Introduction to Navajo Adverbs

This lexicon is built on a list from Young & Morgan (1987:12-17). This list is a heterogeneous collection of expressions that certainly belong to more than one syntactic category. For instance, it includes time expressions like ’adą́ą́dą́ą́’ (‘yesterday’) and ’ałní’ní’ą́ (‘at noon’), but it also includes the negative frame doo…da and several expressions that are constructed with it, and it includes various particles that tend to appear before the verb (e.g., hah ’quickly’; dah ‘up’). These appear in various places within a clause. Oddly, ńt’éé (a particle denoting past time which is placed after the verb) is in the list, but dooleeł (a particle denoting future time which appears in the same position) is not in the list.

We constructed this tool using Young & Morgan’s list without making adjustments to it. There may be a future version that includes different selections.

An example search has returned 50 entries

’Ahbínígo ch’éshááh ’áádóó sodiszįįh.

morning-GO 1-go.out.U and.then 1-pray.U

’Akóyaa ’adah, t’áá baa ’áhólchįįh.

there-down down, just 3-to 2-aware.NI

’Ałk’idą́ą́’ Diné bikéyah bikáa’gi łį́į́’ bichąą bíighahgo tł’oh deíl’áá ńt’éé’ jiní.

long.ago Navajo.land 3-upon-at horse 3-belly sufficient-GO Pl-3-extend.out.of.sight.SNP hearsay
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They say that long ago the grass in the Navajo country was as high as a horse’s belly.

’Áłchíní bi’éé’ náádaségis.

children 3-clothes 3-1-wash.R
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I will wash the children’s clothes again.

bik’ídadidoohdis

pl-3DO-2dpl-wrap.it.around.it.F

bik’ídédiz

3DO-1-wrap.it.around.it.P

Bini’ íídeeshtah doodago ’éiyá yóó’ ’adeeshwoł.

let will-1-school or only away 1-off-run.P

Chidí nidabinołtłáád.

car pl-3-2dpl-stop.I
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You all stop the car!

Chidí sits’ą́ą́’ hashtł’ish yiih yilwodgo t’áá ch’į́į́góó ch’ééh ’ííł’įįd.

car 1-from mud 3-into 3-go.P-GO failure in.vain 1-act.P

Chidíísh bee hólǫ́ doodago ni daats’í chidí nee hólǫ́?

car-Q 3-with 4-exist.N or 2 maybe car 2-with 4-exist.NI

Daniel hahgosh hidilníísh?

Daniel when-Q 3-start.work.I

dididííłjah

3DO-2-start.fire.F

Díí dziłígíí shádi’ááh bich’ijígo ’ałkéé’ ’adíítąąd.

this mountain-Comp southward 3-toward-GO one-behind-another 3Pl-scatter.NP
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These mountains are strung out, one behind the other toward the south.

Díí hastiin tł’ééjí hataałgo bee béého’doolzįįd.

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This man became famous as a Night Chant singer.

Doo choshijooł’į́į́’ le’ ’át’éégóó sh hóyéé’.

NEG 3-1-make.use.O proof.against-NEG 1-with lazy.NI

Doo t’áá k’ad bá’ólta’í sélį́į’ da.

NEG just now teacher 1-be.SPN NEG
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I don’t want to become a teacher.

doo yéé --- -í

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it’s a good thing that, you’re lucky that

dó’

Gah bikéé’ yishwoł.

rabbit 3-following 1-run.Prog

Gohwééh doo ndi łikan da.

coffee NEG but 3-taste-good.NI NEG
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The coffee doesn’t even taste good.

Haa nízahdę́ę́’ hoołtį́į́ł?

how 3-long-from rain.Prog

hadoołbįįd

3DO-2dpl-fill.something.up.with.it.P

Haidą́ą́’ ’a’áán góne’ naashnish ńt’éé’ --- doo sh yá’át’éeh da.

winter-past mine.shaft 1-work.I past neg 1-with 3-good.N neg

Hastiin dóó ’at’ééd ha’át’íí ’áyiilaa?

man and girl what 3-3-make.P
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What did the man and the girl make?

K’os jóhonaa’éí yich’ą́ą́h ’i’ííjool.

cloud sun 3-protect 3-drift.P
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A cloud moved in front of the sun.

Kii łį́į́’ yizloh léi’ yí’diiłííd.

Kii horse 3-3-rope.SP CONJ 3-3-brand.I

Mary ha’át’íísh nayiisnii’?

Mary what-Q 3-to.buy.I

Na’ahóóhaii Ya’iishjááshtsoh bini góne’ nída’adleeh.

July 3-in 3-into rodeo 3-Pl-SUP-be.R
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In July, rodeo events take place.

Neezdáago ’índa yiyííłtsą́.

3-sit.P-Comp only.then 3-3-see.P

nideiilyé

pl-3DO-1dpl-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.I

nisiilyá

3DO-1dpl-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.P

nisíníłkáá’

3DO-2-investigate.it.P

niłbéézh

3DO-2-boil.it.I

Níwe, tʼáádoo ʼałkʼésdisí niyą́ní.

stop NEG candy 3-2-eat.DI.NEG

Shá bíighah yáshti’ lá.

sun proportionate 1-talk.I DISC

Shik’is b ’ílyeed ’áko shį́į́ da’diidį́į́ł.

1-friend 3-with 3-drive CONJ 1-Pl-eat.F

Shikee’ ’ániidígo biniinaa shikee’ bąąh tó’diisool.

1-shoe recently because 1-foot 3-on 3-blister.form.P
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Because my shoes are new, they made a water blister on my foot.

Shimá bílájish chiideesh’įįł, hááláayóo deesk’aaz.

1-mother 3-gloves 3-1-use.F because very 3-be.cold.P
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I am putting my mother’s gloves on because it is cold.

Shimá sání Mary níigo yee ’ádójí.

1-grandmother Mary 3-say.I-GO 3-by reflexive-3-call.NI
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My grandmother calls herself Mary.

Shimá sání t’áá shídin ’ííyá.

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My grandmother went away without me.

Shimósí yázhí tsin yąąh dah sidáago hádésh’na’ ńt’éé’ ’áłt’ąą hadanáálwod.

1-cat little tree 3-on up 3-sit.SPN-GO 1-climb.P but after.all 3-run.down.P

Shiníbaal doo tó biníkáogeeh le’ ’át’éégóó ’íishłaa.

1-tent NEG water 3-through-3-flow.O proof.against-NEG 3-1-make.P

Shį́į́dą́ą́’ sitsą́ hodíínii’go k’asdą́ą́’ dasétsą́.

summer-last 1-stomach areal-.hurt.P-GO nearly 1-die.P
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Last summer I nearly died with a pain in my abdomen.

T’áadoo hosh biih dadoołtaałí.

neg cactus 3-in pl-2dpl-step.O-Í

t’éiyá

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only

Tsxį́įłgo ni’éé’ biih ni’nééh.

hurry 2-clothes 3-into 2-crawl.I

Tł’éédą́ą́ łééchąą’í léi’ nihił ’yaííyá’ii’ neeztį́.

last.night dog strange 1dpl-with 3-come.inside.P-and lie.down.SNP

Tł’éédą́ą́’ mą’ii léi’ shidááh gónaa ch’élwod.

last-night coyote there 1-before areal-around 3-move-rapidly.P

Yá’át’éehgo yínááł.

be.good.I-GO 2-go.sg.Prog
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You are walking well.

Yiską́ągo daats’í tł’óo’di hózhóní doo doodaii’ naháłtin daats’í dooleeł.

tomorrow maybe outside areal-good.NI or areal-rain.CI maybe future