NotW #12: Taronyu

[Kì'eyawn]

HRH.  Oel ngati kameie, ma Taronyu.  Ngeyä sì'eyngìl oeti lrrtok seyki.  Ulte teri tì'eyng amevomun, plltxe oe san ngay, tsleng, ngay.

[Taronyu]

Put up more (not all) of the na'vi translations. please tell me keyeyteri, if you see any. Also picked a follower.

[Robert Nantangä Tirea]

I'm guessing:

1) False
2) True
3) False

There's not many rivers of which 200 miles are accesable for canoeing I don't think. Visiting more countries than 21 shouldn't be too hard if you pass through a lot of europe. And blackbelt in karate? lol, i don't think your cat would approve 

[Taronyu]

Since there appears to be a 20,000 character limit on posts - here is all of the english.

Oe pamrel sayi nìNa'vi, slä fì'ut ke sresame'a oel, ha tìng oeru trrti, rutxe. Oel yayem oeyä lì'ut mì fìtsenge, a krr oe pamrel seyki tsa'u, ha rutxe pey ulte srung si ne oe keyeyteri. Irayo!

Who are you?

Hey guys! I'm Richard. I'm from Connecticut, but I've lived the past four years in Scotland, and consider it home more than the US most of the time. I've learned Latin, Greek, Old English, some Japanese, and Na'vi, and am probably best at the last one. I am a linguistics student at the University of Edinburgh, and spend most of my time drinking with friends, reading science fiction and fantasy, hanging out, cycling around... I'm 21, and hoping that my twenties shape up into something of worth soon. I'm going back to New York in a few days for two months to be with my sister and her fiancé while I apply for a new visa, and maybe visit my beach-bum dad who lives on a boat in Cape Cod or my other sister and her husband down in Washington. I may even get a job, although I do have an internship I should be working on, a book deal to write, and a few other linguistic projects in the works.

Why are you here?

I came to Learn Na'vi fairly early - three days after it was made, by the mailing list from the original vocab list that was taken out of the ASG. Doing linguistics, having liked the movie, and having nothing else to do for my christmas vacation all worked together to make me spend most of it on here, and thus my initial spark was flamed and the fire grew. I think mostly I just liked the escapism, but then the language became a challenge, and then I felt challenged to beat all of the other document makers out there, and that sort of ended up with me making a dictionary I felt was more fit, and here I am. Of course, the movie is awesome. I saw it seven times in theatres, and loved every one. I mean, let's face it, it totally kicks ass. I liked the well-done terraforming and linguistic detail most.

Where do your alias and profile pic come from?

Well, I wanted to be Uniltìrantokx, but somebody had taken that, and I figured hunter was a pretty cool word. I originally had a Jake Sully avatar pic, and then ftiafpi made me an avatar, and then Skxawng made an even better one, so I switched to that, which I still have today. I still think it is awesome.

Srak nga tsun nìna'vi pivlltxe?

Oel plltxe Na'viyä lì'fyat nìltsan, oe sìlpey. Yesterday I managed to have around a two hour conversation with some guys on the teamspeak, so, I think I'm right about where I want to be. More would be better, of course. I started to learn it, as I've said, because I was mainly bored and I found it interesting - but now I continue to learn it because it's amusing, fun, and I like the community here. My goal is to be able to speak fluently without using my dictionary so much, and to meet people in real life and talk to them in it. Of course, failing that, I'd settle for the line on my CV that says "Na'vi expert." I never used flashcards or those sorts of things - I just continually try to speak it. That, along with staring at my dictionary for literally weeks, resulted in an ok grip on the vocabulary, I think.  As for my friends, they think it's ridiculous, and I get quite a bit of blue comments, but whatever. It's better to be renowned for a hobby that is useful and interesting than to waste my time doing nothing, right? I'd rather speak Na'vi than play videogames is the way I see it. I have a couple of friends who want to learn, but not much. But the forum provides that.

What's you favorite Na'vi word? Did you incorporate it (or others) into your everyday vocab?

