Where does “amá yázhí” come from?

amá yázhí (Navajo) comes from Navajo yázhí, from Navajo yáázh, from Proto-Athabaskan -yažʷə — woman's child.

amá yázhí (Navajo): maternal aunt (sister of one's mother)

Definitions

  1. maternal aunt (sister of one's mother)

Ancestry of “amá yázhí”, step by step

amá yázhí traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Navajo yázhí

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Navajoyázhílittle, small; young, younger; little one, child
2Navajoyáázhlittle, small; young; offspring, son
3Proto-Athabaskan-yažʷəwoman's child

via Navajo amá

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Navajoamámother; maternal aunt
2Proto-Athabaskan*-(h)aˑnmother
Every word from Proto-Athabaskan -yažʷə →Every word from Navajo yáázh →Every word from Navajo yázhí →
amá yázhí — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer