I see

[MIPP]

Okay, the Na'vi people use "Oel ngati kameie" as a greeting and its mean is "I see you", but no just "I am seeing you", but "I see your inside", or something.
I was thinking about it and I noticed that in English we also use something like this metaphorically.
When someone explains something to you, and you understand it, you say:
"I see". But, you actually see nothing, what you mean is that you have understood what he just said. I guess that this is the most similar metaphor with the "Oel ngati kameie", in English, isn't it? 

[Ekirä]

That's really interesting....I never noticed that! Now instead of saying "I see" I'll have to say "Oe kame".

[Elektrolurch]

That's the English language, yes ...


But "I see you" can never be a form of greeting, I hate that...

[kewnya txamew'itan]

I'm not sure if its Frommerian, but "tslolam" seems to be used more commonly in this context on this forum.

[Duma Vadamee {Aungia Tsawkeyä}]

??

[Ekirä]

I'm not sure if its Frommerian, but "tslolam" seems to be used more commonly in this context on this forum.

Yes, it would make sense because in English "I see" is basically just an easier way of saying "I understand".

[MIPP]

I'm not sure if its Frommerian, but "tslolam" seems to be used more commonly in this context on this forum.

Yes, I was just comparating the "Oel ngati kame" (hello) with our "I see" (I understand).

[kewnya txamew'itan]

I'm not sure that such a comparison is justified. "I see" is fairly idiomatic and "oel ngati kame" even more so, that it was translated by early xenolinguists as "I see you" is a strange coincidence as "I see into you", "I know you" (so that "kame" would match "conocer" lespanyol better than it does "ver" lespanyol or "to see" le'ìnglìsì) or if the gesture that accompanies it is anything to go by, "kame" represents something more like drawing your soul out and  passing it to the person being greeted (compare to the gesture Neytiri makes to the tree of souls where, analogously she would be drawing the souls in it to her). The two meanings are very different of both things and ultimately, using "oe kame" for "I see" is an example of translating idioms literally (although in two instances here, first the literal/bad translation of "kame" and then a literal translation to "kame").

[Txonä Unil Stä'nìyu Rolyusì]

I'm not sure that such a comparison is justified. "I see" is fairly idiomatic and "oel ngati kame" even more so, that it was translated by early xenolinguists as "I see you" is a strange coincidence as "I see into you", "I know you" (so that "kame" would match "conocer" lespanyol better than it does "ver" lespanyol or "to see" le'ìnglìsì) or if the gesture that accompanies it is anything to go by, "kame" represents something more like drawing your soul out and  passing it to the person being greeted (compare to the gesture Neytiri makes to the tree of souls where, analogously she would be drawing the souls in it to her). The two meanings are very different of both things and ultimately, using "oe kame" for "I see" is an example of translating idioms literally (although in two instances here, first the literal/bad translation of "kame" and then a literal translation to "kame").

Sooo.....basically what you're saying is that "oe kame" would not be correct to use to say "I see" as in "I understand/I get it?" That's the message I'm getting from this post.

-Txonä Rolyu

[MIPP]

I'm not sure that such a comparison is justified. "I see" is fairly idiomatic and "oel ngati kame" even more so, that it was translated by early xenolinguists as "I see you" is a strange coincidence as "I see into you", "I know you" (so that "kame" would match "conocer" lespanyol better than it does "ver" lespanyol or "to see" le'ìnglìsì) or if the gesture that accompanies it is anything to go by, "kame" represents something more like drawing your soul out and  passing it to the person being greeted (compare to the gesture Neytiri makes to the tree of souls where, analogously she would be drawing the souls in it to her). The two meanings are very different of both things and ultimately, using "oe kame" for "I see" is an example of translating idioms literally (although in two instances here, first the literal/bad translation of "kame" and then a literal translation to "kame").

I was not trying to say that "Oe kame" could mean "I understand" as we in English say "I see". I was just saying that the Na'vi people aren't the only ones that have a metaphor with "see (kame)". We also have one, which is "I see" in the meaning of "I understand what you just said". Oel ngati kameie and I see are very different, however both idioms use "see" metaphorically.

[kewnya txamew'itan]

I'm not sure that such a comparison is justified. "I see" is fairly idiomatic and "oel ngati kame" even more so, that it was translated by early xenolinguists as "I see you" is a strange coincidence as "I see into you", "I know you" (so that "kame" would match "conocer" lespanyol better than it does "ver" lespanyol or "to see" le'ìnglìsì) or if the gesture that accompanies it is anything to go by, "kame" represents something more like drawing your soul out and  passing it to the person being greeted (compare to the gesture Neytiri makes to the tree of souls where, analogously she would be drawing the souls in it to her). The two meanings are very different of both things and ultimately, using "oe kame" for "I see" is an example of translating idioms literally (although in two instances here, first the literal/bad translation of "kame" and then a literal translation to "kame").

