Introduction to Conjunctions

This Saad Dílzin lexicon illustrates various conjunctions, words like dóó (and), doodaii (or), ndi (but), háálá (because), and others. The term we use for a word that holds constituents together is conjunction (zaatą’ii). Conjunctions combine two or more sentences, phrases, or words into a single sentence or phrase. Each conjunction has its own meaning.

This lexicon is mainly focused on coordination, but it includes other expressions that can connect two sentences (like yę́ędą́ą́’). It is sometimes difficult to distinguish conjunctions from adverbs.

Sometimes adverbs appear with conjunctions, and they influence or modify the meaning of the conjunction.

Joe and Louise are conjoined in the sentence below to make a single phrase:

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(1)
Joe dóó Louise hataał.
Joe and Louise 3-sing.CI
Joe and Louise are singing.

The verb hataał, is intransitive, meaning that it can only have one argument:

(2)
Joe hataał.
Joe 3-sing.CI
Joe is singing.
(3)
*Joe Louise hataał.
Joe Louise 3-sing.CI
Joe Louise is singing.

Example (3) is only grammatical if Joe Louise is the name of a particular person. If we take the two names to refer to two different people then we have to connect them with the conjunction dóó (and). This is what happens in (1). When dóó is in the middle you know there are two people.

In Navajo, more than two phrases can be conjoined, but the verb will have the plural marker da in it when three or more actors are involved in the event being described:

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(4)
Joe dóó Louise dóó Kii dahataał.
Joe and Louise and Kii pl-3-sing.CI
Joe, Louise, and Kii are singing.

The examples, (1) and (4), above include conjunctions of noun phrases. Other phrases can be conjoined in the same way. Here are examples with postpositional enclitic phrases:

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(5)
Tsé’áándę́ę́’ dóó tsédáajį’ ninish’na’.
cave-from and cliff-to 1-crawl.P
I crawled out of the cave and to the edge of the cliff.

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(6)
Na’ná’á biyaa góne’ dóó báhátis ’adiłt’oh.
bridge 3-under below and 3-across 3-3-shoot.P
S/he shot them (e.g., arrows) over the bridge and under it.

Sentences can also be coordinated, and several different conjunctions can be used:

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(7)
Kin Łánídi naashnish háálá ’áadi shaghan.
Flagstaff 1-work.I because there 1-live.NI
I work in Flagstaff because I live there.

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(8)
Kin bighą́ą́’dę́ę́’ hadah ’adzííłhaal ndi t’áadoo ’ádadénih da.
house 3-to-from down 1-tumble.P but NEG RFLX-1-hurt.P NEG
I tumbled off the housetop but I didn’t get hurt.

The table below shows the expressions in this lexicon, except that the complementizer -go is listed in the Adverbs lexicon [link]. This list appears in Young & Morgan (1987:23-24).

Navajo English Is the expression a coordinating conjunction? categories that can be conjoined
dóó ‘and’/‘and then’ yes clause, NP, PP, EP
’áádóó ‘and then’ yes clause
’áko ‘so, so that, so then’ yes clause
’áko ’índa ‘when, then’ yes clause
’áko ndi ‘even so, even then’ yes clause
’áko shį́į́ ‘then maybe/ then probably’ yes clause
’áko shį́į́ ’índa ‘then only’ yes clause
doodago ‘or’ yes clause, NP, PP, EP?
doodaii’ ‘or’ yes clause, NP, PP, EP?
-go no clause, NP
háálá ‘for, because’ yes clause
-ii’ ‘and, and thereupon’ yes clause
’índa ‘and only then’ no clause
léi’ ‘because’, ‘inasmuch as’ or ‘in view of the fact that’ yes clause
ndi ‘but’ yes clause
’azhą́…ndi ‘even though, despite the fact that, notwithstanding’ yes (or else ’azhą́ is an adverb and ndi is a conjunction) clause
ńt’éé’ past maybe clause
yę́ędą́ą́’ past no clause
NP
noun phrase
PP
postpositional phrase
EP
postpositional enclitic phrase

With coordination, two phrases have the same status. With subordination, one clause modifies the other. In this way, they are different. When there are two clauses and -go appears in the first, the two become one sentence. Then the first clause modifies the second.

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(9)
Shilééchąą’í bił na’nishkaadgo jooł bá ’abíńjíshhałgo yikéé’ náádiilwo’.
1-dog 3-with 1-herd.CI ball 3-for 3-1-bat.R-GO 3-after 3-run.R
When I’m out herding with my dog I bat fly balls for him and he chases them.

The first clause modifies the second by describing its reference time. A range of interpretations for -go is possible. In the following example, the -go clause is understood as describing the cause for the main clause:

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(10)
’Ádihodideesht’ih sha’shin nisingo t’áadoo ’atah haasdzíi’ da.
Joe dóó Louise dóó Kii dahataał.
I didn’t say anything because I thought I might get myself into trouble.

Examples of clauses subordinated using -go can be found in the Adverbs lexicon [link].

Some observations

Our understanding is that -go is a complementizer, sometimes called subordinating conjunction in traditional grammar (we follow Schauber 1975 [link] in concluding this).

