Na'vi Pronunciation Guides

Started by Ftiafpi, January 18, 2010, 09:41:25 PM

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Ftiafpi

Pronuncation Guide #1

YouTube: Guide 1 - Part 1
YouTube: Guide 1 - Part 2



Pronuncation Guide #2

YouTube: Guide 2


Pronuncation Guide #3

YouTube: Guide 3


I'll probably make more of these soon. Also, as always, please point out any mistakes in my guide (I'm sure there's plenty) and I will fix them.

Erimeyz

Cool!  Great content and presentation.

Added to the Pronunciation Guidance wiki page.

  - Eri

Txonyä'ite

This is so helpful it almost feels like cheating! Thank you so much!

Le'tutean

damn... as i was getting pretty excited that I was finally getting somewhere with pronunciation, then seen this...ehhh, one hell of a long way before me :-X

anyway, awesome job. it's incredible how well it all sounds when you speak it, and it will be great help to anyone learning nìNa'Vi.

Irayo, ma tsmukan. Eywa ngahu

The__Navi


Ftiafpi

Gah, just realized I mispronounced pivängko...so I'm putting this here to remind me to fix it.

TorukMakto!


Vivi

Thanks alot for this guide, it's extremely useful.

I've been practicing some of the phrases, but i'm really struggling with the edjectives...

Here's one example

Kaltxì, tsun oe ngahu pivängkxo a fì'u oeru prrte' lu.
Hello, able to I be-with ADV-Na'vi (chat?) that this thing I-DAT (pleasure?) be.
Hello, it is a pleasure to be able to chat with you.

Are there any tips you can offer to stressing the edjectives?

Ftiafpi

Quote from: Vivi on January 20, 2010, 01:45:58 PM
Thanks alot for this guide, it's extremely useful.

I've been practicing some of the phrases, but i'm really struggling with the edjectives...

Here's one example

Kaltxì, tsun oe ngahu pivängkxo a fì'u oeru prrte' lu.
Hello, able to I be-with ADV-Na'vi (chat?) that this thing I-DAT (pleasure?) be.
Hello, it is a pleasure to be able to chat with you.

Are there any tips you can offer to stressing the edjectives?

Excellent, that's nearly perfect.

Edjectives are hard to teach but I'd refer you to this post http://forum.learnnavi.org/pronunciation-phonetics/ejectives/ and the following quote from w.m.annis:

QuoteEjective consonants are made by closing the glottis as for a glottal stop, then pushing out one of the consonants /p, t, k/ just using the air in your mouth, then releasing the glottis for the following vowel sound. Notice that this isn't just a consonant followed immediately by a glottal stop, rather, the consonant is articulated *at the same time* as the glottal stop. This is what gives it a popping sort of sound some people confuse with the clicks of a language like !Kung.

I hope this helps a few people along.

Once you have an understanding of the edjectives I'd say the best way to emphasize them is to practice just the edjectives. Really put some force into the air from your glottis before you release the edjective (basically really clamp down on your throat before releasing the air). It's hard to explain in words so if you're still having trouble I'll add edjectives into the next guide.

Anyway, your pronunciation is great and you definitely have a good grasp of the Na'vi accent. Some things I would work on perfecting would be:


  • The edjective on 'kaltxì' was a little soft (obviously you're aware of this, though your edjective in pivängkxo was great)
  • You're rolling your 'r' a bit in 'oeru'. It's very hard to get the Na'vi 'r' sometimes without ending up rolling it but it's something to work on
  • Your 'p' on 'prrte'' is coming out a little weird. You've got it un-aspirated but it's a little harsh and you're kind of giving it it's own syllable. A minor issue.
  • Also a minor issue, on the end of prrte' there is a glottal stop. To do this you have to essentially abruptly end the word by closing off your vocal chords. So, it's prrte- and not prrteh

Other than that it's great! That's a very, very hard sentence to nail and you've done an excellent job on it.