You know, I'm not sure that I have one. I still think prrkxentrrkrr is fun, but I can't really trill my r's correctly. I like using the «äp» infix, though. That's about as close as I can get to a favourite word.

In your opinion, what are the top three user-created content on the LN website?

I think the wiki is certainly the best. I use that a lot, now, even though I didn't in the beginning because I had my doubts about it. It really shows what this community is capable of, and how intricate the language is. I wish more people used it. I think that Na'vi Nì'aw is the second coolest thing, because it shows that this language is just that - a functional language, capable of communicating anything we wish it to. That is friggen awesome guys! And thirdly I'd just have to say the rest of the forum. A quater of a million posts, 5k (-0 posts) members, and no real sign of dying. That's incredible.

Have you made any contributions to the LN community that you're particularly proud of?

Not really. I used to make some worksheets, but I sort of slacked off because I'm pretty insecure about my Na'vi grammar. They were more Skxawng's thing, anyway. I'm still working away at a translation of Taronyu's dictionary into Na'vi, but it's hard because he updates it too much and I often can't find non-tautological definitions. I hope that maybe later I can make more worksheets or maybe make a long prose story for people to translate, but mostly I'm content with just helping out around the forum.

What is it that you liked/hated the most about Avatar ?

I liked the world and the imagery. The cinematography was great. But I don't hold any illusions about it: the plot sucked, the characters were one sided, and the dialogue is in places downright awful. That having been said, the simplicity of it resonated more with me than a lot of very complex films. And I liked that. I think the fact that at one point I was physcially jealous and annoyed that everyone else in the theatre was also being smiled at by Neytiri helped, too. She's mine! Bug off, fralahe.

Has Avatar  changed your life in any way?

Sure. It's taken weeks of my time, made me know what it's like to learn and make a conlang, made me friends and lost me conversation points with others, and given me some bit of joy in an otherwise (let's face it) horribly depressing, painful, cruel and solitary world. I think Na'vi should be commended for that, at least. It didn't change my lifestyle. I'm still a vegetarian, I'm still anarcho-libertarian, and I still eat pizza for breakfast. PS. Everything they printed in the Sun was rubbish.

If you could ask Frommer or Cameron three movie or language related questions what would they be?

Will the next movie have another dialect of Na'vi?
What do you, Cameron, suggest as an alternate to the industrial-military complex you show?
How can I help out?

What else do you do in you free time?

I read a lot, hang out with friends most of the time, I'm an avid music listener, I try and think of things to write and projects to do. I spend a lot of my time sleeping, and dealing with things like the dishes, the bank, paperwork. I surf around a bit too much. I have a webcomic (I just put it on hiatus) called The Burnt Fen Maunderings, with some of my prose and poetry there too. I manage to keep really busy, actually. I don't really know how. But I'm always doing something.

Name your top three favorite Earth animals from most favorite to least. Why those? What's the animal you're most terrified of?

This is a really difficult question. One of the reasons I loved the movie was the biological side of it. But I'll try not to wimp out.

1. Homo sapiens sapiens. These guys are the best. Intelligent, social, ingenious, and fascinating. I hope they manage their stuff out soon, though.
2. Testudines. These guys are awesome. I mean, come on, they carry around their hjomes with them, and they're so cute. Actually, pretty much the entirety of the Reptilia class is amazing, not just tutles. I mean, have you heard to the tuatara? It's amazing.
3. Birds and whales have a close tie for third. Birds because they can MOTHERFRIGGEN FLY. I mean, HOLY COW. Whales because they're MOTHERFRIGGEN HUGE. And intelligent. and they sing.

I'm not really scared of many animals, to be honest. Maybe any sort of small rodent that has the ability to crawl up my pant leg and neuter me. I have dreams where that happenes, sometimes. not fun. But seriously? Humans.

Pirate, ninja, zombie, or robot?

