Navajo language self-study materials?

Tyrra Bohannon (bohannot@emh.kadena.af.mil)
Thu, 2 Jun 1994 22:38:52 +0000

I am in the Navy working with the cryptologic field and I am
interested in the Navajo language. For those of you who are not
aware Native Americans were responsible for breaking Japanese
military codes during WWII. I am interested in studying the
Navajo language. I am stationed in Japan, speak it and read
and write all three of the Japanese alphabets from an intermediate
to advanced level depending on the alphabet. My question:
is there files available on this list giving basic Navajo structure
or does anyone know how I could begin studying by reading a book or
by audio? Like I said I am overseas with no contact with a
Native American speaker.

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Comments from NativeNet moderator, Gary Trujillo (gst@gnosys.svle.ma.us):

A similar question came up a few days ago when Jesse Emspak (no longer
on any of the NativeNet lists) asked:

> Is there anyone in the Bay Area who teaches the Navajo Language? I know
> a very few words, and found a couple of primers but the UCB language
> lab seems to be missing the damn tapes. Does anyone have any? I got
> into it because, well, I was interested and may be in New Mexico and
> Arizona this summer. I look at language learning as a polite thing to
> do.
>
> Mail replies to emspak@rosebud.berkeley.edu

I did a quick search of the NAT-LANG archives, using the database facility
provided by the LISTSERV software at TAMVM1, and came up with a few items
for Jesse that might be helpful to Tyrra and any others with similar
interests:

| >>> Item number 25, dated 91/06/13 14:31:31 -- ALL
| Date: Thu, 13 Jun 1991 14:31:31 GMT
| Sender: "NAT-LANG Languages of Aboriginal Peoples"
| From: NativeNet@gnosys.svle.ma.us
| Subject: Navajo and Choctaw
|
| Original Sender: krista@ihlpf.att.com (Krista J Anderson +1 708 305 4347)
| Mailing List: Native Languages (nn.lang@gnosys.svle.ma.us)
|
| More Navajo language books and tapes are available from:
|
| Native American Materials Development Center, 407 Rio Grande
| Boulevard NW, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87104. (In association with
| Ramah Navajo School Board, Inc., PO Drawer A, Pinehill, New Mexico
| 87321.)
|
| and
|
| San Juan School District Media Center, 28 West 200 North, Blanding,
| Utah 84511.
|
| Krista

Someone else wrote:

| Young and Morgan's The Navajo Language, University of New Mexico, 1987
| (also (1980). Superb grammar and dictionary. There's alot of stuff on
| Navajo.

and lastly, there was:

| >>> Item number 83, dated 93/02/10 10:25:29 -- ALL
| Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1993 10:25:29 EST
| Sender: "NAT-LANG Languages of Aboriginal Peoples"
| From: NativeNet@gnosys.svle.ma.us
| Subject: Re: Navajo study materials wanted
|
| Original Sender: cr11@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu (Carlos Rodriguez)
| Mailing List: Native Languages (nn.lang@gnosys.svle.ma.us)
|
| Hi Rex!
| I know of several places where you can obtain an audio tape plus
| workbook of the Navajo language. One is the Navajo Community College
| on the reservation (you can write c/o Tribal Govt., Windowrock) and the
| other is the University of New Mexico. A third place is a mission,
| they have an audio tape course called "Navajo Made Easier" and the
| gentleman that runs the mission is considered one of the best speakers
| of the language, for a non-Navajo that is. The price range is I believe
| around $40 - $50 for all of tapes. The Mission is called "The Navajo
| gospel Mission" and its headquarters is in Flagstaff, Arizona.
|
| Good luck with your learning of the language for it will open up a
| whole new world for you.
| Walk in Beauty!
| Carlos Nakai Rodriguez

If anyone else knows of additional materials for Navajo, perhaps you
could post it (just reply to the message containing this article).

Thanks.

Gary