In the dictionary they have the word Lor for beautiful but...

[PunkMaister]

There is a big, big but with this word and it is this:

pleasant to the senses (non-human), beautiful:

Either it means that in the Avatar Universe humans do not have nor ever have had any concept of beauty whatsoever. Or that the Na'vi can only ascribe beauty to senses the humans do not have. Do not know which but none of this options make much sense at all.


So what is it really?

[wm.annis]

So what is it really?

Here "non-human" means the word is used to describe non-humans, not that humans cannot sense it.  There is a separate word for "beautiful" for people — sevin.

Edit: I suppose we should use the word "people" rather than "human" here.

[omängum fra'uti]

The term Frommer uses is "Not for people" which is probably a little clearer.

[PunkMaister]

So what is it really?

Here "non-human" means the word is used to describe non-humans, not that humans cannot sense it.  There is a separate word for "beautiful" for people — sevin.

Edit: I suppose we should use the word "people" rather than "human" here.

I still don't understand the dictionary describes the word as meaning beautiful to the senses for example a flower is something beautiful to the senses is it not? I'm not sure what exactly they are trying to say sevin seems exclusively to describe people not objects or plants or anything but people correct me If I am wrong but that's how it looks anyhow.

[omängum fra'uti]

That's pretty much how it is.  A person is described as being sevin, while something like a beautiful song or flower would be described as being lor.

Tsatìrol lor lu.
Tsatute sevin lu.

etc

The distinction may seem odd and arbitrary, but sometimes language can seem that way when looked at from the outside.  It's no more strange than English describing women as pretty and men as handsome when both bear similar definitions.

[PunkMaister]

That's pretty much how it is.  A person is described as being sevin, while something like a beautiful song or flower would be described as being lor.

Tsatìrol lor lu.
Tsatute sevin lu.

etc

The distinction may seem odd and arbitrary, but sometimes language can seem that way when looked at from the outside.  It's no more strange than English describing women as pretty and men as handsome when both bear similar definitions.

OK, and  you are right the correct terminology should have been not applicable to people or since in this case there are humans and aliens not applicable to Sentients. Does it show that I am a Scifi geek?

[PunkMaister]

OK now that I've looked at the whole thing in more depth the problem is that Sevin only means pretty and pretty and beautiful doesn't necessarily convey the same thing. So basically in Na'vi you would have to somehow stress by making the word in Na'vi say prettier or prettiest which again doesn't cut the mustard.

.

[NeotrekkerZ]

I've used sevin for beautiful when describing a person.  You could augment it with nìtxan if you feel it's inadequate.