Introduction to Navajo Postpositions

This is a lexicon of Navajo postpositions and postpositional enclitics.

Postpositions are pretty much the same as prepositions in English but a postposition appears after its noun phrase object rather than before it. Postpositions tend to be short words with meanings that indicate information about location, direction, or timing of an event described by the verb in the sentence, or about the kind of role played by the noun phrase in the event.

There is a relatively small number of postpositions, so by memorizing them, language learners can quickly improve their comprehension of Navajo.

This lexicon includes 14 postpositional enclitics and 75 postpositions based on Young & Morgan (1987:25-26).

In example (1), sha’áłchíní bá is a postpositional phrase, meaning ‘for my children’.

(1)
Sha’áłchíní b ch’iyáán ’íishłaa.
1-children 3-for food 3-1-cook.P
I cooked for my children.

The postposition is -á, and the pronoun prefix is b-. This is a third person prefix, which is why the gloss underneath bá has a 3 in it. The meaning of -á is ‘for’, and this is also indicated in the gloss. Also, the sh in the word sha’áłchíní, ‘my children’, is a first person pronoun prefix. This pronoun prefix also appears inside the verb ’íishłaa. Note that the gloss is 3-1-cook.P; this indicates that the word means ‘I cooked it’: 3-1 in the gloss indicates that the subject of the verb is first person (‘I’), and the object is third person (‘it’). For a guide to glossing, click here.

The first person prefix appears again on the postposition -ił (‘with’), in the example below:

(2)
Chidí k’asdą́ą́’ sh ’adah ch’éélwod.
car almost 1-with down off-3-go.P
The car almost ran off (the road) with me.

Postpositional Enclitics do not have pronoun prefixes, and instead attach directly onto another phrase. In the example below, the enclitic is -di (‘at’). It is attached directly to Na’nízhoozhí (‘Gallup, New Mexico’). There is no pronoun prefix:

(3)
Ch’óóshdą́ą́dą́ą́’ Na’nízhoozhídi kééhasht’į́ ńt’éé’.
formerly Gallup-at 1-live.I past
I used to live in Gallup.

In the example below, the enclitic -gi is attached to the postpositional phrase tsé biká (‘on the rock’). The pronoun prefix bi- is attached to the postposition -káá (‘on’), not to the enclitic:

(4)
Tsé bikáa’gi béésh dah si’ą́.
rock 3-on-at knife up 3-sit.SNP
The knife is on the rock.

Note that both -di and -gi are glossed as ‘at’. The enclitic -di is used for more general locations, and -gi is used for more specific ones.

The postpositional enclitics in this lexicon are, from the list in YMM (1992:938-09):

-dą́ą́’
past time
-dę́ę́’
from a general location or point in space or time, also out of, off of
-di
at a general location
-dóó
from a specific location or point in space or time
-ę́ę-dą́ą́’ =yę́ędą́ą́’
back when
-gi
at a specific location
-góó
to, toward, along, on, with a numeral it indicates a date
-í-jígo
over in the direction of the place where
-jigo
toward, northward
-jí
designates ceremonies, religious and political institutions and lifeways
-jí
on the side of, in the direction of, in the manner of
-jí-k’ehgo
in the manner of
-jį́’
up to, as far as
-k’eh -jí
in the way(s) of

The pronoun prefixes, which can appear on postpositions, are shown below:

singular dual-plural
1st person shi- nihi-
2nd person ni- nihi-
3rd person yi-/bi-
4th person ho-
unspecified ’a
reciprocal ’ahi-
reflexive ’ádi-
area ha-; ho-; go-

In using these prefixes, the final vowel sometimes changes due to the sound that comes next (e.g. shi-ałchiní → sha’áłchíní; ni- ’asdzą́ą́ → ne’asdzą́ą́; bi- ’awéé’ → be’ewéé’ / be’awéé’).

An example search has returned 50 entries

’Ach’íí’ ła’ deeshį́į́ł.

rolled.intestine some 1-eat.F
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I will eat rolled intestines now and then.

’Aseezį́ binaaltsoos biníkádinishchid.

gossip 3-paper 3-through-1-stick.finger.P
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I stuck my finger (hand) through the newspaper.

’Awéé’ dah biséłdá.

baby up 3-1-CAUS-hold.AnO.SPN

’Awééh kweʼé ninishteeh, adaʼoogeeh.

baby here 3-carry.AnO.I 3-fall.O

’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

’Áłchíní hazhóʼí bik’i yíldził.

children careful 3-for 2-support.Prog

-ch’ijí

toward, on the side, supporting;

-dę́ę́’

listenloadingplaying

from a general location or point in space or time (also out of, off of)

-í + -jígo

over in the direction of the place where

Baa dahwiinít’ínígíí sh bééhodoozįįł nissin.

agenda 1-with 3-about-ho-find.out.F 3-1-want.NI

Bee’eldííldahsinil kintahdi sh ’oolwoł ńt’éé’ tsístł’ahazt’i’ léi’ góne’ sh ’o’oolwod.

