indigenous
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indigenous
Refers to the original inhabitants of a country or region; native or aboriginal.
Viele indigene Völker kämpfen um den Erhalt ihrer Kultur und ihres Landes.
Many Indigenous peoples are fighting to preserve their culture and their land.
The adjective 'indigen' (indigenous) is almost always used in connection with groups of people and their culture. Typical combinations are 'indigene Völker' (Indigenous peoples), 'indigene Gemeinschaften' (Indigenous communities), or 'indigene Sprachen' (Indigenous languages).
Die Rechte indigener Gemeinschaften werden international diskutiert.
The rights of Indigenous communities are being discussed internationally.
'Indigen' (indigenous) is a rather formal word that is often found in the news, academic texts, and political discussions. It emphasizes the aspect of the first settlement of an area.
Die Ausstellung thematisiert die Geschichte der indigenen Bevölkerung Australiens.
The exhibition addresses the history of Australia's Indigenous population.
The word 'indigen' (indigenous) refers specifically to people, their communities, and cultures. It is normally not used for plants or animals to describe their origin.
In diesem Kurs lernen wir viel über indigene Sprachen Südamerikas.
In this course, we learn a lot about Indigenous languages of South America.
original / originally
'ursprünglich' and 'indigen' can both have something to do with the beginning or with the first people in a region. However, 'ursprünglich' is much more general: it describes what something was like at the beginning or what it is like in its original form. 'indigen' is used specifically for the original inhabitants of a country or region. Learners may confuse the words because 'indigen' is often understood as 'originally native'. For people or population groups in this sense, 'indigen' is more precise; for plans, forms, ideas, or states, 'ursprünglich' usually fits better.
In dem Vortrag geht es um indigene Gemeinschaften in Südamerika.
The lecture is about Indigenous communities in South America.
Ursprünglich wollte sie mit dem Zug fahren, aber dann nahm sie den Bus.
Originally, she wanted to go by train, but then she took the bus.