Q: Na'vi naming conventions

Started by Ningey, January 14, 2012, 07:23:21 PM

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Ningey

January 14, 2012, 07:23:21 PM
I'm currently rewriting my name generator, but right now it generates names by making up syllables, then join them together to form the names.
However, I'm wondering if there are any name building conventions known? If yes, I intend to implement them at a later stage of development.

What I need to know is whether or not those names have specific meanings and how
a) a meaning can be derived from a given name
or
b) how certain events can be used to derive a newborn's name.

xelloss has come up with an idea in the French section, but I think this could nevertheless be worth further discussion.

Irayo fwa aynga oeru srung sivi.

ta Ningey.


"Sawtute ke tsun nivume - fo ke kerame!"
-- Neytiri te Tskaha Mo'at'ite

"There are two things that are infinite: Human stupidity and the universe. However, I'm not yet sure about the universe."
-- Albert Einstein

"He who gives up freedom for security deserves neither and loses both."
-- Benjamin Franklin

Mako

#1
January 14, 2012, 11:01:48 PM Last Edit: January 15, 2012, 12:56:36 PM by Reyona te Tsateka Ray'i'itan
Okay, before I begin (and as I say every time I discuss this) everything I'm about to say is not confirmed canon.

So here goes.

Using Neytiri and Tsu'tey's names as an example, I personally believe that you can learn the structure of Na'vi formal names. It is:

For males: Name + te + Family clan + Father's name-'itan (Tsu'tey te Rongloa Ateyitan)
For females: Name + te + Family clan + Mother's name-'ite (Neytiri te Tskaha Moatite)

Literally translated a name like this would mean "Name of the Family Clan, Father's son".

This is where I derived my name from (which I now realize I need to correct) (I left the apostrophe in because the ending of "Ray'i" and beginning of "'itan" would be elsewise indiscernable.)

So yeah, that's my input. As far as actual naming goes, I suspect it's just like human naming, by preference. Best of luck!

~Reyona

Irtaviš Ačankif

#2
January 15, 2012, 05:39:02 AM
te though doesn't mean of in modern Na'vi. I suppose it was some butchered word from Old Na'vi or some other Pandoran language like the fact that "Mc" doesn't mean "son of" in modern English.

As for generating names, check out this online application I wrote:
http://forum.learnnavi.org/projects/web-based-navi-name-generator!

Spoiler: Sample of 100 generated names

BTW the official, Frommerian name for Tsu'tey and Neytiri are:

Tsu'tey te Rongloa Ateyo'itan
Neytiri te Tskaha Mo'at'ite

You need to leave the ' in 'itan and 'ite whatever.
Previously Ithisa Kīranem, Uniltìrantokx te Skxawng.

Name from my Sakaš conlang, from Sakasul Ältäbisäl Acarankïp

"First name" is Ačankif, not Eltabiš! In Na'vi, Atsankip.

Kamean

#3
January 15, 2012, 09:42:05 AM
Very well. :)
Tse'a ngal ke'ut a krr fra'uti kame.

Mako

#4
January 15, 2012, 10:45:28 AM
Quote from: Uniltìrantokx te Skxawng on January 15, 2012, 05:39:02 AM
te though doesn't mean of in modern Na'vi. I suppose it was some butchered word from Old Na'vi or some other Pandoran language like the fact that "Mc" doesn't mean "son of" in modern English.

As for generating names, check out this online application I wrote:
http://forum.learnnavi.org/projects/web-based-navi-name-generator!

Spoiler: Sample of 100 generated names

BTW the official, Frommerian name for Tsu'tey and Neytiri are:

Tsu'tey te Rongloa Ateyo'itan
Neytiri te Tskaha Mo'at'ite

You need to leave the ' in 'itan and 'ite whatever.

Ahh, so I was correct. That's what I get for Googling their names in an attempts to make sure I was right.

And te is defined as a participle used in full names. The approx meaning is "of the" but only when speaking about names.

Ikran Ahiyìk

#5
January 15, 2012, 10:47:53 AM Last Edit: January 15, 2012, 10:58:28 AM by Ikran Ahiyìk
Meaning of names is not yet discovered.

All we can do now it just drawing a name from a formula.. (AFAIK)



Quote from: Reyona te Tsateka Ray'i'itan on January 15, 2012, 10:45:28 AM
Ahh, so I was correct. That's what I get for Googling their names in an attempts to make sure I was right.

