Where does “atsáłchííʼ” come from?

atsáłchííʼ (Navajo) comes from Navajo atsá, from Proto-Athabaskan tsαɢ — to act with teeth by biting.

atsáłchííʼ (Navajo): western red-tailed hawk

Definitions

  1. western red-tailed hawk

Ancestry of “atsáłchííʼ”, step by step

atsáłchííʼ traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Navajo atsá

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Navajoatsáeagle
2Proto-Athabaskantsαɢto act with teeth by biting

via Navajo łichííʼ

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Navajołichííʼhe/she/it is red; the colour red; a penny
Every word from Proto-Athabaskan tsαɢEvery word from Navajo atsá