Navajo Handling Verbs

0:00 Introduction: In this video, I teach you the basic principles of using Handling Terms in the Navajo (Diné) language. Handling terms involve using the phrases, "Give me this, I'm giving you that, etc." 0:56 The Most Basic Handling Terms: I begin the lesson by sharing the most basic handling terms: Ha̜a̜h – Give it to me Na’ - Take it These terms cannot be used to say, "Give him this," or, "Give her that." To convey these concepts, more advanced handling phrases need to be employed. 3:33 Postpositions Introduction: Before getting into the handling terms, I introduce the concepts of postpositions: o Shaa – to me o Naa – to you o Baa/Yaa – to him/her o Nihaa – to us Though the above are the translations of these words in the context of handling verbs, I explain in the video how the meaning of these postpositions differ in different contexts. 6:36 Subject Prefix Introduction: Before introducing the handling terms, I introduce the concept of the "Subject Prefix" that is a component of Navajo verbs. These prefixes define "who" is doing the action of the verb. The following nouns are mimicked in the subject prefix: Shí meaning, “Me.” Ní meaning, “You.” Bí meaning, “Him/her.,” which appears as Yí in our examples. After introducing these concepts, I finally discuss Navajo Handling Terms divided into the following 12 categories: 7:17 Si’á̜: Solid Roundish Objects (SRO) 12:09 Siká̜: Objects in Open Containers (OC) 16:55 Silá: Slender Flexible Objects (SFO) 18:24 Sitá̜: Slender Stiff Objects (SSO) 19:52 Siłtsooz: Flat Flexible Objects (FFO) 23:21 Shijool: Non-Compact Matter (NCM) 25:26 Siyí̜: Liquids, Packs, or Burdens (LBP) 27:04 Sitłéé’: Mushy Matter (MM) 28:34 Sití̜: Animate Objects or Animate Copies (AnO) 30:05 Sinil: Plural Objects, Category #1 (PLO1) 31:58 Shijaa’: Plural Objects, Category #2( PLO2) 33:59 Siziid: Liquid Matter (LM) Here is an example of how the handling verbs are broken down in the video, at least for the Si’á̜, the Solid Roundish Objects (SRO), example: 1st Person: Naa nish’aah (I'm giving this SRO to you) Baa nish’aah (I'm giving this SRO him/her/it) 2nd Person: Baa ní’aah (Give this SRO to him/her/it) Shaa ní’aah (Give this SRO to me) 3rd Person: Sheiyí’aah (He/she/it is giving the SRO to me) Neiyí’aah (Give the SRO to him/her/it) Yeií'aah (He/she/it is giving the SRO to him/her/it) Here are the examples for the Siká̜, the Objects in Open Containers (OC), example: 1st Person: Naa nishkaah (I'm giving this OC to you) Baa nishkaah (I'm giving this OC him/her/it) 2nd Person: Baa níkaah (Give this OC to him/her/it) Shaa níkaah (Give this OC to me) 3rd Person: Sheiyíkaah (He/she/it is giving the OC to me) Neiyíkaah (Give the OC to him/her/it) Yeiíkaah (He/she/it is giving the OC to him/her/it) The remainder of the examples are in the video. 36:54 Other Handling Term Categories: There are far more handling terms in the Navajo language than those discussed in this video. Examples I briefly mentioned are: Shaa níłmáás, "Roll it toward me." Shaa níłba̜a̜s, "Drive it to me," meaning an object on wheels. Shaa nílóós, "Lead to me," like animals on a leash. Shaa níłt’ááh, "Fly the object to me," like a frisbee or paper plane. Shaa níshood, "Slide it to me." Shaa nídzí̜í̜s, "Drag it to me." 37:32 Conclusion: I hope you enjoyed this video. I am thankful that President Buu Van Nygren and YouTube scubscriber Nurse Practitioner Adam Marshall made cameo appearances in my video.