| Navajo is a member of the Athabaskan family of | | | | Artwork also had gender roles by way of males |
| languages spoken in the southwestern United States | | | | producing jewelry, and women crafting rugs and clay |
| by the Navajo Nation. Its native name is Din?izaad. | | | | pots. Today men often farm, and females can join |
| It's unique in that most of the other Athabakan | | | | the military. |
| language family members are from the north. | | | | The Navajo language is comprised of four vowels: a, |
| It's also ranked as the most highly spoken Native | | | | e, i, and o. Vowels come up short, long, or nasalized |
| American language of all, with a 178,000 speakers. | | | | and employ high to low, rising to falling tones. |
| Unlike numerous other tribal tongues, the use of the | | | | Combinations such as short/nasalized/low tone can |
| Navajo language has actually grown over time, not | | | | be made. |
| declined. | | | | Tones are very popular in the Navajo speech, |
| The spelling for Navajo came from the Spanish | | | | rounding out practically every word, adding up to a |
| language. Literally, it is a Pueblo Indian word meaning | | | | very lively language. The sounds of Navajo are similar |
| "farmlands". It is speculated that this name was given | | | | to Apache languages, but different from any others |
| due to the Navajo nature of settling and farming. | | | | outside of that group. |
| The Navajo peoples' traditional name of Din?izaad is | | | | The subject-object-verb speech is packed with |
| translated "the people" (what most Native Americans | | | | complex verbs. Each verb mandates at least one |
| call themselves). The Navajos refer to themselves as | | | | prefix, with a maximum of eight. Navajo accounts for |
| Navajo as well, particularly when conversing in English. | | | | the verb types imperfective, perfective, progressive, |
| To describe the whereabouts of the language | | | | future, usitative, iterative, and optative. |
| further, Navajo is spoken in the Four Corners states | | | | Verbs can vary depending on the shape of the |
| of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. It is a | | | | subject; the verb for example for holding a ball is not |
| language widely spoken by not only adults, but | | | | the same as holding a twig. |
| Navajo kids, too. | | | | The Navajo language is quite hard for non-natives to |
| More than fifty percent of Navajos speak it in their | | | | comprehend due to the exact manner in which |
| homes. It is a language that is actively passed onto | | | | subjects relate to each other. Such relationships could |
| offspring, and thus, the language is a form of daily | | | | seem meaningless to foreigners, but are strikingly |
| communication for the Navajos. | | | | significant to a Navajo. |
| The Navajos of the past lived in domed earth houses | | | | They have a take on life that is very connected to a |
| called hogans. The men hunted, warred, and ruled, | | | | bigger world. Instead of saying, "I'm thirsty," a |
| while the women farmed, cared for the livestock, | | | | Navajo would say, "Thirst is hurting me". In this way, |
| and performed domestic duties. | | | | some say the language paints pictures in your mind. |