WORD AND SENTENCE STRUCTURE
Teachers will note that the possessive pronouns of Navaho are always prefixed to the noun. Thus, we have shimá (my mother), nimá (your mother), bimá (his mother), but never má. The stem -má has no independent form and never occurs without a prefix.
The structure of the Navaho verb has similar characteristics, but is more complex. The subject of the sentence is always incorporated in the verb with a pronominal form, and other verbal elements. Ideas of time and mode are likewise incorporated in the verb, and auxiliary verbs such as will, did, have, might, etc. do not occur in Navaho. The ideas conveyed by these independent words in English are expressed by different forms of the verb itself in Navaho.
Another point in which Navaho sentence structure differs from English is that English prepositions are postpositions in Navaho.
| with my elder sister | shádí bił (my elder sister, with her) |
| for my mother | shimá bá (my mother for) |
whereas normal word order in English is subject, verb, and object, Navaho has subject, object, and verb.
PUBLICATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS
INDIAN LIFE READERS
NAVAJO SERIES (bilingual in English and Navajo)
by J. B. Enochs, illustrated by Gerald Nailor
Little Man's family. preprimer, primer and reader
by Hildegard Thompson, illustrated by Van Tsihnahjinnie
Preprimer, Primer
Coyote Tales (reader)
by Ann Clark, illustrated by Hoke Denetsosie
Who Wants to be a Prairie Dog? (A Navajo fairy tale)
by Ann Clark, illustrated by Van Tsihnahjinnie
Little Herder in Autumn, in Winter (single volume)
Little Herder in Spring, in Summer (single volume)
In English only:
Little Navajo Herder (Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer)
by Cecil S. King, Navajo New World Readers:
1. Away to School. Illustrated by Franklin Kahn
2. The Flag of My Country. Illustrated by Henry Bahe
(Material of mature concept and simple vocabulary for use by recently non-English-speaking adolescents.)
SIOUX SERIES (in English and Dakota)
by Ann Clark, illustrated by Andrew Standing Soldier
Sioux Cowboy (preprimer)
The Pine Ridge Porcupine
The Grass Mountain Mouse
There Still are Buffalo
Bringer of the Mystery Dog (illustrated by Oscar Howe)
Brave Against the Enemy (photographic illustrations by Helen Post)
Singing Sioux Cowboy (Primer)
The Slim Butte Raccoon
The Hen of Wahpeton
PUEBLO SERIES
by Ann Clark (in English and Spanish)
Little Boy With Three Names (illustrated by Tonita Lujan) Taos
Young Hunter of Picuris (illustrated by Velino Herrera)
Sun Journey (illustrated by Percy Sandy) Zuni
by Edward A. Kennard (in English and Hopi)
Field Mouse Goes to War (illustrated by Fred Kabotie)
Little Hopi (illustrated by Charles Loloma)
ALASKA STORIES
by Edward A. Keithahn, illustrated by George A. Ahgapuk
Igloo Tales
Also pamphlets on Indian Life and Customs, and Indian Handcrafts
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HASKELL INSTITUTE