[For Beginners] FAQ

Started by Eywayä mokri, December 27, 2009, 06:46:34 AM

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Tsamsiyu Fpi Eywa

I think I found them...yes, I looked at them.
One of the more experienced speakers on this site (I don't remember their name off the top of my head; it was in Na'vi, I think...) recommended this site. http://www.talknavi.com/videos/load/recent It helps. They also said that they were in the process of making a youtube channel, as well. I'd check into those, too.

Kaltxì Palulukan!

2022 update: Working on the new astrology book. "How to read tarot" books are on Amazon, if you are into that sort of thing.
Okay, so the old podcast is here: https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/radioavatar It was goofy fun that ended too soon, but we had creative people. I hope we can get a new gang together (interested? PM me, let's make some magic!)
(Very old, outdated) Na'vi FUN activity book is here: But what are you doing? Let me know! :)

Eywayä mokri

I raelly recommend talknavi.com to find some useful audio and video files. :) And, from what I know, we already have a youtube channel.
°°We don't forget anyone, we only get used to their absence.°°

MarioO

When I make a verb into a noun and want to make the noun female or male, where do I have to place the "-an" or "-è" suffix?
Example:
taron = to hunt
taronyu = hunter

have I to write "taronyuan" for a male hunter or "taronanyu"? Or is that not possible?

Doolio

it would be "taronyuan". you have made verb 'taron' into a noun 'taronyu' which you want to define further as the 'male hunter', so you add the "-an" suffix to the word "taronyu".
taronyu is the hunter, taron is to hunt. if you add 'an' to 'taron', and then add 'yu' it would mean that you defined the verb as male, and then turned it into a noun, which hasn't got any sense:)
...taj rad...

mO_Tan

Quote from: Doolio on January 02, 2010, 08:10:17 AM
it would be "taronyuan". you have made verb 'taron' into a noun 'taronyu' which you want to define further as the 'male hunter', so you add the "-an" suffix to the word "taronyu".
taronyu is the hunter, taron is to hunt. if you add 'an' to 'taron', and then add 'yu' it would mean that you defined the verb as male, and then turned it into a noun, which hasn't got any sense:)

ok, that does make sense to me, but isnt there a rule against doing that? the consonants to vowel and vowels to consonant rule? If a noun ends in a vowel, it will take the suffix that begins with a consonant. If a noun ends in a consonant, it will take the suffix that begins with a vowel.

confusion? ???
"Guys, come on. Whats wrong with this picture? Wheres my cigerette?"

Coda

Quote from: mO_Tan on January 02, 2010, 02:24:54 PM
ok, that does make sense to me, but isnt there a rule against doing that? the consonants to vowel and vowels to consonant rule? If a noun ends in a vowel, it will take the suffix that begins with a consonant. If a noun ends in a consonant, it will take the suffix that begins with a vowel.

confusion? ???

There are definitely different forms of the noun case particles depending on the last syllable of the word in question, but we haven't seen anything yet that indicates that the male and female suffixes undergo the same process.

Leo

Can anyone teach me how to form simple sentences, like 'Hi, how are you?'. Also, if I want to convert any English sentences into Na'vi language, do I convert word for word?

Na'viyä Tsamsiyu

Quote from: dustywhite on January 02, 2010, 01:05:03 AM
Irayo ma Oel ngati kameie Eywa

Can you say that, or would it just be Irayo, oel ngati kameie Eyaw.

OR

Is it possible to say Irayo, oel ngati kameie ma Eywa???




@Leo0987

Hi, how are you is:

Kaltxi, ngaru lu fpom srak?
Want to bring Na'Vi to X-Box live? Send a friend request to "SR Raptor 50" with the word Na'Vi attatched to it! I hope to have at least one friend who i can chat with in Na'Vi. Irayo, Ewya Ngahu. -Raptor

Taronyu

Quote from: Leo0987 on January 02, 2010, 08:33:04 PM
Can anyone teach me how to form simple sentences, like 'Hi, how are you?'. Also, if I want to convert any English sentences into Na'vi language, do I convert word for word?

As Above;

Kaltxi, ngaru lu fpom srak?
hello, you-DATIVE is well.being yes/no?
Hello, how are you?

As you can see here, you is in the dative case, normally reserved for the indirect object (like - john gave a book to mary.) In English, putting you in the dative case here makes no sense, but in Na'vi, it's more literally: "Hello, Is well-being (given) to you?"

This is a bit confusing. The point I would like to make is that, no, you can't convert word for word. You've got to understand the Na'vi grammar.

Doolio

Quote from: SR Raptor on January 02, 2010, 09:35:16 PM
Quote from: dustywhite on January 02, 2010, 01:05:03 AM
Irayo ma Oel ngati kameie Eywa

Can you say that, or would it just be Irayo, oel ngati kameie Eyaw.


OR

Is it possible to say Irayo, oel ngati kameie ma Eywa???




