NotW #28: Skxawng

[Skxawng]

oeri tsap'alute si, slä oe vrrìnhu tìkangkem sì tìrey fwa ke tsun nìNa'vi pamrel sivi fra'ut.  Nìsilpey zusawkrrmì oel zayeyko fì'ut.

Spoiler

Apologies, but I've been so damn busy with work and life that I could not write all this in Na'vi.  Hopefully in the future I will fix this!

Who are you?

Oeri tstxo lu Pìraysì, ulte pxevol solalew. Lu oe letesofpìla reltseotu ro lerelarikxa uvanpongu. Oe pivlltxe ìnglìsì, ulte Na'vi, slä kop new nivume Tserman!

Spoiler

My name is Bryce, I am a 24 year old concept artist for a video game company. I speak English and Na'vi, but I'd also like to learn German!

Why are you here?

After watching the movie about 3 times, two on my own, I heard about the Language on NPR while driving in to work one morning. Curious, I figured I'd learn a few words for the novelty of it. At that time the language log bit had just been posted, and after driving back to my parents house trying to learn the who-what-when-where-how-whys I looked for some sort of community, figuring I'd find something preexisting. The only thing I came across was a yahoo mailing list, of which I became a part of.  Over the course of a single evening the group went from about 5 people to about 20, and was completely unmanageable for a mailing list. Being a forum rat, I suggested that we create a webforum, and as luck would have it, about 2 minutes later, the man we now know as Payoang let us know that he had bought learnnavi.org, and 5 minutes later he made the webforums. The explosive growth of the forums was addicting to watch and partake of, and nearly my entire winter vacation was spent on the website. Since then, I've not nearly been as active, but I try to check in to the forums at least daily.

Where do your alias and profile pic come from?

At the time of the site's creation, we only had a few screenshots which everyone had chosen to be their avatars. Not wanting to be confused, I went with something completely different, and somehow Admiral Dolphin seemed to be appropriate. I've since not seen a reason to change it. I chose the name Skxawng because I knew that I would have difficulty learning the language;  I've tried to learn several languages but have not been successful, and I figured this language was not going to be an exception to that rule.

Srak nga tsun nìna'vi pivlltxe?

Srane, oe pivlltxe nìna'vi nìltsan! Tse ... kxawm ke nìnawm, slä trro!  I would love to one day be able to speak it fluently. I find the best way to learn is to try to teach to others, and in that light I tried making worksheets.  Beyond that I just heavily use Anki.  My friends and family had no idea about my interest until I was on Good Morning America way back in the year.  I kept it secret because I was pretty sure, at least with my coworkers, that I'd be harrassed. When they found out, a lot of them though thought it was cool or interesting, and the few who thought it was lame couldn't make fun of me because I had been on TV for it.  Sadly, I've not converted any.
d

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

Prrkxentrrkrr of course!  Hard to incorporate it into everyday talking ... the one I use most in everyday conversation is "kxawm" which confused people for a while but now they know what it means

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

As has been mentioned frequently, William Annis's Grammar sheets are excellent, as is Taronyu's ever-expanding Dictionary. I'd also say the Lexical Expansion Project is a pretty valuable user-created contribution to the expansion of the language.

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

Well, I'd be proud of the Worksheets I made with Taronyu, if they weren't so outdated right now. Currently though I'm working on an overhaul of them entirely.  As I mentioned before, the inspiration to make them was in order to learn the language - you've got to know something through and through to teach it to others, and furthermore I wanted something that I could practice with on my own.  I also am particularly proud of my two topics on "Avatarizing" that are sticked in the Fan Art section. Being an artist, I broke down the key differences between Avatar and Human Physiology and explained how to draw and convert a photo into an Avatar.  As it stands, the time-lapse video of my Avatarization of Taronyu is nearly at 80,000 views on youtube !

I most definitely plan on contributing more.  

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

I've tried expressing my reasons for liking the movie before, but frequently find it difficult so I suppose I'll keep things simple by saying that the movie resonated with me on multiple levels, some of which were specific to my state of mind and emotion when the movie came out.  
I disliked a few things about the movie, but most of those things are somewhat nitpicky and really not worth mentioning.  I've seen the movie about 12 times in theater, and a few times on DVD.  I look forward to the Special Edition with much anticipation! As for being an avatard ... I believe the below image is more than enough:

Has Avatar  changed your life in any way? Are you trying to become a Na'vi? How and to what extent? Do you live on a tree? Do you wear your hair in a long braid? Or are you just simply blue? Do you bond with animals? Is Gaia on your contact list? Did you have your photo 'shopped?[/

No, not really. I leave most of that to lucid dreaming, though I've a natural affinity to cats - I haven't met one that has disliked me.  I do however hold a close bond with nature. Growing up a Unitarian Universalist the belief system that made most sense to me during sunday school was the Native American ideas, which have remained with me for a while. Every weekend I try to go to the deepest part of parks to escape the sights and sounds of humanity. Next summer I plan on embarking on a vision quest.

