Reply #26: I'm not a teacher at all.

[troubleinwinter]

I notice an excellent vocabulary, and pronunciation. A little difference in sentence structure (a little simpler).

I notice a melodious, soft, rather even, unhurried cadence.

That's the best I can express it.

I had a conversation with a friend (the mother of the boy I spoke of) about swearing. She told me that there were no swear words in Navajo. I found this hard to believe and asked about it. She said something to the effect that the words/language out of the mouth were a gift given to us by the spirit/s and it would not be possible to utter such things in the language, (the spoken language is an expression of this gift), and such words do not exist in Dine' language.

I don't know... and wonder what the kids say behind the ol' hogan when gramma's out of earshot. I would think that cussing/foul words exist in all languages. I do not speak Navajo and don't know. I have read many personal historical accounts from Navajo people. I have read some slang words for body parts, but they don't have the dirty connotations that many of ours do. They seem just short-hand, casual words.

I also know that they LOVE to tell amazing "tall tales", jokes. They love to josh you and trick you. But NEVER let you walk away believing anything untrue. They always disclose the joke for grand fun and laughter all around. I've never known a Navajo to lie... only joke for awhile as social fun, entertainment and good humored commeraderie.

So, 'teach', is them kids swearin' afterall?