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
’Aadę́ę́’ hoołtį́į́ł.
there-from 3s-rain.Prog’ayóigo
’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’Áłtsé biba’ dooleeł ’áko shį́į́ ’índa nihił dah adidoolwoł.
first 3.for will until then only 1.with start 3-drive.FBikáá’ dah ’asdáhí bikáa’gi doodaai’ ni’góó daats’í nishdaah?
chair 3-top-at or floor-on perhaps 1-sit.NIChidí naat’a’í nihił dah diit’a’.
airplane 1dpl-with up 3-fly.Pdadidínóołkał
pl-3DO-2dpl-start.to.herd.them.(animals).Fstart to herd them (animals), 2nd person plural
bookmarkdajishbéézh
pl-3DO-4dpl-boil.it.Pdaoohdlą́ą́’
pl-3DO-2dpl-drink.it.PDibé bighan báátis dah yiishte’.
sheep corral 3-over up 1-climb.PDichin nínízin ya’?
hungry 2-want.NI Qdidínéeshkał
3DO-1-start.to.herd.them.(animals).Fstart to herd them (animals), 1st person singular
bookmarkdidínóołkał
3DO-2dpl-start.to.herd.them.(animals).Fstart to herd them (animals), 2nd person dual
bookmarkdidííníłjéé’
3DO-2-start.fire.PDíí dziłígíí shádi’ááh bich’ijígo ’ałkéé’ ’adíítąąd.
this mountain-Comp southward 3-toward-GO one-behind-another 3Pl-scatter.NPDíí yihahígíí biyi’, háísh tówónaanígóó ch’aa deeyá?
this year.IGII within who overseas.GOO travel 3-going.F-QDíí łééchąą’í dah doosłóós laanaa.
this dog 1-lead.O.ADV-laanaa optative particle for a positive wish, hope or desire.Doo hazhó’ó ’adiist’a’ da léi’ t’óó shaa daadloh.
NEG good reflex-1.hear.NI NEG since just me.at pl.3.laugh.Idó’
Dziłdę́ę́’ hoołtį́į́ł ńt’éé’ t’áá nihich’į’jį’ ’ásdįįd.
mountain-from areal-rain.Prg past just 1pl-toward-up.to 3-disappear.Pdíníshkaad
3DO-1-start.to.herd.them.(animals).Istart to herd them (animals), 1st person singular
bookmarkdííłhį́į́’
3DO-1-melt.it.PHa’át’íí biniinaa náníldzid?
what 3-cause 2-fear.IHa’át’íí biniiyé shą́ą́h ńdídááh?
what 3-because 1-passing.by 2-go.IHa’át’íí lá nizhé’é yaa naaghá?
what Q 2-father 3-about 3-do.CIhaa + Neuter V
how / what V. The ’h’-expressions formed with ’haa’ plus a neuter verb are used to pose questions about “physical characteristics, quantity, and degree”.
bookmark