Albuquerque town-at 1-with 3-run.Prog past deadend a areal-in 1-with 3-drive.P

bik’ízhdeezdiz

3DO-4-wrap.it.around.it.P

bíhoosh’aah

1-learn.it.I

Ch’íníyáá nít’ę́ę́’ t’áá hooshch’į’ łééchąą’í shich’į’ ch’élwod.

out-1-go.P past suddenly 1-to dog out-3-come.P

Ch’ééh jiyáán hooghangóó dah dii’ągo shee nikihoníłt.

watermelon home-toward up 3-1-move.SRO.P 1-with area-start-rain.P
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When I set out for home with the melon it started to rain on me.

dah

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up (at an elevation), off (as in starting off), static (holding)

daoołhį́į́’

pl-3DO-2dpl-melt.it.(snow).P

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

this night only.then uninterrupted 1-sleep.F
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I will sleep well tonight.

Doo ’áłah diidleeł da.

NEG together pl-1dpl-meet.pl.F NEG

doodago

CONJ

Ha’át’éego lá ’íiyisíí ’atiinjį’ ’ańdeeshdááł lá?

how Q main road-up.to 1-back-on-go.F DISC
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How can I get back onto the main road?

haa néelą́ą́’

listenloadingplaying

how much, how many, what quantity. [mass]

Haaʼí lá áshį́į́h nííníʼą́?

where-Q salt 3-2-handle.SRO.P
listenloadingplaying

Where did you put the salt?

haniłgéésh

3DO-2-cut.it.out.I

hazhnííłchaad

3DO-4-card.it.(as.in.wool).P

Jáan biʼdizhchínéejįʼ ʼanááhoolzhiizh. Tįʼ bá daʼdiidįį́ł.

John 2-birth-up-to again-area-arrive.P let's.go 3-for pl-2-eat.F
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It is John’s birthday, let’s have a dinner for him.

K’ad hooghangóó nááshdááł dooleeł.

now hogan-toward 1-go.Prog FUT

K’adę́ę ’ałné’e’áahgo díchin bik’ee shitah ’anahodí’niitłi’.

now noon hunger 3-account 1-among 1-shake.R
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When it is nearly noon, I get shaky from hunger.

KinŁánídi ’ííníshta’ ńt’éé’ ’áádóó t’áá ’ániidígo ’áadi náánísdzáá ńtéé’ ’ééhosisya’ lá.

Flagstaff-in 1-study.P past and.then just recently there-at 1-return.P past 1-get.hazy.P disc
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I was young I went to school in Flagstaff but I returned there recently to find that I’m so hazy about things that I barely recognize the place.

léi’

Mosi ałtsi’si ndi nidaaz.

cat small but 3-heavy.NI

The cat is small but it is heavy.

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.

Naaltsoos yiníshta’go shíni’ shaa ’áyiilaa.

book 3-1-read.I-GO 1-mind 1-for 3-3-make.P
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The book I was reading established my thoughts.

Nédáá dóó bikáá’adání bik’i ndinís’eez.

1-sit and table 3-on 1-place-1-foot.P
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I sat down and put my feet on the table.

Nichxǫ’ báhádzid.

stop 3-P-be.dangerous
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Stop, it is a bad thing!

Nighéí na’ashch’ąą’ígíí níil’į́.

over.there painting-ÍGÍÍ 3-2-du.look.I
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We (us two) are looking at that painting.

niłbéézh

3DO-2-boil.it.I

Níléidi t’áá bahat’aadí shábitł’óól noolzhee’.

There-at just clear-NOM sun.3.rays 3-rays.I
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Clearly, the sun rays are over there.

Níléígóó díní’į́į́’ shidíiniidgo ’áádóó ’áajigo déé’į́į́’.

over.there-toward 2-look.I 1-3-say.P-GO and.then that.way-toward 1-look.P
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I was told to look that way and then I looked that way.

Níwe, naaltsoos wolʼigi tʼáádoo nahízǫsí. Baa ʼáhólyą́.

stop paper 3-read.CI-ÍGÍÍ NEG 3-2-tear.P.NEG 3-of 2-care.CI
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Stop! Do not tear the book. Take care of it.

Shá bíighah na’ashkǫ́ǫ́’.

sun proportionate 1-swim.CI

Shicheii haastihgo łáháda ninálnish.

1-grandfather 3-become.old.P-GO seldom 3-work.R

Shínaaí shikétł’á ’iiyilgo łį́į́’ bikáá’ hasis’na’.

1-older.brother 1-foot-bottom 3-3-boost.P-GO horse 3-top up-1-crawl.P
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My older brother boosted me and I got up on the horse’s back.

Sikétsíín diniihgo bik’í’dísdis.

1-ankle pain-GO 3-wrap.I
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My ankle aches so I’m wrapping it

Tóógóó łį́į́’ ’ałkéé’ deíkááh.

water-to horse RECIP-behind 3-walk.pl.Prog

Tsé nitsaa ’áko nidaaz.

stone 3-big CONJ 3-heavy

Yiską́ągo naaltsoos naa deesh’ááł.

tomorrow book 2-for 1-move.SRO.F

Łeechaʼí ʼóyą́ą́, éí nabídishgizh.

Dog 3-eat.O TOPIC 3-surgery.P
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Don´t let the dog eat, it had surgery.

łah