Navajo language,,
Anyone here speak Navajo?? Got a couple young friends that are Navajo. Tried learning some common phrases from them and by video's on line. What a very hard language. It's a lot about tone and pitch. Some words you drag out when pronouncing. Many words are real close to another which has opposite meaning. Now add in my hearing loss,,,lets just say I'm learning very slowly. My friends are great folk and understand. They get a kick out of my interest in their culture/heritage.
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Many different Native American languages were used by the military in WW I and II. However, the fact that Navajo it is so difficult to speak and understand was the reason it was used by the Pacific Code Talkers and the primary spoken language utilized.
It is a very dense language and as you said so many words are similar sounding (with slight tonal inflections) but actually have completely opposite meanings.0 -
A lot of Dinee (the Navajo name for themselves) humor is based on mispronouncing similar sounding words. The glottal stops are hard for English speakers. My hunting partner of the last 30+ years is Dinee, and I have a few simple phrases, no more. 0 -
After reading a few Tony Hillerman books. I want to do ?Macbeth? in Navajo. This would take place during the "Boarding School" era. The whole thing would be done in Navajo so get ready to read the subtitles. 0 -
medic07 wrote:Many different Native American languages were used by the military in WW I and II. However, the fact that Navajo it is so difficult to speak and understand was the reason it was used by the Pacific Code Talkers and the primary spoken language utilized.
It is a very dense language and as you said so many words are similar sounding (with slight tonal inflections) but actually have completely opposite meanings.
Yes, glad to see you know your history
Used to have a list of radio phrases that would be transmitted meaning certain thing or events. Very interesting reading.0
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