[Tìk sì Tseyn] Replacement name for Tim (the bear)

[Lisa]

I had a two week interruption in my Dick and Jane translation (family and work obligations) but now I'm back and continuing work on it.

But I still need to Na'vify Tim, seeing as "multiple butts" would just make me laugh every time I see it.   

So I was thinking of changing it to "Tom"... would the Na'vi pronunciation be better written as "Tam"?   It seems to me that "Tom" would be pronounced similar to "tome", but I'm just guessing here.

Would there be a better choice?  Right now I'm just calling him "X", so I can find/replace later, but would prefer a more appropriate name.


Irayo!

[Kì'eyawn]

Kaltxì, ma Tirea Ikran. Tam, of course, is already a Na'vi word, so if you'd like something based on "Tom," i'd say Tom is short, sweet, and to the point.  But yes, it would be pronounced "tome."

Alternatively (and i apologize if this has been discussed before, i don't remember), i looked up a name etymology page that said Timothy means "God's honor."  We have meuia, "honor," which you could cute-ify into Muwi, or something.

Or, if you prefer, "Thomas," as i understand it, means "twin" (some are of the opinion that the Thomas of the Gospels was not actually named Thomas, but he was a twin and so became known by this epithet).  Unfortunately, we don't have a Na'vi word for "twin"—i don't even know if Na'vi can have twins—but you might consider making some sort of diminutive-sounding name based off mune--Munvi, maybe.

The other thing i might suggest is some variation of the name Tavish, which is an Irish/Gaelic variation of "Thomas."  It could be Na'vified into Tavìtsì, which sounds a little bit Na'vi, at least to me. 

[Lisa]

Kaltxì, ma Tirea Ikran. Tam, of course, is already a Na'vi word, so if you'd like something based on "Tom," i'd say Tom is short, sweet, and to the point.  But yes, it would be pronounced "tome."

Er, you're right, Tam is already a Na'vi word.  I looked up "Tom" but forgot about Tam.  I'm not sure how I could have forgotten that, I've seen the movie countless times and the scene where Neytiri uses it with Seze. 

Alternatively (and i apologize if this has been discussed before, i don't remember), i looked up a name etymology page that said Timothy means "God's honor."  We have meuia, "honor," which you could cute-ify into Muwi, or something.

Oh, I like "Muwi"!    Muwi seems like a better bear name than Tom, since I can't really use Tim anyway. 

The other thing i might suggest is some variation of the name Tavish, which is an Irish/Gaelic variation of "Thomas."  It could be Na'vified into Tavìtsì, which sounds a little bit Na'vi, at least to me. 

I know this isn't correct as it's my first attempt to do anything more complicated than "Tse'a Tseynit", but here goes:

Irayo nìmun fpi ng-eyä le-fpìlfya tìeyng!
Thanks again for your thoughtful reply! <-- what it is supposed to be

(corrections will be gratefully received)

And what do I do with fpi?  Is that the correct word?  Does the + sign mean it attaches to a word, or that there has to be some association with another word?  I'm really unclear on the grammar stuff.   ::sigh::

Yes, I'm really a grammar skxawng.   Perhaps I should change my name. 

['Oma Tirea]

I know this isn't correct as it's my first attempt to do anything more complicated than "Tse'a Tseynit", but here goes:

Irayo nìmun fpi ng-eyä le-fpìlfya tìeyng!
Thanks again for your thoughtful reply! <-- what it is supposed to be

(corrections will be gratefully received)

And what do I do with fpi?  Is that the correct word?  Does the + sign mean it attaches to a word, or that there has to be some association with another word?  I'm really unclear on the grammar stuff.   ::sigh::

My attempt: Irayo nìmun ngeyä lefpìlfya tìeyngìri
I used the topical since "fpi" means "for the sake of".

Yes, I'm really a grammar skxawng.   Perhaps I should change my name. 

"Tireayä Ikran" fu "Ikranä Tirea" ... or something else

[Lisa]

My attempt: Irayo nìmun ngeyä lefpìlfya tìeyngìri
I used the topical since "fpi" means "for the sake of".

The topical on tìeyng.... tìeyng-ìri... because the reply was the topic?   Your thoughtful reply?   That makes sense.   I'm thanking for something.... it's the "for" part I'm confused about.  I think. 

"Tireayä Ikran" fu "Ikranä Tirea" ... or something else

Hmmm.... Ikran's Spirit is probably what I was going for, but with zero knowledge.... kinda hard to get there, I guess.     


Irayo!

[Kì'eyawn]

Irayo nìmun fpi ng-eyä le-fpìlfya tìeyng!
Thanks again for your thoughtful reply! <-- what it is supposed to be

(corrections will be gratefully received)

And what do I do with fpi?  Is that the correct word?  Does the + sign mean it attaches to a word, or that there has to be some association with another word?  I'm really unclear on the grammar stuff.   ::sigh::

Yes, I'm really a grammar skxawng.   Perhaps I should change my name. 

You're very welcome, ma tsmuk (We don't actually have a way to say "you're welcome" in Na'vi yet, as far as i know).  As was already pointed out, the topical is often used for things people are thanking someone for—or apologizing for.  Fpi+ is more "for" in the sense of "for the sake of, for the benefit of"—so, more like, "I'm making dinner for my family."  The + means that it's an adposition that causes lenition when it comes before a word.  So, if you were doing something for a tsamsiyu, for example, that would be either tsamsiyufpi or fpi samsiyu.

In any case, i'm glad i could help!  I'll look forward to seeing your Tìk sì Tseyn stories =)

['Oma Tirea]

Irayo nìmun fpi ng-eyä le-fpìlfya tìeyng!
Thanks again for your thoughtful reply! <-- what it is supposed to be

(corrections will be gratefully received)

And what do I do with fpi?  Is that the correct word?  Does the + sign mean it attaches to a word, or that there has to be some association with another word?  I'm really unclear on the grammar stuff.   ::sigh::

Yes, I'm really a grammar skxawng.   Perhaps I should change my name. 

You're very welcome, ma tsmuk (We don't actually have a way to say "you're welcome" in Na'vi yet, as far as i know).  As was already pointed out, the topical is often used for things people are thanking someone for—or apologizing for.  Fpi+ is more "for" in the sense of "for the sake of, for the benefit of"—so, more like, "I'm making dinner for my family."  The + means that it's an adposition that causes lenition when it comes before a word.  So, if you were doing something for a tsamsiyu, for example, that would be either tsamsiyufpi or fpi samsiyu.

In any case, i'm glad i could help!  I'll look forward to seeing your Tìk sì Tseyn stories =)

The closest I have seen to the idiomatic phrase "You're welcome" is "Ke ekxan."  Another possibility is "Ngaru prrte' sriv(ei)ung."

[Kì'eyawn]

The closest I have seen to the idiomatic phrase "You're welcome" is "Ke ekxan."  Another possibility is "Ngaru prrte' sriv(ei)ung."

Well, the second one's definitely wrong, because srung isn't a verb, it's a noun, and you can only put infixes in verbs.  The verb "to help" is srung si.  But i have seen people say Fì'u/Tsa'u prrte' lolu oeru—essentially, "it was my pleasure."  Hmm...  "It was a pleasure to help you" would be something like Fwa ngaru oe srung soli prrte' lu oeru, i think.

['Oma Tirea]

I recall a discussion for this among the posts of some forum somewhere.... can't quite recall....

EDIT: Found it