íílééh
Navajo
Etymology
ʼá- (“thus”) + -y- (3rd person object prefix) + ∅- (3rd person subject prefix) + -ł- (classifier) + -nééh (imperfective stem of root -YAA, “to make”).
Classifier and stem-initial merge as follows:
- ł + -nééh > -∅-lééh
- ł + -yaa > -∅-laa
The stem initial reappears under d-effect (1st person duoplural and passives):
- d + ł + -nééh > -l-nééh
- d + ł + -yaa > -l-yaa.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ʔíːléːh/
Verb
íílééh
- he/she is making it
- Bááh ádeiilnééh. ― We are making bread.
- (with łahgo) he/she is changing it, altering it
- (with ąą) he/she is opening it
Usage notes
- Both áshłaa and íishłaa are acceptable first-person singular perfective forms of this verb.
- the perfective is highly irregular, and appears to follow a yii-imperfective paradigm.
- Iterative and usitative use the suppletive stem -ʼįįh, from root -ʼĮĮD, of similar meaning.
Conjugation
Paradigm: Momentaneous (∅/yi), with some irregularities.
| imperfective | singular | duoplural | plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | áshłééh | íílnééh | ádeiilnééh |
| 2nd person | ánílééh | óhłééh | ádaahłééh |
| 3rd person | íílééh | ádeilééh | |
| 4th person | ájílééh | ádajilééh | |
| Other forms | |||
| Unspecified person | Spatial person | Passive A | Passive B |
| — | — | álnééh | ábiʼdilnééh |
| perfective | singular | duoplural | plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | áshłaa, íishłaa | íilyaa | ádeiilyaa |
| 2nd person | íinilaa | óohłaa | ádaoohłaa |
| 3rd person | áyiilaa | ádayiilaa | |
| 4th person | ájiilaa | ádajiilaa | |
| Other forms | |||
| Unspecified person | Spatial person | Passive A | Passive B |
| — | — | ályaa | ábiʼdiilyaa |
| future | singular | duoplural | plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | ádeeshłííł | ádiilnííł | ádadiilnííł |
| 2nd person | ádíílííł | ádoohłííł | ádadoohłííł |
| 3rd person | íidoolííł | ádeidoolííł | |
| 4th person | ázhdoolííł | ádazhdoolííł | |
| Other forms | |||
| Unspecified person | Spatial person | Passive A | Passive B |
| — | — | ádoolnííł | ábidiʼdoolnííł |
| iterative | singular | duoplural | plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | ánéishʼįįh | ánéiilʼįįh | áńdeiilʼįįh |
| 2nd person | ánéilʼįįh | ánáoołʼįįh | áńdaoołʼįįh |
| 3rd person | ánáyiilʼįįh | áńdayiilʼįįh | |
| 4th person | áńjiilʼįįh | áńdajiilʼįįh | |