And te is defined as a participle used in full names. The approx meaning is "of the" but only when speaking about names.
Only one thing.. you spelled Rongloa incorrectly.. :P
Plltxe nìhiyìk na ikran... oe fmeri sìltsan nì'ul slivu, ngaytxoa...


See the new version with fingerings!
Avatar credits to O-l-i-v-i.

Mako

#6
January 15, 2012, 12:55:55 PM
Quote from: Ikran Ahiyìk on January 15, 2012, 10:47:53 AM
Meaning of names is not yet discovered.

All we can do now it just drawing a name from a formula.. (AFAIK)



Quote from: Reyona te Tsateka Ray'i'itan on January 15, 2012, 10:45:28 AM
Ahh, so I was correct. That's what I get for Googling their names in an attempts to make sure I was right.

And te is defined as a participle used in full names. The approx meaning is "of the" but only when speaking about names.
Only one thing.. you spelled Rongloa incorrectly.. :P

It was 3 in the morning... ;)

'Oma Tirea

#7
January 17, 2012, 12:11:15 AM
Tse, tìpawm: do the Na'vi ever create names based on real words, like in 'Rrtan languages?  Right now they seem somewhat (maybe completely) random, and are just names, no more, no less.

For instance would we ever see a name like Txewì te Payoang Ateyo'ite?

[img]http://swokaikran.skxawng.lu/sigbar/nwotd.php?p=2b[/img]

ÌTXTSTXRR!!

Srake serar le'Ìnglìsìa lì'fyayä aylì'ut?  Nari si älofoniru rutxe!!

Irtaviš Ačankif

#8
January 17, 2012, 01:23:16 AM
Well...in the movie we get meaningless names...like Neytiri, Mo'at etc.
Previously Ithisa Kīranem, Uniltìrantokx te Skxawng.

Name from my Sakaš conlang, from Sakasul Ältäbisäl Acarankïp

"First name" is Ačankif, not Eltabiš! In Na'vi, Atsankip.

Kamean

#9
January 17, 2012, 09:39:59 AM
Quote from: 'Oma Tirea on January 17, 2012, 12:11:15 AM
Tse, tìpawm: do the Na'vi ever create names based on real words, like in 'Rrtan languages?  Right now they seem somewhat (maybe completely) random, and are just names, no more, no less.

For instance would we ever see a name like Txewì te Payoang Ateyo'ite?


I think it's quite possible.
Tse'a ngal ke'ut a krr fra'uti kame.

Reykoveyzä te Werufalä Haflak'ite

#10
January 17, 2012, 09:42:27 AM
And we got told that the name Seze means blue flower, right? So they can have meanings
Irayo, ma frapo, ma oeyä smuke sì ma oeyä smukan.
Vivar 'ivong Na'vi! Eywa ayngahu!



*if i make a mistake in any of my Na'vi, please correct me :)

Ikran Ahiyìk

#11
January 17, 2012, 11:39:59 AM
Quote from: Reykoveyzä te Weru'falä Haflak'ite on January 17, 2012, 09:42:27 AM
And we got told that the name Seze means blue flower, right? So they can have meanings
Animal name would not be the same case.. This is just directly copied from the flower name..



For whether Na'vi names have meanings or not, I don't think we can make a conclusion easily. This requires a huge historical background, so our names may have meanings, Na'vi names seems not to us currently. In the story it maybe assumed to have the history to support these names, just we don't know (not yet "created", as our lexical expansion). You may also argue that James Cameron don't even give brief descriptions to the Na'vi characters' name, only put them out, but this maybe not the true reason... simply complicated.




Quote from: 'Oma Tirea on January 17, 2012, 12:11:15 AM
For instance would we ever see a name like Txewì te Payoang Ateyo'ite?
Is this an error or not...?
Plltxe nìhiyìk na ikran... oe fmeri sìltsan nì'ul slivu, ngaytxoa...


See the new version with fingerings!
Avatar credits to O-l-i-v-i.

Mako

#12
January 17, 2012, 01:09:53 PM
Quote from: Ikran Ahiyìk on January 17, 2012, 11:39:59 AM
Quote from: 'Oma Tirea on January 17, 2012, 12:11:15 AM
For instance would we ever see a name like Txewì te Payoang Ateyo'ite?
Is this an error or not...?

