niimas

Navajo

Etymology

ni- (“round shape”) + -yi- (semelfactive) + -∅- (3rd person subject prefix) + -∅- (classifier) + -mas (semelfactive imperfective stem of root -MÁÁZ, “to roll”).

The stem -máás (“globular, spherical, ball-like shape”) is cognate with -bą́ą́z (“hooplike, ringlike shape”), and they have the same origin, which possibly is Proto-Athabaskan *wątsʼ (“roll”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nìːmɑ̀s/

Verb

niimas

1. he/she/it is rolling up into a ball, is curling up (a cat, a person in a bed)

Conjugation

Paradigm: Semelfactive (yii/si).

IMPERFECTIVE	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	niismas	niiʼmas	daniiʼmas
2nd person	niimas	noohmas	danoohmas
3rd person	niimas		daniimas
4th person	jiniimas		dazhniimas

PERFECTIVE	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	némas	neeʼmas	daneeʼmas
2nd person	nínímas	sinoomas	dasinoomas
3rd person	neezmas		daneezmas
4th person	jineezmas		dazhneezmas

FUTURE	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	dínéesmas	díníiʼmas	dadíníiʼmas
2nd person	díníímas	dínóohmas	dadínóohmas
3rd person	dínóomas		dadínóomas
4th person	dízhnóomas		dazhdínóomas

Related terms

• chʼémáás
• chʼííłmáás
• haamáás
• haiłmáás
• iiłmáás
• iimáás
• naamaas
• neiłmaas
• nímaz
• yiłmáás
• yíłmáás
• yiłmaz
• yimáás
• yímáás
• yimas
• yiniiłmas
• yiniłmas
• yoołmas

 

See also

• iiłbąąs