@Leo0987

Hi, how are you is:

Kaltxi, ngaru lu fpom srak?

the dustywhite's example is wrong (irayo ma oel ngati kameie eywa) because vocative case must stand in front of a word that is in the vocative. in this case it is indicated that it is "oe" (which would translate to "hey, me") which makes whole sentence pretty messed up and incorrect grammatically. also, the word eywa just hangs in there without any role in the sentence.

irayo, oel ngati kameie ma eywa - it is possible to say this, but it would translate as "thanks, i see you, eywa" (you are directly adressing eywa, you are telling eywa that you see her). if that is what you wanted to say, than the answer is yes.

...taj rad...

Leo

So does that mean I have to start from scratch, like learing the most basic words of Na'vi as a start? And is it possible to replace a word or two in a sentence when we are speaking in English (Eg. Yes, I would like to have that. > Srane, Oe would pxel to [English 'to'] have that.) Sorry if it sounds too weird...

Doolio

yes, it means that you pretty much have to 'empty your glass' of english-based idiomic constructions, grammar and phonetics, and simply start from the scratch.

as for the second part, i am not sure that i understand what you're trying to say...i mean, if you say half of a sentence in na'vi and the other half in english, it would probably turn out as a idiomic hybrid that would be incorrect in both languages. it is best that you try to say everything in na'vi, even if we don't know the particular word in question, you just have to think of another, and at the same time more 'na'vi' way to construct it. it is a good practice, if nothing.
...taj rad...

Nessimon

Quote from: Eywayä mokri on December 27, 2009, 06:46:34 AM
Grammar

* Is the word order completely free?
Well, there is no informations about the ideal structure of a sentence yet. So the word order is free yes. Though the word order may vary the meaning.

When Paul Frommer was confronted with this question in the language log he answered:
QuoteYour point about free word order is very well taken. You're absolutely right: by "free" I meant, as you said, "not syntactic"; discourse issues will affect the choice of word order. Na'vi is still a work in progress, and up to now I've been making some word order decisions on the basis of "feel"—no doubt influenced by the languages I know, given that I don't have native speaker intuition. (Wish I could find someone who does.) Codifying the rules of discourse is something I'm working on.

So the word order is, as he says, definitely not completely free.

Eywayä mokri

Quote from: Nessimon on January 03, 2010, 10:09:14 AM

So the word order is, as he says, definitely not completely free.

Yes, you are right. But we don't have any clear, precise, complete information about the way it will be structured in the future. :)
°°We don't forget anyone, we only get used to their absence.°°

Sawyä tìrol

Quote from: Doolio on January 03, 2010, 03:37:01 AM
Quote from: SR Raptor on January 02, 2010, 09:35:16 PM
Quote from: dustywhite on January 02, 2010, 01:05:03 AM
Irayo ma Oel ngati kameie Eywa

Can you say that, or would it just be Irayo, oel ngati kameie Eyaw.


OR

Is it possible to say Irayo, oel ngati kameie ma Eywa???




@Leo0987

Hi, how are you is:

Kaltxi, ngaru lu fpom srak?

the dustywhite's example is wrong (irayo ma oel ngati kameie eywa) because vocative case must stand in front of a word that is in the vocative. in this case it is indicated that it is "oe" (which would translate to "hey, me") which makes whole sentence pretty messed up and incorrect grammatically. also, the word eywa just hangs in there without any role in the sentence.

irayo, oel ngati kameie ma eywa - it is possible to say this, but it would translate as "thanks, i see you, eywa" (you are directly adressing eywa, you are telling eywa that you see her). if that is what you wanted to say, than the answer is yes.


"oel ngati kameie eywa" is the persons username that they were speaking to :P

Doolio

oh:)
in that case, dustywhite is correct:) maybe to put it in the brackets or something for stupid doolio to perceive:D
...taj rad...

Kaltxì Palulukan!

Quote from: Doolio on January 03, 2010, 01:45:34 PM
oh:)
in that case, dustywhite is correct:) maybe to put it in the brackets or something for stupid doolio to perceive:D

That's it! I'm sticking to English! That's what the Marines taught me--and that will keep me from causing too much trouble.

Txan irayo aysmuktu. Ngengayä srung t<er>eswotìng oe-ru kame. (???)
2022 update: Working on the new astrology book. "How to read tarot" books are on Amazon, if you are into that sort of thing.
Okay, so the old podcast is here: https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/radioavatar It was goofy fun that ended too soon, but we had creative people. I hope we can get a new gang together (interested? PM me, let's make some magic!)
(Very old, outdated) Na'vi FUN activity book is here: But what are you doing? Let me know! :)

Doolio

noo, you're doing good, i've been serious about me being stupid for not looking the posts before.
in fact, you are a really fast learner.
...taj rad...

Rika

Kaltxì.

I made a very simple sentence and I was wondering if it stands up to actual grammar.

Nga-ri tseo-yu lu.

The intent is to say "You are an artist."  Does it work?

Irayo.