Ok, right. Pirates aren't actually that cool, guys. They're pretty much second class theives. That having been said, Stede Bonnet is pretty cool. I mean, he had a library on his boat. If you want a good book, read Pirate Freedom by Gene Wolfe. As for ninjas, they were basically dishonoured samurai or hired ronin. That's not cool at all, guys. They were the scummiest of soldiers who were ordered to assassinate because it had no honour! Ninjas = the lamest. Give me Bashou any day of the week, and I'll show you a man of character. And zombies - well, I don't have much to say about them, except that without exception I don't like them. You want to know what's scary? That Bush got elected for a second term. Who the hell needs zombies? Now, as for Robots, well, when we get there, I'll tell you what I think about them. Until that time, I'm gonna have to say that the coolest out of these four has got to be Astronauts. I mean, come on, their name in greek is Star sailor. That is so poetically superb.

What three items would you take to a desert island and why?

If escape is not possible, and I'm going to be alone for the rest of my life, I'd bring a gun, a bullet, and a bottle of jack.

If you could travel to anywhere in space and time (including fictional universes), where would you go and why?

Well, I've pretty much always wanted to be a ranger of Ithilien. I think that would be sweet. But for the most part I am not really a big socialite or fascist, so, I'd probably ask to be transported back to a time when I could go up into the mountains, hew out a cabin from the forest, and sit at my lake, swatting midges by the fire, and think. That would be nice. Either that, or Pandora.

If you were granted one single wish what would it be?

I guess that I had my student debt paid off. I don't really want to have a lot of money, but I'd like to not have to think about worrying about it in the future. Debt is a horrible thing. I woudln't mind being poor without it.

What is a question you'd ask yourself? How would you answer it?

Why are you such a hypocrite? Because I'm lazy and tired and I don't always want to be the best.

True or false?

I've canoed over 200 miles down one river.
I've been to more countries than my age.
I have a blackbelt in Karate.

What is the funniest, weirdest, or most embarrassing Na'vi or Avatar  related thing that has happened to you?

Well, I was in the Sun, a british tabloid that has a readership of 3 million, and went on from there to many other similar tabloids around the world. I don't think anything anyone has done is worse than that. Eternal shame.

...

Since I got this as an emergency request as Robert's second hadn't been in contact, I didn't get a question. But ...? anyway. Also, That cat up there is named Charlie. He's my friends and I like him. ˆ___^

[Robert Nantangä Tirea]

Oh damit sorry, yea i had a bonus question already picked.

Your 20th question is: Suppose you were with the RDA group on Pandora. What would you see yourself doing? If you wanted to be an AVTR driver, what would your specialty be? (such as explorer, botanist, biologist, relationist etc)

[Tengfya swizaw]

Congrats, ma Taronyu!
Looking at the article, it seems pretty biased. But cool, nonetheless. Also, it took you around 2 months to learn Na'vi? What prior linguistics experience have you had? What approach did you have towards learning? And how the blazes did you memorize all that vocabulary?
I don't mean these to be official NotW questions, I'm just really curious.

[Taronyu]

Congrats, ma Taronyu!
Looking at the article, it seems pretty biased. But cool, nonetheless. Also, it took you around 2 months to learn Na'vi? What prior linguistics experience have you had? What approach did you have towards learning? And how the blazes did you memorize all that vocabulary?
I don't mean these to be official NotW questions, I'm just really curious.

Biased towards what? Well, two months or so to get comfortable with it, I think. I study Linguistics, and I've studied a few languages, so more than most. As for the approach, just tried to use it more, and made documents about it for beginners - really good way to see what you actually know. As for memorization, I haven't memorized that much. Just the basic words. I use the dictionary way too much as it is.

Will answer that question tomorrow, Robert.

[Taronyu]

Ma Robert,

I've been thinking a lot, and really, I can't see myself being anything but a linguist. I mean, it's what I study, I don't have the math skills to really be some sort of astronomer, I wouldn't be in the army. I can't fly due to colorblindness, so I wouldn't be a pilot, and I'm not a big army dude. So I'd either have to be an avatar driver or a linguist - hopefully both. I might pass myself off as a biologist, though, or maybe a pedestrian map-maker. That would be cool.

