Where does “atsáłtsoii” come from?

atsáłtsoii (Navajo) comes from Navajo łitso, from Navajo łi-, from Navajo -ł-, from Proto-Athabaskan ɬ.

atsáłtsoii (Navajo): yellow-tailed hawk

Definitions

  1. yellow-tailed hawk

Ancestry of “atsáłtsoii”, step by step

atsáłtsoii traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Navajo łitso

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Navajołitsoit is yellow; nickel
2Navajołi-An adjectival prefix that forms neuter imperfective verbs, especially those relating to color
3Navajo-ł-The -ł- classifier or valence-change prefix, a...
4Proto-Athabaskanɬ

via Navajo atsá

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Navajoatsáeagle
2Proto-Athabaskantsαɢto act with teeth by biting
Every word from Proto-Athabaskan ɬEvery word from Navajo łi-Every word from Navajo -ł-