Dine Bizaad: The Navajo Language

Ahe'ee (thank you) for visiting my website and Welcome! I hope you enjoy browsing this page as well as learning Dine Bizaad or the Navajo Language.

Since I have been at school, I have seen very few Navajos who speak their language. At first, I wondered why the Navajo youth didn't learn their language. But I realized we are from all different backgrounds. Some have never lived on the reservations, while others left to get an education. These may have all been factors in loosing their language. I believe language is important. It binds us together as "Dine", establishes K'e, and allows us to express ourselves very clearly. I think it is important for Navajos to know their language. I know this may sometimes be hard so I have spent countless hours helping people learn their language by teaching classes and developing a Navajo Language website. Navajos should take pride in who they are and hold grasp of their culture, history, and family. We are a strong people with a strong culture.

The Navajo belongs to the Na-Dene Language Family. Within this family, Navajo Language belongs to the Athapaskan Language Branch. Under the Athapaskan Language Branch are 4 language groups. These 4 groups are the Alaskan language group (11), Western Canadian language group (12), Northwestern Pacific Coast language group (8), and Apachean language group (6). The brothers/sisters of the Navajo Language within the Apachean language group include Mescalero, Chiricahua, Western Apache, Jicarrilla, Lipan, and Kiowa-Apache.

There are 270,000 Athapaskans of which Navajos are the largest group (240,000 Athapaskans present in the Southwest). Of the Athapaskan population, 75% speak their language with 170,000 speaking their native language in the Southwest (Young, Robert W. Dine Bizaad Bohoo'aah 1).

The Navajo Language is a very complicated language because it is more condensed than language of the Indo-European Family. It is also a very descriptive and very specific. Vincent Craig, the Navajo comedian, once compared it to "mental television" because one word can describe physical features, movement, 1st/2nd/3rd person, and singular, plural (2), plural (3 or more). A Navajo noun is often a verb transformed into a noun so that it is never left void of character. It is also very different from other languages in its grammatical and phonetical structure which may be difficult for one to grasp.

Navajo is a Native American langauge widely spoken today. However, its use among the Navajo youth is declining. Its decline is caused by several factors such as English as a primary language in school, television/other media, or living away from home. While going to school at Stanford, I have encountered Navajos who want to learn their language but can not take a class and don't where to start. For those students who don't attend a university that offers Navajo language, this website may be a start. This website is devoted to the Navajo youth who are inspired and dedicated to learning and regaining part of their culture and language.

This website offers interactive language resources which will give a basic Navajo Language foundation. Once you have excelled this tool, I recommend the pursuit of advanced language courses and even learning independently through the use of Navajo language books. I recommend Dine College's language publications. The first which is called Dine Bizaad Bohoo'aah 1. This is a good supplementary for taking a Navajo class. Also, I would recommend, Irvy W. Goosen's Dine Bizaad: Speak, Read, Write Navajo because it is very clear and has language tapes available. He writes this book for people learning Navajo as a 2nd language and does a good job. There was also a Navajo CD Rom which was developed. Also look up this Navajo Language website which lists other Navajo Language resources.

This site is dedicated to my family: Shi nali (Lillie Verla Chief), my dad (Paul Chief), my mom (Lillian Tallman Chief), my sisters (Karen Chief-Onesalt, Pauletta Chief, Sharon Chief, Sharyl Chief, and Kornelia Tallman Begay), my brothers (Wally Chief, and Leroy Yazzie Tallman) who taught me the importance of my language and who keep it alive within our family. My family instilled in me that we must maintain our language and to always speak it in the presence of our elders.