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

’Ach’ą́ nisin ndi shidíbé nído’ahígíí ’ádin.

meat.hunger 1-want.NI but 1-sheep 4-butcher.F 3-1.none.NI

’Ahwééh yishdlį́į́h ’áádóó naanishgóó yishááh.

coffee 3-1-drink.U and.then work-toward 3-1-go.U

’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.

’Azhé’é chízh ’éí nííni’yį́ ’áádóó hastiin bíká ’eelwod.

INDEF.father wood TOP 3-3.haul.complete.LPB.P AND man 3-after 3-run.F
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The father hauled wood and the other man is helping him.

’Áádóó éí haa daadzaa?

and.then TOP what pl-3-do.P

’Áádóó hainidzaa?

and.then what-3-2-do.P

’Áádóó shą’?

and.then Q

’áko

CONJ
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so, so that, so then

’áko shį́į́ ’índa

CONJ

’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

’Ániid ’iiyą́ą́ ’áko ndi t’ah dichin nisin.

Recently 1-eat.P even then still 3-hungry 1-want.NI

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.

Bibee’eldǫǫh haiyííłhan’ii’ ’bįįh yił ’adeesdǫǫh.

gun 3-jerk.out.P-and deer 3-shot.P

Bichidí yichǫ’ yę́ędą́ą́’ ’ashkii t’áani’ nálwod.

3-vehicle 3-P-ruin past boy on.foot 3-P-return
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The boy returned on foot when his car broke down.

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 t’óó ’ahayóí ndi tó ’ádin.

food lots but water 3-none.NI
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There’s lots of food but no water.

Chidí ’anáshdlééh, háálá doo naalnish da.

car 3-1-repair.I because NEG 3-work.I NEG

Chidí bitoo’ hadi’dííłbį́į́łgo ’índa Na’azhǫǫshgóó diikah.

car 3-fuel 3.fill.up-GO.P only.then casino-GOO 3pl.go.F
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Fill up the gas and we’ll go to the casino.

Damóogo ’áłah ’aleeh ’áko ’áadi nihaadíínááł.

Sunday 3-gather 3-be so there-at 1-Pl-to-2-arrive.F

Dibé bitsį’ doodago béégashii bitsį’ daats’í nínízin?

sheep 3-meat or cow 3-meat possibly 3-2-want.NI

Dichinísh doodaii’ dibáá’ísh dzinízin?

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 ła’ nizhónígo kéédahojit’į́ danihó’ní, ’áko ndi doo ’ákót’ée da.

people some 3-nice.NI-GO pl-4-3-reside.NI 3-Pl. so but NEG 4-think.CI NEG

Díí tł’éé’ ’índa hazhó’óó ’iideeshwosh.

this night only.then uninterrupted 1-sleep.F

Doo ’áádę́ę́’ naagháa da nít’éé’áłt’ąą nida’iilyéego ’índa níyá.

NEG there.from 3-go.about.I NEG past after.all pass.pay.I-go only.then 3-arrive.P

dóó

CONJ
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and, and then

Díí jį́ Nida’iiníísh ’áko shį́į́ nihich’į’ nida’iil, ya’?

today Friday then.maybe 1pl-toward 1pl-payment.I Q

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

Kii łį́į́’ yizloh léi’ yí’diiłííd.

Kii horse 3-3-rope.SP CONJ 3-3-brand.I
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Kii has roped the horse and is branding it.

Kin Łánídi naashnish háálá ’áadi shaghan.

Flagstaff 1-work.I because there 1-live.NI

Mósí dóó łeechą́ą́’ii’ baniłts’ood’ii’, bił hózhǫ́.

cat dog 3-1-feed.P-and 3-with 3-happy.NI

Nanise’ígíí ch’iyáán daohsą́ ’áko bee nihits’íís bitah yá’ádahoot’ééh dooleeł.

plant-ÍGÍÍ food pl-2-eat.I so 3-with 2pl-body 3-among pl-3-good.NI future

Shi’dizhchį́į́ yęędą́ą́’ ’éí tsinaabąąs dahólǫ́ nt’éé.

1-pass-born.P past TOP wagon 3-with pl-3-drive.I pl-be.NI past

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Wagons were around during the time I was born.

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.

Shileechąą’í halǫ́ǫ́ ńt’éé’ są biis.

1-dog have past old.age 3-die.of.P
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I used to have a dog but it died of old age.

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 tanaashgiizh ’áyiilaago ’áádóó deiilts’ee’.

1-mother pudding 3-make.P-GO and.then pl-3-1dpl-eat.MM.P
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My mom made pudding and then we ate it.

Shitsili tsin ła’ nieidiitą́ii’ łeechą́ą́’ii’ łéi néídiiłhaal.

1-little.brother stick 3-3-pick.up.P-and dog INDEF 3-3-hit.P

Shíká ’anánílwo’ doodago’ t’áadoo shaa nánít’į́ní!

1-after indef-help.R or just-neg 1-about 1-2-bother.NI-neg

Shí Kinłánígóó shiłayóó ’ánízáád ’áko ndi sitsóí ’éí bił ’áyídí.

I Denver to 1-with 3-far.NI but 1-grandsongranddaughter 3-with nearby

Yéego nihee nahóółtą́ągo yá’át’ééh doo yę́ę ’áko shį́į́ naadą́ą́’ dadinóosééł.

hard.GO 1pl-on 3-rain.P.GO 3-good future wish then maybe corn 3pl-grow.F

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

Ła’ nídeezid yę́ędą́ą́’ ’áajigo niséyá.

one month past that-way-GO 1.go.P

Łį́į́’ bá ni’níłjoolgo ’índa kintahgóó diikah.

horse 3-for 2.feed.NCM.P only.then town-GO 3pl.go.F
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I will feed the horse only then we will go to town.