-LĮ́

-LĮ́

Navajo

Etymology

From Proto-Athabaskan *lənʸ (“to flow”), possibly from Pre-Proto-Athabaskan *ɬ-hənʸ. The original *-ł- classifier fused with the following segment and, due to a subsequent sonorization, has been reinterpreted as the initial consonant of the stem.

This root occurs almost exclusively in the neuter perfective mode, although the repetitive stem -lį́į́h (< -d- + -łį́į́h) is apparently attested in the toponym Tó Nehelį́į́h (literally “where water customarily flows one time after another to a stopping point”), derived from the usitative form of neheezlį́ (Young & Morgan, 1991).

Root

-LĮ́

1. to flow

Theme	Category	Bases	Transitive bases (O + ł)
Ø / d	motion	S flows adahiilį́ (Ø-PERF) bidiilį́ ↳ ahidiilį́ / ahidiidlį́ ↳ hadadiilį́ yanáalį́ yílį́ (yi-PERF) íílį́ bizáálį́ chʼéélį́ háálį́ náálį́ wóʼą́ą́lį́ nílį́ (ni-PERF) bighánílį́ binadélį́ bitsʼánílį́ ↳ ałtsʼánílį́ chʼínílį́ ahéénílį́ ninílį́ deezlį́ (si-PERF) názlį́ ↳ binázlį́ ↳ naanázlį́ ndaazlį́ ńdaosdlį́ neheezlį́ (SER)	S makes O flow ... ayííłį́ (yi-PERF) hayííłį́ yiníłį́ (ni-PERF) chʼíiníłį́ ahinéíníłį́ niiníłį́ binéísłį́ (si-PERF) ...

Stem set

Aspect	IMP	PERF	FUT	ITER	OPT
NEUT	-	-lį́	-	-	-

See also Appendix: Roots and stems derivation.

Synonyms

water flows:

• -GOʼ
• -TSĄ́Ą́ʼ (rain)
• -NÁ (sheet)
• -TSʼĄʼ (trickle)
• -YĘĘZH (muddy)

 

Derived terms

Navajo terms belonging to the root -LĮ́ (flow)