How to Say “Idiot” in Navajo

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doo honiitʼíinii
The Navajo word for idiot is doo honiitʼíinii.
The term is used to describe a person of low general intelligence.
Meaning: person of low general intelligence (noun)

How does it change in a sentence?

doo honiitʼíinii is a noun phrase that functions as a single unit to describe a person lacking intelligence.

Did you know?

  • The word doo is a clipping of dooleeł, which means 'it will be'.
  • The phrase reflects a linguistic pattern where 'not having' a quality is used to define a negative trait, rather than using a dedicated word for 'stupidity'.
  • The phrase doo honiitʼíinii is built around a verb structure that suggests someone is 'not going to be' a certain way, rather than using a simple noun.

Example conversation

Tyler and Amanda are talking about a clumsy coworker.

  1. Tyler

    Hastiin doo honiitʼíinii bąąh yáá.
    That idiot man is coming.
  2. Amanda

    Tʼáá ákótʼé.
    That is true.
  3. Tyler

    Doo honiitʼíinii biniitʼááł.
    He is an idiot.
  4. Amanda

    Haalí íiyisíí.
    Be patient with him.

Sources

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Dianne Suzanne
Dianne SuzanneHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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