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

’Asdzą́ą́ t’ah doo naalyéhé bá hooghangóó digháah da.

woman still NEG trading.post-to 3-walk.I NEG

’Awéé’ bimá bit’ah sitį́.

baby 3-mother 3-undercover 3-lying.SPN
listenloadingplaying

The baby is lying under the same covers with its mother.

’Ayóo deesk’aazgo beeldléí ditánígíí biih násh’nah.

very cold-GO blanket 3-thick.NI-ÍGÍÍ 3-into 1-crawl.R

’Ałchíní ’ólta’di t’áá ’áhą́dígo ’ahąąh naazį́.

boy school-at just together-GO abreast pl-3-stand.SPN

’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
listenloadingplaying

They say that long ago the grass in the Navajo country was as high as a horse’s belly.

’Ałní’ní’ą́ągo tó háálínídi ’ahéédidiit’ash.

noon-GO spring-at refl-1du-meet.F

’Ałts’ísígo nihich’į́’ hadeesdzih.

3-small.NI-GO 2du-to 1-speak.F
listenloadingplaying

I’m going to speak to you a little.

"Binák’eegóó baa da’ashch’osh lá," didíínííł.

3-eye-between-around 3-to pl-3-infest.P DISC 3-2-tell.F

-káá’

-nah

aside, to one side

-t’ah

listenloadingplaying

in a recess, pocket or enclosed space, undercover

Bíni’dii si’ą́ t’áádoo baa nánít’íní.

3-let-stay 3-sit.SRO.SPN just.NEG 3-about 2-bother.NI

Bįįh b da’doołdǫǫh.

deer 3-with pl-2dpl-shoot.I

Ch’ééh jiyáán hooghangóó dah dii’ą́ągo shee nikihoníłtą́.

watermelon home-toward up 3-1-move.SRO.P 1-with area-start-rain.P

Chidí daats’í bee hólǫ́ ’éí doodaii’ niísh chidí nee hólǫ́?

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

Chidí sits’ą́ą́’ hashtł’ish yiih yilwodgo t’áá ch’į́į́góó ch’ééh ’ííł’įįd.

car 1-away mud 3-into 3-go.P-GO just fail in.vain 3-1-act.P

Da’ ’ałní’ní’ą́ąjį’ tł’óo’di nishínílnish?

Q noon-until outside-at 2-work.P

Damóogo ’áłah ’aleeh ’áko ’áadi nihaadíínááł.

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

Dibé bighan báátis dah yiishte’.

Sheep corral 3-over up 1-climb.P

Doo chosh shijooł’į́į́’ léi’gi’ ’át’éégóó sh hóyéé’.

NEG 3-1-make.use.O proof.against-NEG 1-with lazy.NI

Doo choshijooł’į́į́’ le’ ’át’éégóó sh hóyéé’.

NEG 3-1-make.use.O proof.against-NEG 1-with lazy.NI

Doozhǫǫgo da’ííłta’ígíí t’éiyá yá’át’éehgo naanish bá dahólǫ́.

satisfactory pl-3-study.P-NOM only 3-good.N-GO work 3-for pl-3-exist.NI
listenloadingplaying

Only the people with a decent education have good jobs.

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

Gah bik’ee’ taah yí’áhígóó ’eesbąs.

rabbit foot water 3-into1-drive.Prog
listenloadingplaying

I’m driving to Florida.

Gah bikéé’ yishwoł.

rabbit 3-following 1-run.Prog

Haidą́ą́’ ’a’áán góne’ naashnish ńt’éé’ --- doo sh yá’áhoot’éeh da.

winter-past mine.shaft 1-work.I past NEG 1-with 3-good.N NEG

Háágóó díníyá?

where-to 2-go.F

Hádą́ą́’sh Mary ’ólta’dę́ę́’ nádzá?

when-past-Q Mary school-from 3-return.P

Hodíina’go bááh dootł’izhí deeshį́į́ł dóó ’ahwéé b ła’ deeshdlį́į́ł.

after.a.while-GO bread blue 3-1-eat.F and coffee 3-with some 3-1-drink.F

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

Jó n bééhozin shibéeso ’adingo

because 2-with 3-knowledge.CI 1-money 3-dwindle.CI-GO

Kintahgóó diit’ash.

town-to 1dpl-go.du.Prog

Na’nízhoozhígóó deeyá, ya’?

Gallup-toward 2-go.sg.F Q

Naakaii Bito’gi béégashii bee łá’í ’ídlínígíí bee ’anishtah.

mexican water-at cow 3-with one-unify.P-COMP 3-with 1-among.NI
listenloadingplaying

I’m a member of the Mexican Springs Cattle Association.

Naaki yiską́ągo Na’nízhoozhígóó shił ’adeeswod.

two yesterday Gallup-to 1-with 1-drive.F

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

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

1-sit and table 3-on 1-place-1-foot.P
listenloadingplaying

I sat down and put my feet on the table.

Nida’iishnishgo hooghangóó nídésdzáa lą́ą.

1-after.work.P-GO home-to 1-go.F EMP

Nidáa’di ’áká’ ’ajólyééd.

enemy.way.ceremony-at 4-for 4-run.O
listenloadingplaying

One wishes to help at the enemy way ceremony.

Shilééchąą’í bikéé’ yishááł.

my.dog 3-following 1-go.Prog

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

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

Shí t’óó ’ááłk’iis yisháałgo shizhé’é tsékooh gódeg ha’asbą́ą́z.

1 merely SUP-alongside 1-go.Prog-GO 1-father canyon areal-up up-3-drive.P
listenloadingplaying

My father drove (a wagon) up out of the canyon with me walking alongside.

Sitsiitł’óól tsásk’eh bikáá’ dah yishłééh.

Navajo.hair.tie bed 3-on up 3-1-put.SFO.U

T’ah doo béeso ’ałtso ’ádįįhdą́ą́’ chidí bitoo’ nahíłniih.

still NEG money all 3-not.exist.NI-past vehicle 3-fuel 3-2-buy.I

T’áá ch’ééh ’ásht’į́įgo bįįh biyaaghah ’eelwod.

just in.vain 1-act.NI-GO deer 3-around.corner 3- run.away.P
listenloadingplaying

I was still trying (to get a bead) when the deer went around a corner and disappeared.

T’áá shǫǫ hooghandi nádzáá lá.

good.thing home-at 3-return.P DISC

Tsxį́įłgo łees’áán ádíílííł; nimásání nihaa yíghááh!

quickly tortilla 2-make.F 2.poss-mat.grandma-NOM 1.pl-to 3-come.F

Yiską́ągo nighandi naadeeshááł.

tomorrow 2-home-at 2-to-1-go.F

Ła’ nídeezid yę́ędą́ą́’ ’áajigo niséyá.

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

ʼDa’azhishgóó, sis łigaii shaʼ díílééł.

dance-to 1-go.F belt silver 1-borrow 3-lend.SFO.F