When clauses are coordinated, a conjunction appears in place of -go. Ńt’éé’ can also take the place of -go. We take it that it can be either a conjunction or a complementizer. (Occasionally, it can appear along with -go, suggesting that it could be an adverb as well!)

Some of the expressions in this lexicon can only appear when -go appears on the first clause. These expressions are likely to be adverbs.

Concerning ’azhą́…ndi, we have already concluded that ndi is a conjunction. We could analyze ’azhą́ as an adverb, or we could consider ’azhą́…ndi to be a two-part conjunction, similar to either…or.

An example search has returned 50 entries

’Adą́ą́dą́ą́’ ná’iyéláá’ nít’éé’ nídasésdo.

Yesterday SUP-1-pick.P past 1-sore.SP
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I picked pinyon yesterday and I got sore (physically) as a result.

’Azhą́ nízaadi naagháa ndi bídin nishłį́.

even.though 3-be.far.away.NI-at 3-walks even.though 3-in.need.of 1-be.NI
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Even though he/she is far away, I miss him/her.

’Azhą́ hasistih ndi ’ayóo ’eesh’į́.

even.though 1-be.old.P even.though very 3-1-see.Prog

’Azhą́ ts’aa’ nízhóní ndi ’áłts’íísí.

even.though basket 3-be.pretty.NI even.though 3-be.small.NI
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Even though the basket is pretty, it is small.

’Ałk’idídą́ą́’ kin ’áshłaa ńt’éé’ ’éí t’ahdii bii’ shighan.

quite.long.ago house 3-1-make.P past it still 3-in 1-home

’Áádóó haa hóót’įįd?

and.then how ho-happened.P

’Áádóó háajigo dah diníyá?

and.then which.way-GO start.off 2-go.I

’Áko ’índa ’ákǫ́ǫ́ dah diiyá.

after.that to.there start 1.go.I
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After that I went there.

’Áko ’índa yáníłti’ bidííniid.

after.that 2.talk.I 3-1.told.P
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After that I told him to speak.

’Áłtsé baa nitsídadiikos ’áko shį́į́ ’índa bik’i nidadii’nił.

first about 3-3.think.F then only 3-3pl.record.I
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Think first about it and only then we’ll record it.

’Áłtsé nééł’į́į́’ ’áko ’índa ’ííyą́ą́’.

first 1-look.P after.that 1.eat.P
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I looked at it first, after that I ate it.

’Ííyą́ą́dóó bik’ijį’ tsinyaagi nétį́į́ dóó ’iiłhaazh.

1-eat.P and 3-after tree-under-at.spec 1-lie.down.P and 1-sleep.P

’Ólta’góó daats’í deeshááł doodaii’ jooł bee nideeshneeł.

school-toward maybe 1-walk.F or ball 3-with 1-play.F

’Íídeeshwosh daats’í doodaii’ saad naalkaah bindeeshnish.

1-sleep.F maybe or word research 3-1-work.F

Ahwééh yishdlį́į́ ’áko ’índa ch’éénásdzíd.

coffee 3-1.drink.P when 3-1.wake.up.P
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After I drink my coffee I wake up.

Át’ah ’índa shaa náádíídááł.

later 1-to again-2-come.F

Ch’aa dé ńt’éé shichídí bikee’ dilkǫǫh.

travel 1-go past 1-vehicle 3-tires worn.

Ch’ééh déyá léi’ t’óó hanáshyį́į́h.

try 1.go.P since just 1.rest.I
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I was still resting since I was tired.

Ch’iyáán ’íishłaa ’áádóó da’iidą́ą́’.

food 3-1-make.P CONJ 1Pl-eat.P

Chidí binaashnish yę́ę ’áádóó t’óó ni’ kwíishłaa.

vehicle 3-1-work.CI past and.then just stop 1-stop.P
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I was working on the vehicle and then I just let it be.

Chizh ła’ ’ahidíłkaał ’áko ’índa nich’į’ n’deeshłééł.

firewood some 2-chop CONJ 2-to 1-pay.F
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I’ll pay you when you chop some wood (and not before).

Damóo yę́ędą́ą́’ Yootóógóó niséyá.

Sunday past Santa.Fe-to 1-go.P

Dichinísh doodaii’ dibáá’ísh dzinízin?

hunger-Q or thirst-Q 3-4-want.NI

Dichinísh doodaii’ dibáá’ísh jinízin?

hunger-Q or thirst-Q 3-4-want.NI

Diné bikéyah bikáa’gi ndahonidzood yę́ędą́ą́’ Naatsis’áán hoolyégóó niha’áłchíní bił ’adahineet’į́į́’.

Navajo 3-land 3-on-at pl-areal-3-flee.pl.P past Navajo.Mountain areal-be.called.NI-to 1pl-children 3-with pl-1dpl-sneak.off.P

Diné nihaikaíígíí nihizaad nideilkaahgo ayóó bił danilį́ ’áko ndi doo ’akót’ée da.

people 1dpl-3-come.pl.P-COMP 1dpl-language pl-3-1-investigate.I-GO very 3-with pl-3-be.NI even so NEG thus-3-be.NI NEG
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The people who came to visit us believe that we are doing a great job investigating our language, but that is not the case.

