Navajo edit

Etymology edit

na- (atelic, circuital) + -ʼa- (unspecified person subject prefix) + -∅- (3rd person subject prefix) + -∅- (classifier)-nish (continuative imperfective stem of root -NISH, “to work”).

Replacing the unspecified subject prefix -ʼa- with the null third-person prefix -∅- and the null classifier with -l- produces the related verb naalnish.

Verb edit

naʼanish

  1. work is going on, work is happening

Usage notes edit

This verb is limited to expression in the unspecified person. For expression involving given persons, see naalnish.

Conjugation edit

Paradigm: Continuative (∅/si), third person only.

3rd person singular
IMPERFECTIVE naʼanish
PERFECTIVE naʼazhnish
FUTURE nʼdoonish

Related terms edit