I thought it might be fun to learn a few words of Navajo while the Birthday Project is in progress.

Nóomba
Numbers 1 through 10


http://soundcloud.com/navajowotd/n-omba

Today we’ll start exploring the Navajo numbers from 1 to 10.

Recall that when asking a question involving numbers or quantities a special Navajo word is used (díkwíí). A simple response may be: “T’áá díkwíí” which means “(they are) just a few.”

A more precise answer will involve these base Navajo digits, pronounced in the order in which they appear:

1. T’ááłá’í
2. Naakí
3. Táá’
4. Dį́į́’
5. Áshdla’
6. Hast’ą́ą́
7. Ts’ost’id
8. Tseebíí
9. Náhást’éí
10. Neeznáá

-----
I'm trying a new site for soundbites...if you have any trouble getting the audio to play, let me know.

Hope we don't have to make our donations in Navajo.

Just out of curiosity, do they use a 10 digit decimal counting system like we do or a Roman type system or a base 5 system etc????

Excellent! Thank you Theresa.

And the best thing? There will be NO tests on the subject matter!

It's all for fun...Oh, and a little bit of a reminder that we're in the midst of our annual fundraiser!

Wow! What an absolutely cool idea; got me psyched already. I don't know a thing about the Navajo language which now means I have to look that up.

Ahe'hee ( I cheated, this is thank you (I think?) in Navajo.

Oh, good! No tests!

Great fundraiser, too.

Today's word of the day is a very necessary component of my morning!

Gohwééh
Coffee


http://soundcloud.com/navajowotd/gohw-h

Have it in the morning, throughout the day, or maybe not at all because it raises your blood pressure too much. Gohwééh is coffee.

Coffee grounds were among the first government issued rations given to Navajo people in the late 19th century. Bitter as is was, eating it was common because very few people actually knew how to boil it into water.

Today, gohwééh is a staple in workplaces, homes, and gatherings — along with some pastries or cookies to avoid stomach aches.

Sounds like he is saying "go way" Which is what I would say if somebody expected me to eat a coffee bean. This is fun. Love learning these new words.

Yá’át’ééh
Hello



Literally: it is good (alternatively: it is well).

This is considered the Navajo ‘hello,’ so it can be used to greet people.

It can also be used with ‘shił’ as in ‘shił yá’át’ééh’ to mean ‘I like it.’

Diné
A Navajo person



Literally: the people.

If you were to take a survey of the world’s languages, you’d find that not a small majority of them have a word for ‘the people,’ and that word would most likely also function as the common name for the people of that culture. Which is just a way of saying that Diné is what you call a Navajo in the Navajo language.

You can also say Dine’é to refer to the Navajo Nation, or to the Navajo people as a tribe or group rather than as an individual. Apart from using Diné as a word for Navajo, there is a more general diné that can be used to describe other groups of people.

For example, Naakai dine’é is a clan (dóone’é) that refers to the Mexican People, or people of that descent.

You will also see the word dineh written instead to avoid pronouncing it as “dine.”

This is brilliant, Theresa!
Thanks for doing this.

But be sure you don't give away any government secrets!

Well thank the gods for that! I have enough of those to contend with every week!

This is all so interesting. Thanks for this fun added bonus to the excellent birthday project.

I briefly studied Navajo when I was in school - the text I used was called "Navajo Made Easier" and it made it absolutely clear that this is a fiendishly difficult language to learn. Not only is there the tonal aspect, but the structure is very convoluted, and the vocabulary is fluid and creatively expressed.
Small wonder the famed "Code Talkers" were so successful at sending and receiving impenetrable messages!

Abíní
Morning



In English, the Navajo word abíní means morning.

So say you wanted to greet people with a “good morning,” you can use the word for “it is good” to create the Navajo phrase, “Yá’át’ééh abíní!”

(see Friday, May 4 word of the day for how to pronounce Yá’át’ééh)