diigis
Navajo
[edit]Etymology
[edit]di- (inceptive) + -yi- (transitional) + ∅- (3rd person subject prefix) + -d- (classifier) + -gis (neuter perfective stem of root -GIZ, “to twist”).
Verb
[edit]diigis
- he/she/it is stupid
- he/she/it is clumsy
- first-person duoplural imperfective of diigis
Usage notes
[edit]This is a neuter verb that uses only the yii-perfective mode.
Conjugation
[edit]Paradigm: Neuter perfective (yii).
| PERFECTIVE | singular | duoplural | plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | diisgis | diigis | dadiigis |
| 2nd person | dinigis | doohgis | dadoohgis |
| 3rd person | diigis | dadiigis | |
| 4th person | jidiigis | dazhdiigis | |
Note: This verb has been variously described by Young (1987) as a ∅-classifier/yii-imperfective, and Young (1992) as a ∅-classifier/yii-perfective.
It is here rather described as a d-classifier/yii-perfective, which is the only combination that accounts for both the -iis ending in the 1sg (as per the d-classifier; the ∅- classifier would give -ii) and the -ini ending in the 2sg (as per the yii-perfective; the yii-imperfective would give -ii).