As X as Y; Keep on keepin' on

[Kì'eyawn]

[...all of this...]

You rock my socks a little.  Just thought you should know.

PS: The Vulcan word for story is VAR. That will help me remember via the "narrative continues".

Var is the Turkish "there is/there are" (cf. French il y a).  This doesn't help me in the slightest.  Although ask me sometime how it gets used in possessive constructions... XD

[Nyx]

Thanks for the update I've needed this for a while. Also, I love how discussions here always bring up new things for me to learn ^^

[Muzer]

Well, Norm is not native, so I don't know if we can totally trust him, but still, it may be correct. And what about "since"? We don't really know?

I assume it's correct though, considering Grace calls it "a little formal"...

[Tirea Aean]

Well, Norm is not native, so I don't know if we can totally trust him, but still, it may be correct. And what about "since"? We don't really know?

I assume it's correct though, considering Grace calls it "a little formal"...

but he says that AFTER she says that...XD

[Plumps]

See here

It's supposed to be zìsìto amrr

[Tirea Aean]

See here

It's supposed to be zìsìto amrr

Thank you VERY much for posting that

[NeotrekkerZ]

So linguistically, var is an anaphoric verb, but because of its propensity to be used as a helping verb would it be going too far to call it modal?

[wm.annis]

So linguistically, var is an anaphoric verb, but because of its propensity to be used as a helping verb would it be going too far to call it modal?

I would say it follows modal syntax.  Modal verbs are more narrowly related to things like ability, obligation, possibility, etc.

['Oma Tirea]

Ooooh. Lovely!! I especially like the pum/var mutual nod.

what?

Sran.  I imagine it is better compared to "tut" than to "pum", and in fact is the verbal form.

BTW, do we have confirmation from Frommer that "var" is modal?

[wm.annis]

BTW, do we have confirmation from Frommer that "var" is modal?

It's in the examples in my first post — var follows modal syntax.  I suspect I might be missing the point of this question, though.

I use this phrasing, "modal syntax," since, strictly speaking, modals are about possibility, obligation and the like.  But in Na'vi modal verbs and auxiliary verbs follow the same syntax.

[wm.annis]

I've been reading about Uto-Aztecan languages recently.  Many of those lack a separate way to say "less X than Y," and instead simply negate the "as... as..." construction.  Until Frommer comes up with a "less X than Y" construction, this seems like a reasonable way to deal with the gap.

  Nga ke tul nìftxan nìwin na oe.
  You don't run as quickly as I do; you run less quickly than I do.

[Tirea Aean]

I've been reading about Uto-Aztecan languages recently.  Many of those lack a separate way to say "less X than Y," and instead simply negate the "as... as..." construction.  Until Frommer comes up with a "less X than Y" construction, this seems like a reasonable way to deal with the gap.

  Nga ke tul nìftxan nìwin na oe.
  You don't run as quickly as I do; you run less quickly than I do.

ahhh yess that's a nice observation.

[Kì'eyawn]

I've been reading about Uto-Aztecan languages recently.  Many of those lack a separate way to say "less X than Y," and instead simply negate the "as... as..." construction.  Until Frommer comes up with a "less X than Y" construction, this seems like a reasonable way to deal with the gap.

  Nga ke tul nìftxan nìwin na oe.
  You don't run as quickly as I do; you run less quickly than I do.

Interesting.  The lack of that construct might say something about the culture's worldview...

*shrug* Or it might not, dunno.

['Oma Tirea]

BTW, do we have confirmation from Frommer that "var" is modal?

It's in the examples in my first post — var follows modal syntax.  I suspect I might be missing the point of this question, though.

I use this phrasing, "modal syntax," since, strictly speaking, modals are about possibility, obligation and the like.  But in Na'vi modal verbs and auxiliary verbs follow the same syntax.

To clarify: is it correct to say Vivar 'ong Na'vi or must fko say Vivar 'ivong Na'vi instead?

I've been reading about Uto-Aztecan languages recently.  Many of those lack a separate way to say "less X than Y," and instead simply negate the "as... as..." construction.  Until Frommer comes up with a "less X than Y" construction, this seems like a reasonable way to deal with the gap.

  Nga ke tul nìftxan nìwin na oe.
  You don't run as quickly as I do; you run less quickly than I do.

fascinating, and probably useful, considering Na'vi doesn't have a word/substitution for "less"

[wm.annis]

BTW, do we have confirmation from Frommer that "var" is modal?

It's in the examples in my first post — var follows modal syntax.  I suspect I might be missing the point of this question, though.

To clarify: is it correct to say Vivar 'ong Na'vi or must fko say Vivar 'ivong Na'vi instead?

The dependent verb must take the subjunctive.  So, vivar 'ivong Na'vi.  The first one is an error.

[Kì'eyawn]

Now here's a thought:  With this nìftxan...na construction, can we say, "I have as much teylu as you do"?

*Oeru lu nìftxan teylu na nga(ru?)

Yes-no-maybe?

[kewnya txamew'itan]

Now here's a thought:  With this nìftxan...na construction, can we say, "I have as much teylu as you do"?

*Oeru lu nìftxan teylu na nga(ru?)

Yes-no-maybe?

Sounds reasonable to me although I'd expect a re-ordering to prevent someone thinking that I had as much teylu as I had of you:

lu oeru na nga nìftxan teylu

Also, as I believe na and pxel are technically adpositions nga couldn't take -ru as well (if it could then it would avoid the ambiguity without making word order slightly more rigid).

[Kì'eyawn]

Now here's a thought:  With this nìftxan...na construction, can we say, "I have as much teylu as you do"?

*Oeru lu nìftxan teylu na nga(ru?)

Yes-no-maybe?

Sounds reasonable to me although I'd expect a re-ordering to prevent someone thinking that I had as much teylu as I had of you:

lu oeru na nga nìftxan teylu

Yeah, i was sort of flailing with the word order.  I like yours better, it's much clearer.

Also, as I believe na and pxel are technically adpositions nga couldn't take -ru as well (if it could then it would avoid the ambiguity without making word order slightly more rigid).

Ah yes, good point.  I hadn't thought of that.