Navajo

Prefix

-ł-

1. The -ł- classifier or valence-change prefix, a causative-transitivizing prefix of active verbs that modifies the transitivity or valence and grammatical voice of a verb. It often transitivizes an intransitive -Ø- (unmarked) verb:

   yibéézh — it’s boiling (yi-Ø-béézh).

   yiłbéézh — he’s boiling it (yi-ł-béézh).

   naʼniyęęsh — something flows about in a meandering fashion (naʼni-Ø-yęęsh).

   naʼniłhęęsh — he’s making it flow about in a meandering fashion (naʼni-ł-yęęsh).

   siʼą́ — a roundish object lies in position (-Ø-ʼą́).

   séłʼą́ — I keep a roundish object in position (-ł-ʼą́).

2. a consonant that sometimes appears as a ligature between the elements of a compound word.

   táłtłʼááh = tó -ł- atłʼááh

See also

• -d-
• -l-
• Ø