-NAʼ

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See also: Appendix:Variations of "na"

Etymology 1

From Proto-Athabaskan *na (“to live, to move, to work”). Related to -NÁÁʼ (“to move”) and to -NÁÁD (“to last”). Maybe originating in several distinct roots.

Cognate root found in Ahtna ghetnaa (“he is working”), Chipewyan ɣɛna (“he is alive”), Carrier nelnaʼ (“to be slow, sluggish”).

Root

-NAʼ

 1. to live

Theme Category Bases Transitive bases (O + ł)
hi + ∅ adjectival

S is alive

hi + ∅

S comes to life

S brings O to life, generates O

 2. to last, to endure (supplies)

Theme Category Bases Transitive bases (O + ł)
di + ∅ operative S lasts

 3. to act slowly

Theme Category Bases Transitive bases (O + ł)
di + l motion? S acts slowly

Stem set

Aspect IMP PERF FUT ITER OPT
MOM -naah -naʼ -naah -naał -naah
DUR / CONT -naʼ -naʼ -naah -naał -naʼ
NEUT -ná - - - -

See also Appendix: Roots and stems derivation.

Synonyms

to live, to come to life:

to last, to endure:

  • -NAʼ (FFO moves)
Antonyms

to die:

to run out, to exhaust:

Derived terms

Navajo terms belonging to the root -NAʼ (live)

Navajo terms belonging to the root -NAʼ (act slowly)

Etymology 2

From Proto-Athabaskan *nə̓q’ (“to swallow”).

Cognate root found in Ahtna itełnaʼ (“he swallowed it”).

Root

-NAʼ

  1. to swallow, to regurgitate, to choke
Theme Category Bases Transitive bases (O + ł)
O + ł motion

S swallows

↳ hááʼiiłneeh (“ruminate”)
ni + l ?

S chokes

↳ náʼniłnah (“hiccup”)

Stem set

Aspect IMP PERF FUT ITER OPT
DUR / CONT -naʼ -naʼ -naah -naał -naʼ

See also Appendix: Roots and stems derivation.

Synonyms

to regurgitate:

 
Derived terms

Navajo terms belonging to the root -NAʼ (swallow)

Etymology 3

From Proto-Athabaskan *nəɢ, with a wide semantic range including “a flat flexible object (as sheets) moves”, “to last, to endure, to become tired”.

Compare with -NAʼ above for the meaning "to last, to endure".

Cognate root found in Ahtna naghinak (“(a blanket) fell down”), łdaniniłnak (“it lasted a long time”), taatnak (“he is tired”).

Root

-NAʼ

  1. FFO moves, falls (blanket, surface of water)

Theme Category Bases Transitive bases (O + ł)
∅ motion

FFO moves


∅ successive

FFO flaps, bounces

di + ł ?

S infects P

ni + ł motion?

S lasts, runs out; S wilts, tires out

  2. to crawl, to creep

Theme Category Bases Transitive bases (O + ł)
d motion

S crawls

S stands O up

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Stem set

Aspect IMP PERF FUT ITER OPT
MOM -nééh -naʼ -nah -nah -nééh
CONT -nah -naʼ -nah -nah -nééh
REP -nah - - - -
SEM -nah -nah -nah -nah -nah

See also Appendix: Roots and stems derivation.

Synonyms

to crawl, to creep:

to wilt:

to last, to endure:

  • -NAʼ (live)

to run out, to exhaust:

Derived terms

Navajo terms belonging to the root -NAʼ (FFO moves)

Navajo terms belonging to the root -NAʼ (crawl)

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