Diné Bizaad - The Navajo Language
Ya'at eeh! Greetings
Navajo is quite complex, with a large variety of noun classes including "animate", "round
object", "long, stiff object" and "granular object".
Very simple verbs in Navajo may translate into many words in English; for instance, the verb si' means "to cause a hafted object to move" or, more practically, "to practice
Use and spelling Navaho or Navajo
This is a response to many inquiries I have been receiving about word “Navaho” as used in articles on this website.
From Research on literature of the Southwest I have come up with the following:
Its origin is described in the “Ethnologic Dictionary of the Navaho Language”.
“The word Navaho, or originally, Navajo, is first mentioned and applied to this tribe of Indians by Fray Alonzo Benavides O. F. M., in his “Memorial to the King of Spain” written in 1630. After describing the Gila Apaches, Benavides says that more than fifty leagues north of these “one encounters the Province of the Apaches of Navajo.
Although they are the same Apache nation as the foregoing, they are subject and subordinate to another Chief Captain, and have a distinct mode of living. For those of back yonder did not use to plant, but sustained themselves by the chase; today we have broken land for them and taught them to plant.
But these of Navajo are very great farmers, for that is what Navajo signifies—great planted fields.”
1. Franciscan Fathers. Ethnologic Dictionary of the Navaho Language.
The Navahos call themselves: “Dine” which means men or people and in conversing with them they will tell you that “Dine” simply means “The People”.
For justifying the use of Navaho in the Dictionary of the English Language and find in Funk and Wagnalls: “Navaho, an important and rapidly increasing branch of Athapascan Indians dwelling in New Mexico and Arizona; employed in herding blanket making, silver smithing, and as laborers in railroad and ether public works.
“Navajo” is the preference shown in Websters New International Dictionary.
This is my Mother she weaves petty rugs
NAVAJO VOCABULARY
The short vowels are pronounced as follows:
| a | as in father |
| e | as in west |
| i | as in sit |
| o | as in low |
The long or doubled vowels are pronounced the same, but the sounds are held longer:
| aa | as in say "aah" | |
| ee | as in yeah | |
| ii | as in see | |
| oo | as in oh |
The combined vowels are pronounced as follows:
| ai | as in my |
| ao | as in cow |
| ei | as in say |
| oi | as in chewy |
MORE VOCABULARY
How do you do! Good. Yah'eh-teh'.
Affectionate greeting. Ah-hah-lah'nih.
Friend. Sih-kiss.'
Grandfather. Shih-chai.'
Grandmother. Shah-mah' tsah'nih.
Mister. Grown man. Hos-teen'.
Grown woman. Ah-dzah'nih.
Young man. Dih-neh'.
Young woman. Chih-keh'.
Baby. Ah-wayh'.
American. Bel-ih-kah'nah.
Navajo. Dih-neh.'
Mexican. Nah'kai.
Pueblo Indians. Kees-ah'nih.
Hopi Indians. Ah-yah' kin'neh.
The President. Washingtone Nah-tah'nih.
Missionary. Eh nay-shod'dih.
Catholic Missionary. Bee-ay' dah'nih nez'ih-gih. (Long coat.)
Protestant Missionary. Bee-ay' ah-dahs' sis'ih-gih. (Short coat.)
Medicine-man. Hah-tah'lih.
Thank you. Ah-sheh'heh.
Yes. O'o.
No. Doh-tah'.
All right. Luh.
No good. Doh'yah ah-shon'dah.
I don't know. Ho'lah.
Where. Hah'dih.
Water. Toh.
Road or trail. Ah-teen'.
Automobile. Chih'dih. (Chug-chug.)
House. Hogan. Hoh-rahn'.
When. (Past time.) Hah-tahne.'
When. (Future time.) Hah-gho'.
How much? Doh quih'?
Dollar. Bay'soh.
Seventy-five cents. Six-bits. Hahs-tahn' yahl.
Fifty cents. Four bits. Deen yahl.
Twenty-five cents. Two bits. Nah-kih' yahl.
Ten cents. Dah-thlai' doh-tleesh'.
Tobacco. Nah-toh'.
Matches. Tsin tleh'thlih.
Blanket. Bayl dlah'dih.
Sand-painting. Ee-kah'.
War Dance. Squaw Dance. Nn-dah' Ah-nah'jih.
Yeibitchai Dance. Night Chant. Klay'jih Hah-tahl'.
Mountain Chant. (Fire Dance.) Dzith kih'jih Hah-tahl'.
Devil-chasing Ceremony. Hoh-chon'jih Hah-tahl'.
Evil spirit. Ghost. Tchin'dih.
Horse. Thleen.
Sheep. Deh-beh'.
Goat. Tliz'zih
American. Bel-ih-kah'nah.
Navajo. Dih-neh.'
Mexican. Nah'kai.
Pueblo Indians. Kees-ah'nih.
Hopi Indians. Ah-yah' kin'neh.
The President. Washingtone Nah-tah'nih.
Missionary. Eh nay-shod'dih.
Catholic Missionary. Bee-ay' dah'nih nez'ih-gih. (Long coat.)
Protestant Missionary. Bee-ay' ah-dahs' sis'ih-gih. (Short coat.)
Medicine-man. Hah-tah'lih.
Thank you. Ah-sheh'heh.
Yes. O'o.
No. Doh-tah'.
All right. Luh.
No good. Doh'yah ah-shon'dah.
I don't know. Ho'lah.
Where. Hah'dih.
Water. Toh.
Road or trail. Ah-teen'.
Automobile. Chih'dih. (Chug-chug.)
House. Hogan. Hoh-rahn'.
When. (Past time.) Hah-tahne.'
When. (Future time.) Hah-gho'.
How much? Doh quih'?
Dollar. Bay'soh.
Seventy-five cents. Six-bits. Hahs-tahn' yahl.
Fifty cents. Four bits. Deen yahl.
Twenty-five cents. Two bits. Nah-kih' yahl.
Ten cents. Dah-thlai' doh-tleesh'.
Tobacco. Nah-toh'.
Matches. Tsin tleh'thlih.
Blanket. Bayl dlah'dih.
Sand-painting. Ee-kah'.
War Dance. Squaw Dance. Nn-dah' Ah-nah'jih.
Yeibitchai Dance. Night Chant. Klay'jih Hah-tahl'.
Mountain Chant. (Fire Dance.) Dzith kih'jih Hah-tahl'.
Devil-chasing Ceremony. Hoh-chon'jih Hah-tahl'.
Evil spirit. Ghost. Tchin'dih.
Horse. Thleen.
Sheep. Deh-beh'.
Goat. Tliz'zih