No, I just screwed up. That would be "correct".

Ikran Ahiyìk

#13
January 17, 2012, 07:10:14 PM
Quote from: Reyona te Tsateka Ray'i'itan on January 17, 2012, 01:09:53 PM
Quote from: Ikran Ahiyìk on January 17, 2012, 11:39:59 AM
Quote from: 'Oma Tirea on January 17, 2012, 12:11:15 AM
For instance would we ever see a name like Txewì te Payoang Ateyo'ite?
Is this an error or not...?

No, I just screwed up. That would be "correct".

No this isn't yours .. :P



Txewì and Ateyo are both male names...
Plltxe nìhiyìk na ikran... oe fmeri sìltsan nì'ul slivu, ngaytxoa...


See the new version with fingerings!
Avatar credits to O-l-i-v-i.

Mako

#14
January 17, 2012, 07:47:41 PM
Quote from: Ikran Ahiyìk on January 17, 2012, 07:10:14 PM
Quote from: Reyona te Tsateka Ray'i'itan on January 17, 2012, 01:09:53 PM
Quote from: Ikran Ahiyìk on January 17, 2012, 11:39:59 AM
Quote from: 'Oma Tirea on January 17, 2012, 12:11:15 AM
For instance would we ever see a name like Txewì te Payoang Ateyo'ite?
Is this an error or not...?

No, I just screwed up. That would be "correct".

No this isn't yours .. :P



Txewì and Ateyo are both male names...

Oh, I thought you were referencing my mistake with the apostrophe earlier :P

Txur’Itan

#15
January 17, 2012, 08:21:03 PM
Tsu'tey follows the broken sound cramming structural conventions of the ASG documented names for people, tribes/clans and things, with the prevalence for U'. It is reasonable to think all of the names where thought up, and then spelled many different ways prior to Paul taking over the language.

ASG Examples:
ulu'tah inib'sey mulsi
u'imi
U'imi huyuticaya
su'shiri t'acto sa

Retroactively is is possible to derive meaning from present day vocabulary.

tsun -> vim. can, be able
tsuk -> PF prefix able to (c.w. from tsun able and fko one)
tsurokx -> PF v. rest

teya -> PF adj. full
teyr -> PF adj. white

Tsu'Tey -> implied meaning: rest & full/white | able & full/white

But, canonically, James Cameron may still come up with something off of the top of his head.
私は太った男だ。

Irtaviš Ačankif

#16
January 18, 2012, 12:22:40 AM
Quote from: Txur'Itan on January 17, 2012, 08:21:03 PM
But, canonically, James Cameron may still come up with something off of the top of his head.
Na'vi. The only place where canonical is usually wrong.
Previously Ithisa Kīranem, Uniltìrantokx te Skxawng.

Name from my Sakaš conlang, from Sakasul Ältäbisäl Acarankïp

"First name" is Ačankif, not Eltabiš! In Na'vi, Atsankip.

Ikran Ahiyìk

#17
January 18, 2012, 04:50:00 AM
I don't prefer linking a name with a meaning in this way. Or maybe that's only me.



One more thing: as ASG puts the ' in the wrong place quite often, I doubt they really knew what it is at that time.
Plltxe nìhiyìk na ikran... oe fmeri sìltsan nì'ul slivu, ngaytxoa...


See the new version with fingerings!
Avatar credits to O-l-i-v-i.

Reykoveyzä te Werufalä Haflak'ite

#18
January 18, 2012, 09:29:36 AM
i noticed that ASG had a lot of names that seemed like pure garbage. a toy ikran is, apparently, a "su'shiri t'acta sa". it doesnt even have the word ikran in it. is that just me not understanding it, or does it actually bear no resemblance to Na'vi?
Irayo, ma frapo, ma oeyä smuke sì ma oeyä smukan.
Vivar 'ivong Na'vi! Eywa ayngahu!



*if i make a mistake in any of my Na'vi, please correct me :)

Kamean

#19
January 18, 2012, 09:32:41 AM
In my opinion, is the author's imagination. Нe considered: Does it matter what kind of gibberish invented.
Tse'a ngal ke'ut a krr fra'uti kame.

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