iichʼąh

Navajo

Etymology

ʼa- (unspecified person object prefix) + -yi- (semelfactive) + -∅- (3rd person subject prefix) + -∅- (classifier) + -chʼąh (semelfactive stem of root -CHʼĄH, “to have seizure”).

From the metaphorical meaning of fall-into-fire.

Verb

iichʼąh

1. he/she is falling into fire
2. he/she is having a seizure

Conjugation

Paradigm: Semelfactive (yii/si).

IMPERFECTIVE	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	iishchʼąh	iichʼąh	daʼiichʼąh
2nd person	iichʼąh	oohchʼąh	daʼoohchʼąh
3rd person	iichʼąh		daʼiichʼąh
4th person	ajiichʼąh		daʼjiichʼąh

PERFECTIVE	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	ashéchʼąh	ashiichʼąh	daʼshiichʼąh
2nd person	ashíníchʼąh	ashoochʼąh	daʼshoochʼąh
3rd person	azhchʼąh		daʼazhchʼąh
4th person	ajizhchʼąh		daʼjizhchʼąh

Noun

iichʼąh

1. a fit, seizure, epileptic seizure
2. iich'aa, an epileptiform, psychosomatic illness found among the Navajo people, characterised by nervousness, loss of self-control, convulsions, self-destructive behavior, and fits of violence and rage, and often accompanied by the belief that parts of the body are shrinking (associated with violating the taboo against incest and supposedly caused by the growth of a moth in the cranial cavity. The affected person is cured in a ceremony called the "Mothway" (iichʼąhjí, no longer performed), in which he vomits to get rid of the creature.)

Adverb

iichʼąh

1. amok