niimas
Navajo
editEtymology
editni- (“round shape”) + -yi- (semelfactive) + -∅- (3rd person subject prefix) + -∅- (classifier) + -mas (semelfactive imperfective stem of root -MÁÁZ, “to roll”).
The stem -máás (“globular, spherical, ball-like shape”) is cognate with -bą́ą́z (“hooplike, ringlike shape”), and they have the same origin, which possibly is Proto-Athabaskan *wątsʼ (“roll”)
Pronunciation
editVerb
editniimas
- he/she/it is rolling up into a ball, is curling up (a cat, a person in a bed)
Conjugation
editParadigm: Semelfactive (yii/si).
| IMPERFECTIVE | singular | duoplural | plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | niismas | niiʼmas | daniiʼmas |
| 2nd person | niimas | noohmas | danoohmas |
| 3rd person | niimas | daniimas | |
| 4th person | jiniimas | dazhniimas | |
| PERFECTIVE | singular | duoplural | plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | némas | neeʼmas | daneeʼmas |
| 2nd person | nínímas | sinoomas | dasinoomas |
| 3rd person | neezmas | daneezmas | |
| 4th person | jineezmas | dazhneezmas | |
| FUTURE | singular | duoplural | plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | dínéesmas | díníiʼmas | dadíníiʼmas |
| 2nd person | díníímas | dínóohmas | dadínóohmas |
| 3rd person | dínóomas | dadínóomas | |
| 4th person | dízhnóomas | dazhdínóomas | |
Related terms
editSee also
editCategories:
- Navajo terms prefixed with ni-
- Navajo terms prefixed with yi- (semelfactive)
- Navajo terms prefixed with ∅- (classifier)
- Navajo terms belonging to the root -MÁÁZ (roll)
- Navajo terms derived from Proto-Athabaskan
- Navajo terms with IPA pronunciation
- Navajo lemmas
- Navajo verbs
- Navajo verbs in the semelfactive (yii/si) aspect