-ʼĄ́
Navajo
Etymology
From Proto-Athabaskan *ʔaˑ (“to handle compact object”), with nasalized perfective *ʔa-nʸ. Cognate with Ahtna ʼaa, Lower Tanana 'o.
One of the most productive root occurring in all Athabaskan languages, in a wide range of themes and specialized meanings.
Cognate root found in Ahtna ʼaa, with similar extended meanings.
Root
-ʼĄ́
- to handle SRO
Motion themes:
| Theme | O + ∅ | ʼa + ∅ | O + di + ∅ | O + ł + d | ni + d |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
S handles SRO |
S moves
|
S handles abstract O
|
S carries O
|
S moves head
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ni-MOM
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CONT PROG |
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Misc. |
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| Theme | ho + ∅ | O + di + d | ádąąh O + d |
|---|---|---|---|
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S carries food
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S puts O on self
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ni-MOM
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CONT PROG |
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Other themes:
| Theme | Category | Bases | Transitive bases (O + ł) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ∅ | positional |
SRO is in position
|
S keeps SRO in position
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||||
| ∅ |
SRO gets in position
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S sets SRO in position
|
Stem set
| Aspect | Imperfective | Perfective | Future | Iterative | Optative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Momentaneous | -ʼaah | -ʼą́ | -ʼááł | -ʼááh | -ʼááł |
| Continuative | -ʼá | -ʼą́ | -ʼaał | -ʼááh | -ʼaał |
| Transitional | -ʼaah | -ʼaʼ | -ʼaał | -ʼaah | -ʼaał |
| Neuter | — | -ʼą́ | — | — | — |
See also Appendix: Roots and stems derivation.
Synonyms
SRO verbs:
to sing:
to act with body: