łééchąąʼí

Navajo

FWOTD – 14 March 2014

Navajo Wikipedia has an article on:

łééchąąʼí

łééchąąʼí

Etymology

This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.
Particularly: “Are we sure that "shit pet" refers specifically to "pet that eats shit"? That seems very specific. Might this just be a simple pejorative?”

From łį́į́ʼ (“pet”) + chąąʼ (“shit”) + -í (nominalizer); literally, "shit pet" (pet that eats excrement). Replaced the old simplex łį́į́ʼ, which shifted meaning to "horse" following the reintroduction of the horse to North America, which led to the horse replacing the dog as the most favored "pet."^[1] Compare Chipewyan łį, Tsuut'ina tłíchʼà, Ahtna łicʼae.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɬéːt͡ʃʰɑ̃̀ːʔɪ́/
Audio: (file)

Noun

łééchąąʼí (possessed form bilééchąąʼí)

dog

Inflection

possessives of łééchąąʼí

	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	shilééchąąʼí	nihilééchąąʼí	danihilééchąąʼí
2nd person	nilééchąąʼí	nihilééchąąʼí	danihilééchąąʼí
3rd person	bilééchąąʼí
4th person (3o)	yilééchąąʼí
4th person (3a)	halééchąąʼí
Indefinite (3i)	alééchąąʼí

Derived terms

łééchąąłgaii
łééchąąłkiizh
Nahatʼeʼiitsoh Bikéyahdę́ę́ʼ łééchąąʼí ałchiní (“dingo”)

References

^ William Bright, Native American placenames of the United States, s.v. HORSE.

[1] William Bright, Native American placenames of the United States, s.v. HORSE.

[1]