[Robert Nantangä Tirea]

map maker would be very cool indeed. It must have been quite an experience to be an explorer/cartogragher doing the days  when nothing but the east coast of the U.S. was settled and most of the americas were still a mistery.

[Taronyu]

Ok guys! My week is over, so here is the True or false!

Oe solop mì fay-kelku pxezamvola kllikx nekll 'awa kilvan.
Oe kolä ne atxkxe nì'ul to oeyä zìsìt (nì'Rrte, ke nìEwya'eveng).
Oeru layona telem mì Harate lu.

1. False. I canoed down the Allagash river, from Mt. Katahdin, in Maine, to Canada. It was just under a 100 miles. One of the best fortnights of my life, by far. There were places where we couldn't see or here anyone at all, just the dip of the paddle and the roaring challenges of the 17 bull moose we saw.
2. True. They are: United States (born and raises), Canada (debate tournaments), Ireland (school writing trip), Scotland (University), England (boooooo), Antigua & Barbuda (lived for a month on a yachtin the harbor), St. Maarten, France (hitched 1000 miles to see a girl), Spain (failed to hitch at all), Germany, Switzerland (prettiest), Czech, Slovakia, Slovenia, Macedonia (got arrested at gunpoint), Greece, Serbia, Austria (drove 1000km to hike), Italy (got accosted/temporarily molested by drunken bum), Belgium & Croatia (slept through both), Vatican City (where I fled Italian bum, and slept in St. Peter's square overnight). Hitched through most of these - 10,000 miles and counting.
3. True. I have a black belt in Mixed Martial Arts Karate. Took me ten years to get, though.

Looking forward to next weeks! Should be up soon.

['Oma Tirea]

Dude, you left the thread wide open...

Tsakem lehrrap fìtsengevi!!!

[Kì'eyawn]

Ok guys! My week is over, so here is the True or false!

Oe solop mì fay-kelku pxezamvola kllikx nekll 'awa kilvan.
Oe kolä ne atxkxe nì'ul to oeyä zìsìt (nì'Rrte, ke nìEwya'eveng).
Oeru layona telem mì Harate lu.

1. False. I canoed down the Allagash river, from Mt. Katahdin, in Maine, to Canada. It was just under a 100 miles. One of the best fortnights of my life, by far. There were places where we couldn't see or here anyone at all, just the dip of the paddle and the roaring challenges of the 17 bull moose we saw.
2. True. They are: United States (born and raises), Canada (debate tournaments), Ireland (school writing trip), Scotland (University), England (boooooo), Antigua & Barbuda (lived for a month on a yachtin the harbor), St. Maarten, France (hitched 1000 miles to see a girl), Spain (failed to hitch at all), Germany, Switzerland (prettiest), Czech, Slovakia, Slovenia, Macedonia (got arrested at gunpoint), Greece, Serbia, Austria (drove 1000km to hike), Italy (got accosted/temporarily molested by drunken bum), Belgium & Croatia (slept through both), Vatican City (where I fled Italian bum, and slept in St. Peter's square overnight). Hitched through most of these - 10,000 miles and counting.
3. True. I have a black belt in Mixed Martial Arts Karate. Took me ten years to get, though.

Looking forward to next weeks! Should be up soon.

Tewti!  Zene livu ngaru pxaya ayvur atxantsan nang!  Sìlpey oe, tsivun sayut oel stiveiawm trro, ma 'eylan.

[kewnya txamew'itan]

Macedonia (got arrested at gunpoint)

What for?

[Taronyu]

Macedonia (got arrested at gunpoint)

What for?

Vagrancy, sleeping to near the border, and my passport didn't scan apparently. Note to others: sleep with clothes on near armed people. Standing in boxers in the middle of a forest for 45 minutes trying to tell people who don't speak English that you're a broke hitching student = not fun.

[tsrräfkxätu]

This thread in hereby adjourned! *bang* Fear my malus!

Where's your successor, ma T?