Good Luck with this one!

Prrton · March 02, 2010, 08:05:42 PM

I proposed a non-direct-translation of "Good Luck (with this/that)! with wayward syntax but a good heart and got:

Quote from: Paul FrommerI like it! Just a change in the syntax:

Since si-constructions take subjects in the unmarked (non-ERG.) case and objects in the dative, it would be:

(Fìtxeleri) Ngaru lrrtok! (sivi (Nawma Sa'nok))

For the shorter version, I like:

Lrrtok ngar!

It's easier to pronounce.

A slightly different version:

Aylrrtok ngar. (with an understood "livu")

Cf. the all-purpose holiday or celebrational greeting:

Ftxozäri aylrrtok ngaru. (Smiles to you on your celebration. That appeared on JC's birthday cake several years ago.)

P.

So it's:

[whatever needs the luck]-ri/ìri ngaru lrrtok!

or

[whatever needs the luck]-ri/ìri lrrtok ngar!

or

[whatever needs the luck]-ri/ìri ngaru lrrtok sivi Nawma Sa'nok! (If the lottery winnings are at stake!)

I felt incredible jealousy when I read the last part and imagined all of those people who must have had a bite of that cake SEVERAL YEARS AGO! Think how FLUENT they could all be today!

pbhead · March 03, 2010, 08:42:11 AM

I want a birthday cake with na'vi on it...

just goes to show how long this language has been in development.

Alìm Tsamsiyu · March 03, 2010, 02:59:48 PM

Well - I'm sure many of us are probably already more fluent than most (if not all) of the people at that party (except maybe Frommer, since we do get more time to actually speak it than he does).

Just makes it an even bigger shame that they've all had access to it for that long as well as immediate contact with others who could potentially speak it, but yet now can probably barely say two or three words on average.