Birthday Project 2013--Navajo Word of the Day

[Theresa]

Well, this was so much fun last year that I thought it was worth repeating. I'll probably repeat a few from last year, but I'll be on the hunt for new words for us to learn.

So let's learn some Navajo!

Yá’át’ééh
Hello

Literally: it is good (alternatively: it is well).

This is considered the Navajo ‘hello,’ so it can be used to greet people.

It can also be used with ‘shił’ as in ‘shił yá’át’ééh’ to mean ‘I like it.’


http://navajowotd.com/post/17937688676/yaat-eeh

[shadowydog]

And a big ‘shił yá’át’ééh’ back attcha.

[Buster]

...and the classic Anglo corruption: Ya Ta Hay

[Theresa]

...and the classic Anglo corruption: Ya Ta Hay

[Theresa]

Tsídii
Birds

Tsídii is the Navajo word for birds of all types.



Here are a few common bird names:

Atsá - Eagle
Joogii - Blue Jay
Gáagii - Crow
Naalʼeełí - Duck
Néʼéshjaaʼ - Owl
Tązhii - Turkey


http://navajowotd.com/post/32742814190/tsidii

[Theresa]

Łééchąą’í
Dog
Also shortened to just łééchąą’, the Navajo word łééchąą’í refers to domesticated dogs.

Inside this word is the separate chąą’. This is a word meaning ‘excrement, feces, poop, etc.’.

This, like many other Navajo words, is intended to be an easy, yet unique, descriptor. So the entire word is saying, in not a vulgar sense, ‘the pooping pet.’ It is perhaps a remark on the relative lack of discretion on a typical dog’s part when “doing business.”


http://navajowotd.com/post/47714783008/leechaai

[shadowydog]

So they consider dogs "poop" machines?

[Theresa]

So they consider dogs "poop" machines?

I used to call my dog "Poopers" because that's what she excelled at.

[SnoopyDances]

Thanks for bringing this back, Theresa!

[Theresa]

Gólizhii
Skunk

In contrast to the Navajo word for the “pet that defecates (all the time; everywhere)”, or dog (łééchąą’í), is the animal that is known for urinating.

That would be the skunk, gólizhii or gólízhii.

Lizh is the part of the word that forms the root for the verbs “to urinate.” Attached to that word is the nominalizer (-igii, -í, -ii; makes a thing out of an action), or lizhii.

The first part of the word for dog, łéé-, is though of as identifying a pet animal. That is replaced with gó in this case as skunks aren’t kept as pets - or at least it’s not common practice. As for gó itself, the reason isn’t entirely clear. When the variant goh (go’) is a root, as opposed to a leading particle, it typically refers to something that is falling, or flowing.

It’s not hard to imagine the justification for calling a skunk the peeing animal.


http://navajowotd.com/post/48210990579/golizhii

[Theresa]

Ak’éí
Relatives and family

Yá’át’ééh shik’éí dóó shidiné’é. (Greetings my relatives and my people.)

This is a more formal, yet intimate, way of greeting a large group. It’s part of an introduction that commonly precedes a speech, or address, of some sort.

Ak’éí, and most nouns that are preceded by a-, is a non-possessive from of “relatives” and “family.” Add shi/ni/bi/nihi/etc. to say my/your/his (or her)/our (their) family.

Here are a few elder family terms that are useful to know:

amá - mother
azhé’é - father
amá sání - maternal grandmother
acheii - maternal grandfather
análí asdzą́ą́ - maternal grandmother
análí hastiin - paternal grandfather

In combination with the Diné (Navajo) clan system, these words can extend outside the immediate family. For example, if a woman’s second clan (her father’s clan) were the same as another man’s first clan (his mother’s clan), she calls him her older/younger father depending on his age relative to her own father’s age. There are many unique relationships that arise from this system.


http://navajowotd.com/post/36820634861/akei

[Theresa]

Ak’éí (Continued…)

The first post for ak’éí gave you the Navajo terms for elderly relatives.

Here are terms for siblings:

ádí (shádí / nádí / bádí) - older sister
adeezhí (shideezhí / nideezhí / bideezhí) - younger sister
ánaaí (shínaaí / nínaaí / bínaaí) - older brother
atsilí (shitsilí / nitsilí / bitsilí) - younger brother
The first terms are non possessive, followed by the first, second, then third person forms i.e. “my older sister” / “your older sister” / “his/her older sister.”

It is common to use the term “friend” (shik’is) between brothers. Siblings can refer to each other using ‘shilah’ but only if the siblings are of the opposite sex.

Rounding off this set of terms is the word for a spouse, which is ach’ooní.

(Sometimes it’s helpful to remember the proper sibling terms by recalling that sister terms have ‘ad-’ and in both cases of brother and sister, the elder term starts with a high-tone.)


http://navajowotd.com/post/36897000002/akei-continued

[fireflydances]

Thank you Theresa, I really enjoyed the Navajo last year and it's great to have it back.

[Theresa]

Today's word is a repeat from last year...one of the few Navajo words that I remembered since it sounds like what I want to tell people before I've had my first cup of the morning..."Go away"

Gohwééh
Coffee

Have it in the morning, throughout the day, or maybe not at all because it raises your blood pressure too much. Gohwééh is coffee.

Coffee grounds were among the first government issued rations given to Navajo people in the late 19th century. Bitter as is was, eating it was common because very few people actually knew how to boil it into water.

Today, gohwééh is a staple in workplaces, homes, and gatherings — along with some pastries or cookies to avoid stomach aches.


http://navajowotd.com/post/21209822426/gohweeh

[SnoopyDances]