Sooo.....basically what you're saying is that "oe kame" would not be correct to use to say "I see" as in "I understand/I get it?" That's the message I'm getting from this post.

-Txonä Rolyu

That's what I was going for.

I'm not sure that such a comparison is justified. "I see" is fairly idiomatic and "oel ngati kame" even more so, that it was translated by early xenolinguists as "I see you" is a strange coincidence as "I see into you", "I know you" (so that "kame" would match "conocer" lespanyol better than it does "ver" lespanyol or "to see" le'ìnglìsì) or if the gesture that accompanies it is anything to go by, "kame" represents something more like drawing your soul out and  passing it to the person being greeted (compare to the gesture Neytiri makes to the tree of souls where, analogously she would be drawing the souls in it to her). The two meanings are very different of both things and ultimately, using "oe kame" for "I see" is an example of translating idioms literally (although in two instances here, first the literal/bad translation of "kame" and then a literal translation to "kame").

I was not trying to say that "Oe kame" could mean "I understand" as we in English say "I see". I was just saying that the Na'vi people aren't the only ones that have a metaphor with "see (kame)". We also have one, which is "I see" in the meaning of "I understand what you just said". Oel ngati kameie and I see are very different, however both idioms use "see" metaphorically.

Ah, sorry, I thought that you were saying that the English use of "I see" could be translated with "oe(l) kame".

[MIPP]

I'm not sure that such a comparison is justified. "I see" is fairly idiomatic and "oel ngati kame" even more so, that it was translated by early xenolinguists as "I see you" is a strange coincidence as "I see into you", "I know you" (so that "kame" would match "conocer" lespanyol better than it does "ver" lespanyol or "to see" le'ìnglìsì) or if the gesture that accompanies it is anything to go by, "kame" represents something more like drawing your soul out and  passing it to the person being greeted (compare to the gesture Neytiri makes to the tree of souls where, analogously she would be drawing the souls in it to her). The two meanings are very different of both things and ultimately, using "oe kame" for "I see" is an example of translating idioms literally (although in two instances here, first the literal/bad translation of "kame" and then a literal translation to "kame").

Sooo.....basically what you're saying is that "oe kame" would not be correct to use to say "I see" as in "I understand/I get it?" That's the message I'm getting from this post.

-Txonä Rolyu

That's what I was going for.

I'm not sure that such a comparison is justified. "I see" is fairly idiomatic and "oel ngati kame" even more so, that it was translated by early xenolinguists as "I see you" is a strange coincidence as "I see into you", "I know you" (so that "kame" would match "conocer" lespanyol better than it does "ver" lespanyol or "to see" le'ìnglìsì) or if the gesture that accompanies it is anything to go by, "kame" represents something more like drawing your soul out and  passing it to the person being greeted (compare to the gesture Neytiri makes to the tree of souls where, analogously she would be drawing the souls in it to her). The two meanings are very different of both things and ultimately, using "oe kame" for "I see" is an example of translating idioms literally (although in two instances here, first the literal/bad translation of "kame" and then a literal translation to "kame").

I was not trying to say that "Oe kame" could mean "I understand" as we in English say "I see". I was just saying that the Na'vi people aren't the only ones that have a metaphor with "see (kame)". We also have one, which is "I see" in the meaning of "I understand what you just said". Oel ngati kameie and I see are very different, however both idioms use "see" metaphorically.

Ah, sorry, I thought that you were saying that the English use of "I see" could be translated with "oe(l) kame".

No, it wouldn't be possible  No problem, ma kewnya.

[Kìte'eyä Aungia]

We've also got the verb "grok", which is probably as close to a direct translation as you're going to get.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grok

[Ekirä]

We've also got the verb "grok", which is probably as close to a direct translation as you're going to get.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grok

But grok can mean so much more than 'understand'.....while reading Stranger in a Strange Land, I tried to change it to an english word every time it showed up. Most commonly it fit as understand (As Mike says, it means 'drink'), but it would also sometimes mean want, perceive, feel....it has a broad range.

But you're right, grok is Heinlein's version of oel ngati kameie.

[Txonä Unil Stä'nìyu Rolyusì]

We've also got the verb "grok", which is probably as close to a direct translation as you're going to get.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grok

But this couldn't be a Na'vi word as there is no G in Na'vi.

-Txonä Rolyu

[kewnya txamew'itan]

I think he was suggesting it as an English translation ma rolyu.

[NaviFreedomFighter]

Okay, the Na'vi people use "Oel ngati kameie" as a greeting and its mean is "I see you", but no just "I am seeing you", but "I see your inside", or something.
I was thinking about it and I noticed that in English we also use something like this metaphorically.
When someone explains something to you, and you understand it, you say:
"I see". But, you actually see nothing, what you mean is that you have understood what he just said. I guess that this is the most similar metaphor with the "Oel ngati kameie", in English, isn't it? 

True it does mean just mean 'i see you' it means I See into your soul and understand you