Introduction to Navajo Adverbs

This lexicon is built on a list from Young & Morgan (1987:12-17). This list is a heterogeneous collection of expressions that certainly belong to more than one syntactic category. For instance, it includes time expressions like ’adą́ą́dą́ą́’ (‘yesterday’) and ’ałní’ní’ą́ (‘at noon’), but it also includes the negative frame doo…da and several expressions that are constructed with it, and it includes various particles that tend to appear before the verb (e.g., hah ’quickly’; dah ‘up’). These appear in various places within a clause. Oddly, ńt’éé (a particle denoting past time which is placed after the verb) is in the list, but dooleeł (a particle denoting future time which appears in the same position) is not in the list.

We constructed this tool using Young & Morgan’s list without making adjustments to it. There may be a future version that includes different selections.

Ła’ ha’nitáhígíí ’éí biihidzóhí 50 entries

’Akóyaa ’adah, t’áá baa ’áhólchįįh.

there-down down, just 3-to 2-aware.NI

’Ayóigo deesk’aaz --- ’áyąą dah dinítsiz.

terribly cold no.wonder up 2-shiver.NI

’Ałk’ésdisí naháłnii’go sitsilí dóó shideezhí ’aheełt’éego bá ’ahá níjaa’.

candy 3-1-buy.P-GO 1-little.brother and 1-little.sister RECP-equal-GO 3-for RECP-for 3-lie.aligned.PlO.NP

’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

’Áshįįh Bii’ Tóógóó náádísdzáago dziłghą́ą́’ hanáádeesh’nah.

Salt.Lake.City-toward again-1-go.F-GO mountain-back again-1-climb.R

’Ííłta’ dóó ’iiłghaazh.

1-read.P CONJ 1-sleep.P

-k’eh + -jí

bik’ídiidis

3DO-1dpl-wrap.it.around.it.I

Da’ k’ad daats’í ch’iyáán ’áníléehgo n ’adazh’niiyą́ą́’?

Q now perhaps food 2-make.I-GO 2-for feast.happen

Da’ Ron saad nináánéíłkaah ya’?

Q Ron word 3-3-investigate.I Q

Dah doónááł lágo!

up 2-go.F don’t

dajishbéézh

pl-3DO-4dpl-boil.it.P

dajishóóh

pl-3DO-4dpl-brush/comb.it.I

Damǫ́ǫgo tódilchxoshí yishdlį́į́h.

Sunday-GO soda 3-1-drink.U

Dibé ła’ yóó’ ’íínilgo k’adę́ę ’e’e’aahgo ch’ééh naanááshwoł.

sheep some away 3-1-lose.P-GO almost evening in.vain 3-after 1-run.around.P

didadoołjéé’

pl-3DO-2dpl-start.fire.P

didííníłjéé’

3DO-2-start.fire.P

Díí dziłígíí shádi’ááh bich’ijígo ’ałkéé’ ’adíítąąd.

this mountain-Comp southward 3-toward-GO one-behind-another 3Pl-scatter.NP

doo --- ndi

Doo t’áá k’ad ’ííłta’ da.

NEG just now 1-go.school.P NEG

Doo t’áá k’ad chidí na’ní’ą́ą da.

NEG just now vehicle 2-3-1-lend.P NEG

Ha’át’éegoshą’ t’áadoo díníyáa da?

why-Q neg 2-go.sg.P NEG

ha’át’íí

haa nízah nináhálzhishgo shą’

Haa’í lá neezgai?

where Q 3-hurt.N

Haahláyéé ch’íjíghááh.

don’t.dare out-4-come.I

Haash nízah kodóó nighanjį’?

how-Q 3-long.N here-from 2-home-to

hadaniilchaad

pl-3DO-1dpl-card.it.(as.in.wool).P

Hastiin Nééz doo ’asht’é’égóó nihibéégashii yá doolnih.

Mr. Long extremely 1pl-cow 3-for 3-annoy.Prog

Jooł ’ahííłhan ’áádóó ’atiin dóó ’anít’i’ báhátis ’eelts’id.

ball 3-1-throw.P and.then road and fence 3-over 3-move.SRO.P

Ni daats’í nił bééhózin ’éí doodaii’ nicheii daats’í bił bééhózin?

2 perhaps 2-with 3-know.CI TOP or 2-grandfather perhaps 3-with 3-know.CI

Nichidíshą’ háadi nííníłbą́ą́z?

2-car-Q where-at 3-2-park.P

nidadoohłeeł

pl-3DO-2dpl-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.F

Nił hǫ́zhǫ́ǫ́sh doodaii’ doósh nił hózhǫ́ǫ da?

2-with-happy.NI-Q or neg-Q 2-with happy.NI neg

Níyolgo t’áá ’áko niishch’ił.

wind-GO immediately 3-blink.U

Shá bíighah ’azee’ál’į́įdi sédá.

sun proportionate medicine 3-make.I 1-sit.SPN

Shíká ’anilyeed, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

1-for 2-run.F Obi-Wan Kenob

Sikétsíín diniihgo bik’í’dísdis.

1-ankle pain-GO 3-wrap.I

Sitsóí éí ’ashiiké nidaanéego ’atah nijóne’ laanaa nízin.

my.grandson TOP boy pl-3pl-play.I-GO join 4-play.O hope 3-3.want.CI

t’ah ńt’éé’

Tó lą’ígo nidlą́ ’áko bee nitah yá’áh’hoot’ééh dooleeł.

water many 3-2-drink.DI so 3-with 2-among pl-3-good.NI future

Tsé’áándę́ę́’ dóó tsédáajį’ ninish’na’.

cave-from and cliff-to 1-crawl.P

Tł’éédą́ą́’ mą’ii léi’ shidááh gónaa ch’élwod.

last-night coyote there 1-before areal-around 3-move-rapidly.P

Tł’éédą́ą́’ ni’shéłhaazh.

night-past 1-rest.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

Yéego ’ííníłta’, shi’awéé’, ’áko nizhónígo ni’dííłtah.

really 2-study.NI 1-baby so well 2-graduate.F

yidooyį́į́ł

3DO-3-eat.it.F

yiilbéézh

3DO-1dpl-boil.it.I

yiilzhóó’

3DO-1dpl-brush/comb.it.P

Łééchąą’í ’ałch’į’ yiil’aad.

dog RECIP-toward 3-1du-sic.P