:
833:
826:
821:
817:
813:
808:
804:
798:
794:
790:
786:
781:
777:
771:
767:
763:
762:
756:
752:
746:
742:
738:
737:
731:
727:
721:
717:
713:
712:
706:
702:
696:
692:
688:
683:
679:
673:
669:
665:
660:
656:
652:
647:
643:
639:
635:
634:
622:
617:
610:
605:
598:
593:
586:
581:
574:
569:
562:
557:
555:
543:
536:
530:, p. 41.
529:
524:
518:, p. 50.
517:
512:
505:
500:
498:
490:
485:
483:
475:
470:
468:
460:
455:
453:
451:
446:
430:
424:
420:
416:
412:
407:
403:
397:
393:
389:
388:
382:
378:
372:
368:
364:
363:
357:
353:
347:
343:
339:
338:
332:
328:
322:
318:
314:
309:
305:
299:
295:
291:
286:
283:
282:
276:
273:
272:
266:
262:
258:
253:
252:
243:
239:
235:
233:
229:
226:
222:
220:
216:
212:
210:
207:
205:
202:
200:
197:
196:
194:
191:
188:
186:
182:
181:Alice Springs
178:
168:
166:
162:
152:
149:
145:
141:
137:
133:
128:
126:
122:
118:
114:
109:
107:
103:
99:
95:
84:
82:
78:
74:
70:
66:
61:
59:
55:
51:
41:
39:
35:
31:
26:
21:
883:
855:
840:
788:
760:
735:
710:
686:
663:
650:
616:
604:
592:
580:
568:
535:
528:Tsunoda 2005
523:
511:
459:Volling 2016
414:
386:
361:
336:
312:
289:
280:
270:
260:
242:Yandruwandha
227:and dialects
192:
189:
185:native title
174:
158:
129:
117:sv:Gungabula
110:
100:, including
90:
77:metallurgist
62:
47:
29:
19:
18:
914:2023 deaths
904:1935 births
621:Breen 2015b
609:Breen 2015a
504:Sleath 2014
489:BIOITE 2016
125:Barry Blake
121:Pitta Pitta
30:J. G. Breen
20:Gavan Breen
898:Categories
630:References
585:Breen 1981
573:Breen 2016
561:Breen 1973
474:Nolan 2016
199:Warluwarra
132:Queensland
793:Routledge
419:Routledge
209:Gungabula
50:St Arnaud
853:(2005).
842:ABC News
102:Ida Toby
58:Victoria
34:linguist
644:. 2016.
204:Bidjara
155:Honours
144:AIATSIS
113:Bidjara
54:Wimmera
52:in the
867:
799:
772:
747:
722:
697:
674:
425:
398:
373:
348:
323:
300:
138:, and
134:, the
87:Career
828:(PDF)
545:(PDF)
442:Notes
123:with
79:from
865:ISBN
797:ISBN
770:ISBN
745:ISBN
720:ISBN
695:ISBN
672:ISBN
423:ISBN
396:ISBN
371:ISBN
346:ISBN
321:ISBN
298:ISBN
236:The
230:The
223:The
213:The
115:and
240:of
217:of
179:in
159:On
69:Dux
900::
882:.
863:.
859:.
839:.
814:.
791:.
768:.
764:.
743:.
739:.
718:.
714:.
693:.
689:.
670:.
666:.
653:.
640:.
553:^
496:^
481:^
466:^
449:^
417:.
394:.
390:.
369:.
365:.
344:.
340:.
319:.
315:.
296:.
292:.
187:.
167:.
127:.
83:.
25:AO
888:.
873:.
845:.
818:.
805:.
778:.
753:.
728:.
703:.
680:.
657:.
623:.
611:.
599:.
587:.
563:.
506:.
491:.
476:.
461:.
431:.
404:.
379:.
354:.
329:.
306:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.