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

’Atsiniltł’ish dóó tó dayókeedígíí baa ’áłah ’aleeh lá.

electricity and water pl-3-request.I-NOM 3-for meeting DISC

’Azhą́ deesk’aaz ndi t’áá ’ákwíí jį́ na’nishkaad.

even. though 3-cold.SPN but just every day 1-herd CI

’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.

’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.

’Ałk’idą́ą́’ tł’oh naadą́ą́’ dant’į́įhgo łį́į́’ doodaii’ béégashii da há hadahwiił’éés ńt’éé’.

long.ago grass corn 3-ripen.I-GO horse or cow etc. 4-for 3-stomp.I past

’áádóó

CONJ

’Áádóó ch’íníyá nít’ę́ę́’ shik’ijiijéé’.

and.then out-1-go.P past 1-on-4-attack.pl.P
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And then I went out, and they attacked me.

’áko ndi

CONJ
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even so, even then

’Áłt’ąą nida’iilyę́ęgo ’inda nánídááh.

after 2-pay-go only 2-show up

’Áłtsé biba’ dooleeł ’áko shį́į́ ’índa nih dah adidoolwoł.

first 3.for will until then only 1.with start 3-drive.F

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

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

’Íídeeshwosh daats’í doodaii’ saad naalkaah bindeeshnish.

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

Át’ah ’índa shaa náádíídááł.

later 1-to again-2-come.F

Ch’ééh jiyáán náshdį́į́h ’áádóó tó náshdlį́į́h.

watermelon again-1-eat.R then water again-1-drink.R

Ch’iyáán ’íishłaa ’áádóó da’iidą́ą́’.

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

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 łizhinígíí doodago łigaaígíí daats’í nahideeshnih?

car black-nom or white-nom perhaps 3-2-buy.F

Da’ chidíísh bee hólǫ́ doodaii’ ni daats’í chidí nee hólǫ́?

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

Dichinísh doodaii’ dibáá’ísh dzinízin?

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

Diné nishłį́ndi Bilaagana bizaad t’éí bee yáshti’.

Navajo 1-be.NI but English language only 3-with 1-speak.I

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.

doodaii’

or
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or

dóó

CONJ
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and, and then

háálá

because
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for, because

Háí dahoneesná, Kinłánídę́ę́’ ’Óola yee ’ádadójíhígíí doodago Gah Bikee’ Taah Yí’áhídę́ę́’ Hado yee ’ádadójíhígíí daats’í?

who pl-3-win.P Denver-from nugget 3-with RFLX-pl-4-call.NI-nom or Florida-from heat 3-with RFLX-pl-4-call.NI-nom perhaps

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

Joe dóó Louise dóó Kii dahataał.

Joe and Louise and Kii pl-3-sing.CI

K’idadeelyáá nit’éé’ t’óó daazgan, háálá doo nahałtin da.

1pl-plant.P past just 3pl-dry.SPN, because NEG 3-rain.CI NEG

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

Naakidi ’oolkiłgo ’áko ’índa ’áajigo dah diiyá.

two.at time-GO after.that. towards.GO start 1.go.I
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After 2 o’clock I started to go that way.

Naat’áanii ’índa níyá.

boss just 3.arrive.P
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The boss arrived.

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

Nida’iilyéego ’áłt’ąą yiską́ągo ’índanááł doo.

pass.pay.I-go after.all tomorrow only.then 2-come.Prog future

Sha’ałchíní ayóó niłch’í naalkídi deineł’į́ ’áko ndi shí éí shináá bąą adin.

1-children very air 3-move.I 3-3.look.I however I 1-eyes 3-on doesn’t exist.

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.

Shidá’í látsíní ’áyiilaa’ii’ yaa bił hoozhǫǫhgo bima yaa yinítą́.

1-uncle bracelet 3-make.P-and 3-3-happy.I 3-mother 3-3-give.P

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

1-friend 3-with 3-drive CONJ 1-Pl-eat.F
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My friend is coming (by car); maybe we’ll eat then (when s/he gets here).

Shimá dóó shizhé’é Yootóodi ’ółta’ ńt’éé’.

1-mother and 1-father Santa.Fe-at 3-go.to.school.NI past

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.

Shíká ’anánílwo’ doodaii’ t’áadoo shaa nánít’íní.

1-for 3-run.R or just-neg 1-to 2-1-bother.I

Shį́įgo ’ahbínígo ’ashdladi dóó ’ałníi’go k’adę́ę ha’a’aah łeh.

summer-GO morning-GO five-at and half-GO almost 3-sunrise.I usually
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At five thirty in the summer time the sun is about to come up.

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 nitsaa ’áko nidaaz.

stone 3-big CONJ 3-heavy
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The stone is big so it is heavy.

Yiską́ągo daats’í doodaii’ naakiiską́ągo daats’í dah dideeshááł.

tomorrow.GO maybe either two.tomorrow-GO or start.off 1-start.go.F

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

ʼAwéé chʼídeeldloʼ; chʼiyáán bá ʼádaʼdoołííł dóó bá niʼdaʼdoonih.

baby 3-laugh.P food 3-for pl-3-2dpl-prepare.F and 3-for pl-3-2dpl-distribute.F