Where does “yaayááhálzhiin” come from?

yaayááhálzhiin (Navajo) comes from Navajo łizhin, from Navajo łi-, from Navajo -ł-, from Proto-Athabaskan ɬ.

yaayááhálzhiin (Navajo): desert sparrow (Passer simplex)

Definitions

  1. desert sparrow (Passer simplex)

Ancestry of “yaayááhálzhiin”, step by step

yaayááhálzhiin traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Navajo łizhin

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Navajołizhinit is black
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 ayaayááh

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Navajoayaayááhthroat outside
Every word from Proto-Athabaskan ɬ →Every word from Navajo łi- →Every word from Navajo -ł- →