-YAA

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Navajo[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Athabaskan *haɢ (to do, to make) in the perfective, from Proto-Athabaskan *ni (to do, to make) in the imperfective, future and optative, and from Proto-Athabaskan *enˀ (to do, to make) in the iterative (see -ʼĮĮD).

The stem initial undergoes a number of special alternations in presence of ł-classsifier and d-effect (see Stem Set section below).

Root[edit]

-YAA

 1. to do, to make, to happen

Theme Category Bases Impersonal (+ha) Transitive (O + ł) Reversionary (ná + O + ł) Reflexive (+l)

S does (thus)

it happens

S makes O

S repairs, restores O

S

 2. various meanings depending on thematic prefix

Theme Category Bases Transitive (O + ł) Revers (ná + O + ł) Passive / Reflexive (+l)
hashtʼe + d

S gets ready

hashtʼehodiʼnééh

S packs O, prepares O

hashtʼehalééh
hashtʼeʼelééh

S fixes, corrects O

S prepares itself

ashja + ∅

S gives a chance

Pi + ʼa + ∅

S duplicates P,
takes a picture of P

Pi + ∅

S becomes like each other

hadi + ∅

S dresses up

S dresses O up

kó + O + l

S attracts O towards self

kʼéédi + d

S gets even with

shó + ∅

there is a catastrophe

S does awful things to O

tí + ∅

S injures O

S is injured, injures itself

Stem set[edit]

Aspect IMP PERF FUT ITER OPT
MOM -nééh -dzaa -nííł -ʼįįh -nééh
MOM +ł -lééh -laa -lííł -ʼįįh -lééh

See also Appendix: Roots and stems derivation.

  1. In the perfective, ∅-classifier themes always take a d-classifier:
    • d + -yaa = -dzaa
  2. ł-classifier and stem-initial merge as follows:
    • ł + -nééh = -∅-lééh
    • ł + -yaa = -∅-laa
  3. Under d-effect for 1st person duoplural and passives, classifier merges first:
    • (d + ł) + -nééh = -l-nééh
    • (d + ł) + -yaa = -l-yaa
  4. Under d-effect for ná-reversionary, stem initial merges first:
    • d + (ł + -nééh) = -d-lééh
    • d + (ł + -yaa) = -d-laa

Synonyms[edit]

to do, to make:

 

Derived terms[edit]

Navajo terms belonging to the root -YAA (make)