Java

#9
I'm probably wrong but when you say tsun it sounds like you're not saying the "s" part so it sounds like tun.
Also on the last sentence you pronounce kìyevame with an ee sound.

Ftiafpi

Quote from: Java on January 20, 2010, 07:01:32 PM
I'm probably wrong but when you say tsun it sounds like you're not saying the "s" part so it sounds like tun.

In the guide you mean?


Ftiafpi

Quote from: Java on January 20, 2010, 07:14:19 PM
yea

It's definitely there but you can hear it a lot better when I say just 'tsun'. I do need to redo that sentence though since I messed up the ä in pivänkxo so I'll redo tsun as well.

Java

#13
Also on the last sentence you pronounce kìyevame with an ee sound.

Ftiafpi

Quote from: Java on January 20, 2010, 07:57:42 PM
Also on the last sentence you pronounce kìyevame with an ee sound.

Gah, you're right. That stupid "ìy" is so easy to turn into an "iy". It will be fixed.

Vivi

Quote from: Ftiafpi on January 20, 2010, 03:45:48 PM
Quote from: Vivi on January 20, 2010, 01:45:58 PM
Thanks alot for this guide, it's extremely useful.

I've been practicing some of the phrases, but i'm really struggling with the edjectives...

Here's one example

Kaltxì, tsun oe ngahu pivängkxo a fì'u oeru prrte' lu.
Hello, able to I be-with ADV-Na'vi (chat?) that this thing I-DAT (pleasure?) be.
Hello, it is a pleasure to be able to chat with you.

Are there any tips you can offer to stressing the edjectives?

Excellent, that's nearly perfect.

Edjectives are hard to teach but I'd refer you to this post http://forum.learnnavi.org/pronunciation-phonetics/ejectives/ and the following quote from w.m.annis:

QuoteEjective consonants are made by closing the glottis as for a glottal stop, then pushing out one of the consonants /p, t, k/ just using the air in your mouth, then releasing the glottis for the following vowel sound. Notice that this isn't just a consonant followed immediately by a glottal stop, rather, the consonant is articulated *at the same time* as the glottal stop. This is what gives it a popping sort of sound some people confuse with the clicks of a language like !Kung.

I hope this helps a few people along.

Once you have an understanding of the edjectives I'd say the best way to emphasize them is to practice just the edjectives. Really put some force into the air from your glottis before you release the edjective (basically really clamp down on your throat before releasing the air). It's hard to explain in words so if you're still having trouble I'll add edjectives into the next guide.

Anyway, your pronunciation is great and you definitely have a good grasp of the Na'vi accent. Some things I would work on perfecting would be:


  • The edjective on 'kaltxì' was a little soft (obviously you're aware of this, though your edjective in pivängkxo was great)
  • You're rolling your 'r' a bit in 'oeru'. It's very hard to get the Na'vi 'r' sometimes without ending up rolling it but it's something to work on
  • Your 'p' on 'prrte'' is coming out a little weird. You've got it un-aspirated but it's a little harsh and you're kind of giving it it's own syllable. A minor issue.
  • Also a minor issue, on the end of prrte' there is a glottal stop. To do this you have to essentially abruptly end the word by closing off your vocal chords. So, it's prrte- and not prrteh

Other than that it's great! That's a very, very hard sentence to nail and you've done an excellent job on it.

Thanks alot! I'll work on those pointers :).

RyleVao

You are like a Baby!  Making noise, don't know what to do!
-Neytiri

Ftiafpi

Quote from: RyleVao on January 22, 2010, 08:58:24 PM
Irayo!  This is so helpful!

Thanks, glad I could help. I'll be adding more soon (including one all about Frommer's letter).

Sìltsana Mun’iyu

could someone please post this to youtube? i cant view it on my ipod.
Motir catra nau tracyna

Ftiafpi

I've added another guide and updated the original one. As for putting it on youtube, you do know you can download it from the talknavi.com website right? If that doesn't help then I can ask seabass about putting these on the learnnavi.org youtube channel.