Navajo Language: Phonology and Syntax

Navajo is an Athabaskan language with a complex phonology featuring an abundance of coronal consonants, including plain lateral, African and palatal-velar, unaspirated, aspirated, and ejected stops. It has four vowels that can contrast on nasalization and tone. The language has a template system for verbs with multiple slots and various prefixes that mark subject and object, as well as aspectual markers. The verb stems can be classified based on the handling, propelling, or flying of objects, giving rise to a wide range of figurative meanings. Navajo also utilizes classifiers to categorize and specify objects, resulting in complex constructions and idiomatic expressions. Despite these complexities, Navajo serves as an inspiration for language inventors to explore creative ways of constructing lexicons and expressing meaning.