Na'vi names

[Tìng Eywatikìte'e]

While there are no set rules in English most people will agree that other then unisex names there are distinctly male and others which are distinctly female. It's more of an intuitive thing though and we hardly notice the things that make one name male and another female, but they are there and an alien ear would probably be able to pick up on it. Like how when learning Japanese I was easily able to tell the differences between names before we studied them.

I'm just curious to see if this intuitive notion came into play when Cameron was making up the names and if Frommer decided for it to be an actual rule. For most languages there would be one, but since the Na'Vi don't seem to have that much of a division of labor it's hard to know if they would divide their names.

[Tskxäozì Ewaoe]

I agree. The Na'vi would probably easily tell by instinct and by recognition whether a name is male or female. Whereas a ketuwong like us would probably have no idea unless they have grown up in the culture of the Na'vi and seen/heard many other names. It really is a thing based on experience.

[Eywal ngaru teing oeti]

I agree. The Na'vi would probably easily tell by instinct and by recognition whether a name is male or female. Whereas a ketuwong like us would probably have no idea unless they have grown up in the culture of the Na'vi and seen/heard many other names. It really is a thing based on experience.

That's very true. It would have to be based on experience. I mean, the name could suggest a female person, but it's actually a guy. For an example, Kelly, it's a female name, but there are guys out there with that name. So it could be like that in other cultures or alien races.

[Tìng Eywatikìte'e]

Well there are always exceptions. I'm not saying there is a 100% rule for defining the gender of the names but there are general ones. And what I'm saying is given enough examples one doesn't normally need the experience of the culture to tell the difference. Sure you would have to live within the society to know which names were male and which were female, but you'd still be able to tell the difference.

The best example for me is when I learned Japanese I could tell the difference between male and female. There are a few languages that I don't know at all but have heard enough names to hear the distinctions, such as Chinese names. 

[Tskxäozì Ewaoe]

uhhh, Japanese is easy distinguishing male and female.
Boys end with like 'ru', 'ro', etc
While Girls end with 'ko', 'ka', etc

Along the lines of that.

[Tìng Eywatikìte'e]

Yes, but you can still distinguish them in other languages as well.

Anywho, what I was actually talking about is that I did hear a slight differences between male and female names and know I'll have to wait and see if this a rule of the language or because Cameron's lack of a linguistic back round allowed his English instincts to slip through in the creation of his names.

[Tskxäozì Ewaoe]

Tsmuke, agreed. It's almost impossible not to allow something form your background slip into something else. I mean it's like an accent. We can speak Na'vi, but for a long time, we'll have a slight English accent.

[Tìng Eywatikìte'e]

Exactly, tsmukan. Since Frommer had his base given to him by Cameron I'm curious to see how/if he will work out a general rule to distinguish names.

[Tìsyaw Nantangä]

I think if anything is actually written about the topic it'll be more like intuitive hints and indications rather a rule rule.

I guess someone could have a look at the Na'vi dictionary and see if there are any linguistic "themes" than run through certain words. I'm pretty bad at the whole explaining thing, but I mean like if spiritual words often have a certain phonology compared to words related to, say, anger and battle. If there is a noticeable pattern then it should be possible to make up your own names (they'd be only that though, names, not new vocab) that have hints of either spirituality or warriorness.

[Tìng Eywatikìte'e]

I think there would have to be, Frommer is a great linguist so he would have a pattern forming.

Something I noticed was the connection between 'eko, attack and 'ekong, beat (rhythm). This would suggest a couple of things. One could be that the Na'Vi see fighting as a dance. Another could be they see a physical similarity between the act of attacking and the act of beating out a rhythm. What do you guys think? 

[Tskxäozì Ewaoe]

Agreed. Word bases. It would seem obvious that the Na'vi relate hitting a drum to attacking from those two words. There's other groups of words like that.

[‡ Neytiri ‡]

I noticed the link that directed my browser to the USC professor giving someone a crash course in Na'Vi. I can most definitely say the three and a half minutes of being taught by the person who created the language gave me some brief insight on how to pronounce certain characters and ejections. All in all, I can't wait to be speaking it fluently. I'll finally be bilingual. Haha.

[Tìng Eywatikìte'e]

Agreed. Word bases. It would seem obvious that the Na'vi relate hitting a drum to attacking from those two words. There's other groups of words like that.

Yeah, I also notice that nì seems to link with the quantity of something a lot of the words that start with it are words like, much, more, a little, only, alone, again, ect. Just a thought.

[Na'Ring Tompa]

Yeah, I basically just took two words that I liked (Forest Rain-- I love forests, and I love rain, and I didn't want to end up being Rain Forest, so ya know...) and translated it into Na'vi. It's more fun that way, and it took me a little while to find something I liked and of course, it should sound decent.

[Tìng Eywatikìte'e]

Na'Ring tsmuke, you probably took the wiser route. I made my head trying to translate a name that is probably many shades of wrong.

[Tskxäozì Ewaoe]

Haha, I just randomly made my name up through the knowledge of the grammar and syllable structure XD

[Tìng Eywatikìte'e]

I think that's what most of us are doing. Perhaps when we have a firmer grasp we can tighten them a bit since I think just about everyone's name is a little long for an actual name. Y'know.

[Naki'Malis]

While 'Oel t<ie>rng mikyun-ti" is great i decided to use the Na'vi phonetics of my standard user name. For one it odd not to see it (at least for me)

I will still keep it around as it's a good phrase

[Tìsyaw Nantangä]

Yeah, I basically just took two words that I liked (Forest Rain-- I love forests, and I love rain, and I didn't want to end up being Rain Forest, so ya know...) and translated it into Na'vi. It's more fun that way, and it took me a little while to find something I liked and of course, it should sound decent.

That signature is the cutest damn thing ever.[/offtopic]

I think that's what most of us are doing. Perhaps when we have a firmer grasp we can tighten them a bit since I think just about everyone's name is a little long for an actual name. Y'know.

I guess what we're coming up with now are full names, so we could just call each other by our first names.

[Lightnity]

Anyone knows how to create a name for me? Newb here o.o i like Divine things and things related to Light. Thanks!