I've photoshopped my face before, yes, but only while figuring out the rules for avatarization. Since mastering the process, I've not done my own face yet. One day.

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

To Cameron:
1. Lets get hammered?
2. Wouldn't it be awesome to have Na'vi subtitles for the special edition DVD?
3. Do you need a concept artist for Avatar 2 who'd be willing to work for next to nothing?

What else do you do in you free time?

Art (ceramics/sculpture, painting), Work Out, Dance, Play Videogames, Prepare for the end of the world as we know it (its coming), Archery, Chase women, get hammered.

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

Cats
Otters
Ravens

I'm a cat person, as I mentioned I've not met a cat I don't like.  Otters are basically water-cats, and Ravens are cool smart birds.  I'm most terrified of Jellyfish - that would be my phobia.  Had a horrible experience as a child, flip out when I know they're in the water. That scene in sphere was horrendus.

Pirate, ninja, zombie, or robot?

Robot Ninja. Live forever, hard to kill, super deadly. Though if the question is what superpower would I like to have, I'd probably go with Acute Telekinesis.

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

1. A Good Knife.
2. A Rifle, and unlimited ammunition
3. A lifetime's supply of art materials - clay/paint/canvas/etc.

A knife because it is the single most versatile and valuable tool to survival. A Rifle for hunting, boredom, and suicide, and Art supplies to leave a legacy and to keep me busy.

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

Hum. Good question.  If space and time were indeed infinite, then a dream world of mine likely has, will, and currently exists. I'll go there.

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

To be able to Grok, in fullness.

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

Oe ke omum. ke tslam tìpawm.

True or false?

Spoiler

Write three statements about yourself, the more extravagant the better. At least one of them must be true. At the end of the week, you'll have to tell which ones were truthful and which made up.

1.  I used to be extremely into gymnastics, to the point of winning competitions. I was also a candidate for the US team in gymnastics, my event being Rings. However, I grew late, and quickly. Over the course of a year I grew about 12 inches and couldn't do gymnastics anymore, as my feet would hit the mat while doing giants on the bar.
2. I was part of a band that grew popular during college, but was later kicked out after the leader of the band started going out with this one girl. The band fell apart afterwards. She was our Yoko Ono
3. If I didn't get into Art School, I most likely would have gone into Astrophysics or Genetics.  

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

Spoiler

Something along the lines of a MLIA short.

Probably the best was quickly going into the bathroom at my company, and into one of the stalls. While takin' care of business I pulled out my phone and began to practice pronunciation of words with ejected consonants (this was before my coworkers knew I spoke). After leaving the stall and while washing my hands the stall on the far end flushed and opened and a coworker came out. We looked at each other in the eyes, his full of confusion and fear.  He left quickly.

Pick two: love, money, fame, happiness.

Through Love I find happiness, through Fame I find money, so Love and Fame.

[Ekirä]

Congrats!!! I'll guess True, True, False.

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

To be able to Grok, in fullness.

This. ^^

[Taronyu]

THIS IS AMAZING:

We looked at each other in the eyes, his full of confusion and fear.

Hahahaha hilarious.

Man, you rock, rock.

['Oma Tirea]

Pivlltxe, txo tsun nga:

Mrra frrtu sì lrrtok amrr sì mrra ngrr sì vrrtep amrr, wrrpa fawnrrfena 'Rrta, prrkxentrrkrr si srrìri nìhrrap.  Fol fayrrfen 'Rrtati krro krro.

Seykxel sì nitram, ma Skxawng (the original LN Skxawng, that is )

Guessing: T/F/T

Here's another question: how come you apparently once had a karma of -9000?  Special-mod-ness?  And would you ever consider adding 9000 back to it?

[Ekirä]

Here's another question: how come you apparently once had a karma of -9000?  Special-mod-ness?  And would you ever consider adding 9000 back to it?

I'm dying to know this too--I totally meant to ask you, ma Skxawng, but then after reading your awesome NotW post I forgot.