Díí tsídii bit’oh yisdádeeshjoł, ’áko shį́į́ kónááhoot’éhé tsídii ła’ náábít’oh dooleeł.

this bird 3-nest 3-1-save.F-NCM then maybe next.year bird some again-3-nest future
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I’ll save this bird nest (from destruction) and it will probably serve another bird next year.

Doo ’íits’a’ída nít’éé’ ’áłt’ąą Irene níyáago ’índa hahodíídláád.

NEG 3-sound.P-NEG past finally Irene 3-arrive.P-go only.then 3-uproar.P

Dziłghą́ą́’í ’alóós dóó nááneeskadí ńdeidį́į́h.

Wht.Mtn.Apache rice and tortilla pl-3-3-eat.R
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White Mountain Apaches eat rice and tortillas.

Díí séí dóó tsé yázhí ’ałtahígíí łeezh bikáa’gi naasaas ’áko shį́į́ doo hashtł’ish da doołeeł.

this sand and stone little mixed.together-NOM dirt 3-on-at 3-1-sprinkle.Prog then maybe NEG mud NEG future

Hágo daaníigo ’áko ’índa ’ákǫ́ǫ́ níyá.

come.here 3.say.P-GO after.that towards 1.arrive.P
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They said come over here, after that I went there.

Hííłch’į’go ’índa ta’iideeshnih.

evening.GO until 1-mix.dough.F

Hooghan ’adeeshłííł ndi tsineheeshjíí’ shee ’ádin.

hogan 1-build.F but lumber 1-with 3-none.NI

Hooghan bikáá’ dah si’ánígíí bíyah da’nii’áago ’ádíílį́į́ł ’áko hooghan doo ’ałhiih nídoołdas da.

hogan 3-on up 3-sit.SPN-ÍGÍÍ 3-under pl-3-extend.NP-GO 3-2-make.F so hogan NEG RECIP-3-collapse.F NEG

Kin bighą́ą́’dę́ę́’ hadah ’adzííłhaal ndi t’áadoo ’ádadénih da.

house 3-to-from down 1-tumble.P but NEG RFLX-1-hurt.P NEG

Naat’áanii ’índa níyá.

boss just 3.arrive.P
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The boss arrived.

Nááhai yę́ędą́ą́’ daashin Tótadi niiłtsą́ą ni’.

winter past perhaps Farmington-at 2-1-see.P NI’
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Maybe I saw you last year in Farmington.

ndi

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but

Nídeezidgo ’índa hoł ní’deeswod.

month-GO only.then 4-with 2-drive.back.F

Shich’ahashkéé léi’ doo bíká ’iishyeed da.

1-3-upset.I since NEG 3-for 1-help.I NEG
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I didn’t help him/her since s/he was upset with me.

Shicheii déidiiłjeeh’ii’, hoozdohgóó nahisiitą́.

1-grandfather 3-3-built.fire.P-and warm-to 3-sit.P

Shimá sání dah díníilghaazh ’ayiila’ii’, nihí yaa néíni’ką́.

1-grandmother frybread 3-3-make.P-and 1.dpl under 3-3-place.P

Shimá dóó shizhe’é ’éiyáhá Kin Łánígóó naazh’áázh.

1-mother and 1-father TOP building many-to 3-roundtrip.pl.SP
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My mother and my father made a trip to Flagstaff.

Shį́įgo ch’ééh jiyáán yishį́į́h ’áádóó tó lą’í yishdlį́į́h.

summer-GO watermelon 3-1-eat.U and.then water lots 3-1-drink.U

Sitsii’ ndeeshshoh léi’ tó ’anideizgiz lá.

1-hair 3-1-moist.F because water 3-turn.off.R DISC
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I was going to wet my hair but the water got turned off.

Tsé binahjį’ kídíníikeeł dóó háádiilyįh.

rock 3-against 1du-sit.F and 1du-rest.F
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Let’s sit down against the rock and rest.

Tsxį́įłgo naalkidígíí neeznáá yidziihgo Jóhonaa’éí daolyéii ch’ééhiih da’ałne’ nít’éé’ ’áłt’ąą ’ałtso ’o’oolkidgo ’índa ’iih da’asne’.

fast-GO 3-tick-ÍGÍÍ ten 3-remain.I-GO Suns pl-3-call.NI-NMLZ in.vain 3-into pl-3-3-throw.I past until.after all clock-go finally 3-into pl-3-3.throw.P

Tł’éédą́ą́’ t’áadoo hazhó’í ’ííłhaazh da léi’ bił nisin.

night.last NEG good 1.sleep.P NEG since sleepy 3-1.desire.NI
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I’m sleepy since I didn’t sleep well last night.

Ła’ damóo yę́ędą́ą́’ dah ’iyétł’ónée, k’ad ’ałníí’góó ’eeshtł’óół.

one Sunday past up 3-1-set.P-past now middle-toward 1-weave.Prog