[Kì'eyawn]

Seykxel sì nitram, ma Skxawng.  Fwa nga slolu NotW oeru teya si nìngay.  Oe fpìl fìfya alu Ngay, Tsleng, Ngay.

"Karma"yä 'uri oe newomum kop...

['Evan]

Seykxel sì nitram ma Skxawng a'awve.

"Karma"yä 'uri oe newomum kop...

Mllteie.

Art (ceramics/sculpture, painting), Work Out, Dance, Play Videogames, Prepare for the end of the world as we know it (its coming), Archery, Chase women, get hammered.

Necessarily in that order?   

[Skxawng]

THIS IS AMAZING:

We looked at each other in the eyes, his full of confusion and fear.

To this day we've barely spoken. I found out later that he's super christian which mighta added to that

Pivlltxe, txo tsun nga:

Mrra frrtu sì lrrtok amrr sì mrra ngrr sì vrrtep amrr, wrrpa fawnrrfena 'Rrta, prrkxentrrkrr si srrìri nìhrrap.  Fol fayrrfen 'Rrtati krro krro.

Fpeio toleiel!

Here's another question: how come you apparently once had a karma of -9000?  Special-mod-ness?  And would you ever consider adding 9000 back to it?]

talun oel Amerìkaru tolìng oeyä zekwäti lekxam

Necessarily in that order?   

ke frakrr, slä krro krro

[Ekirä]

Here's another question: how come you apparently once had a karma of -9000?  Special-mod-ness?  And would you ever consider adding 9000 back to it?]

talun oel Amerìkaru tolìng oeyä zekwäti lekxam

HRH.

..........really?

[Tsäroltxe te Eyrutì Tantse'itan]

Nice NoTW ma Skxawng.

Hmm...F/T/T?

[archaic]

Nice one admiral.


FTT?

[Ftiafpi]

THIS IS AMAZING:

We looked at each other in the eyes, his full of confusion and fear.

To this day we've barely spoken. I found out later that he's super christian which mighta added to that

Pivlltxe, txo tsun nga:

Mrra frrtu sì lrrtok amrr sì mrra ngrr sì vrrtep amrr, wrrpa fawnrrfena 'Rrta, prrkxentrrkrr si srrìri nìhrrap.  Fol fayrrfen 'Rrtati krro krro.

Fpeio toleiel!

Here's another question: how come you apparently once had a karma of -9000?  Special-mod-ness?  And would you ever consider adding 9000 back to it?]

talun oel Amerìkaru tolìng oeyä zekwäti lekxam

Necessarily in that order?   

ke frakrr, slä krro krro

Hah, that sentence was so funny to hear you say.

HRH, ngeyä zekwä lu kawng.

Your first question to Cameron is hilarious. XD

T/F/T

[Maria TunVrrtep]

Congratulations, Skxawng. 

I'm going to guess T/F/T.

Oh and I'll get hammered with you and Cameron if you don't mind.  HRH 

ta TunVrrtep

[Dreamlight]

Conga-rats. 
This one is a tough call, but I'll say false, true, true.

[`Eylan Ayfalulukanä]

Tewti, txantsan tìkangkem, ma skxawng!

I knew it would be interesting when your turn came to be NoTW, and I was not disappointed.

at least we now know the mystery of the negative karma. But that begs a question: maw new oel futa susìltsan nga tiving,  kem si oe ngaru a meuiä fu  takuk?

I still laugh when I see 'skxawng makto' (every Na`vi child knows the story). How much further or faster would you have had to go to get Taronyu airborne? 

I see you, too are a cat person. An awful lot of those here. Perhaps it has something to do with those 'blue kittys'!

As for your N/T questions, I had to make some guesses. So here goes: N/N/T. If you were interested in astrophysics, I would have expected to see astronomy among your aysulìn.

[Carborundum]

Huh? You haven't been NoTW yet? Well, it's about time then.
NG/TS/NG

[Maria TunVrrtep]

LOL that's actually what I thought!

[Maweyatan]

Here's another question: how come you apparently once had a karma of -9000?  Special-mod-ness?  And would you ever consider adding 9000 back to it?]

talun oel Amerìkaru tolìng oeyä zekwäti lekxam

HRH.

..........really?

Even worse is that you did that while saying oel ngati kameie. xDDDD Nice one. kxawm faysawtutel kamin tsakemit. xD

[überdoodlet]

Nuff said.

[Toruk Makto]

Skxawng Makto!   He banked so hard....