NotW #99 - Tsmuktengan

Started by Tsmuktengan, April 17, 2012, 09:25:13 AM

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Tsmuktengan

Who are you?

I am basically a 20 year old computer science student, living in Paris where I have always lived. I speak French, English (my second native language), Spanish, and have some few notions of Portuguese and Japanese. My Na'vi is... almost non-existant actually. I was also raised along by a sweet Philippine woman since I was born (that had no notion of French). I have spent 16 years of my life in an international school, and used to travel in many countries throughout the world.

Don't ask me too much about maths : I am rather a literary person, although I hardly read books. I love to analyze, investigate, and want to understand through several point of views and I want to balance various opinions with facts and context. I am also fan of history, geography, geopolitics, politics, diplomacy, ethical issues and love to discover other cultures. I can be interested in many kinds of issues as long as they do not require solid and precise scientific or mathematical knowledge. I am not afraid of debates or expressing clearly my point of view as long as a debate or discussion stays on track (I can seem harsh sometimes, but I never mean to harm, never). I want to find solutions and help people in the best way I can.

In my free time (when I have some, duh), I like to go out with friends and have fun. I am not an ultra geek playing constantly video games, I prefer spending time with groups of friends having fun and going in cool places and bars. I like to think and be kind and helpful to other people, often forgetting to take care of myself as well, people say.

For those who know about computing, I am learning programming in C, C++, Qt, and hopefully OCaml and Ruby in the future.

Why are you here?
After the first time I saw the film, I looked for random information on the net. After finding a first francophone community, I found LearnNa'vi where I took some time before participating first in the French section, then in several Anglophone ones. I needed to share feelings as I was one of the numerous people who suffered from Avatar blues after the first session, but the Na'vi language and aspects of the Na'vi culture I distinguished is also what attracted me around.

Where do your alias and profile pic come from?
Tsmuktengan is a contraction of the two meanings of my name in Na'vi : it means sibling"  (close to "tsmuk") and I found another possibly derived meaning I forgot for "teng", without forgetting the male suffix "an". I could not find a better one and I did not have much confidence in the name generators of the time. It however seems faily good to me, aside of being hardly pronouncable for my French friends. I would however like a complete Na'vi name like many people in the forums now have, depending on who I am. :)

My profile pic is is Jake as a leader. This is what I admire most in this character, along side his learning qualities. He is honestly one of the models I would follow, as I also want to improve my leading qualities. My Na'vi name reflects both my real name and what I want to be for people ideally, and Jake in my profile pic reflects somehow what I would like to be.  :)

Srak nga tsun nìna'vi pivlltxe?
I still have a lot of difficulty to learn Na'vi. I learn auditively and by practice. And as I do not have time to practice, I hardly progress. I do have Xelloss's book and practice vocabulary with the Na'vi Memrise though. There are channels where I could practice (Ngaynume, TS and Skype), but I have too much work.

What's you favorite Na'vi word? Did you incorporate it (or others) into your everyday vocab?
I have some favorite words. I really like "mawey" that is very soft to pronounce and therefore corresponds to it's meaning. I also like "iknimaya", that sounds crescendo like the final step of an initiatic learning path. I really like "prrkxentrrkrr" as well, since it is like hearing a cat or feline creature purring of pleasure with the repeated use of "rr".

In your opinion, what are the top three user-created content on the LN website?
Definitely the language threads, along with what Ngaynume teachers created through time, the Na'vi books, and the music partitions that I would like to play one day. but there are also many other great user contents in the forums. The Na'vi language submission project is also a great section that contributes to improve the language and makes it more open. I also like the real-Na'vi life section, where i wish I could contribute more and spend more time.

What is it that you liked/hated the most about Avatar ?
I saw it numerous times - on a long term though. I saw it only a few time (not more than four) times when it was out in the cinemas for the first time. I wanted to avoid being a film fan for some reason... but I was indeed in love with the language, the concepts and the issues I saw in the films. I did draw many parallels with issues in parts or the planet (deforestation (Brazil), destruction of native cutltures by 'standardization' (Worldwide), political wars (Irak war), expropriation or mining for the sake of money or dogma (Canada, China, Venezuela, Zimbabwe)), but also more positive concepts such as a real progressive learning of how things work, cultural tolerance and sharing (to which I am very attached to), despite huge differences, and a certain vision of nature that is perhaps slightly idealized, but very interesting when not exaggerated against the modern world. These are among the aspects I liked in the film.

I however agree on the fact that the scenario could have been more developed. But I largely accept it as is since the story is well told and just makes you travel in another world and make you almost want to go there... HA YES! I remember one thing I hated in the Anglophone version of the film : the several written Na'vi mistakes. I would screech every time I would read "macto" instead of "makto". Leaving such a mistake is just wrong... :P

Has Avatar changed your life in any way?

Haha. Yes it did in some way. I was already very sensible to global and environmental issues before I saw the film. I was also always wanting to be helpful and have a very strong consideration of others. Avatar has sensibly increased my appeal and my want to contribute in these aspects, while staying strongly anchored in reality. So no, I will never paint myself in blue, bond with animals (whatever that means ;D), or have a photoshoped photo. I however adapt myself to be more Eco-responsible.

What has actually evolved and what I would like to indeed try is to try and experience living in a much more simple way and closer to nature, at least for a short period. I have almost always lived in a megalopolis, spent quite few time outside of it despite traveling a lot. I never had a chance to experience scouting for example. I do not want to let my mind enclosed in a logic centered on cities and keep preconceived ideas. And by this experience, I would like to have a more adapted living in both the modern and the natural world, to find the best way of living without sacrifices and transmit this, to understand what can be improved to have a more sustainable way of life. At least, I am curious about this, even if it is very difficult and tiering. I can spend more energy everyday.

If you could ask Frommer or Cameron three movie or language related questions what would they be?
Hmm, I have absolutely no idea of question. Really... the only one I could have would be to Professor Frommer: would he give one day some guidelines to help forming proper words for modern objects, concepts or technologies? Na'vi is currently centralized on basic and native objects and concepts. It may not be easy at all to build words for much more modern stuff we use everyday while preserving the Na'vi language characteristics and charm.

What else do you do in you free time?
Aside going out with friends as I said previously... I think a lot, really a lot. I spend a lot of time reading various news, reading reviews, Wikipedia, checking the sources, I try to get to know people and their culture when they come from somewhere else. I also manage a student group in my computer school promoting and organizing events about 'libre software' (software that is 'free as in free speech', not necessarily free in the sense of money) and open source.

Name your top three favorite Earth animals from most favorite to least. Why those? What's the animal you're most terrified of?
I have a particular affection for cats, and their character. I appreciate their independence and sometimes sudden need of affection or curiosity (even if it is not the best moment for a stroke). Typically, I like (and had to deal) with somehow this sort of cat in Brazil.  ;D

I am also very fond of Huskies. They are absolutely unique wolf-dogs, very affectionate, instinctive, lively and full of energy. always happy to see you and ready to take you anywhere as long as they can run and that you place them well if they have to pull you across the snow. These baby huskies are also very intelligent and playful. Example : if you take off your glove, stroke one of the two baby huskies, and forget it next to you, the other baby husky (or the one that is on your knees) will take your glove and play with you or hide with it, waiting for you, and running... quickly.
(Use right-click to see full size. These are my own images, feel free to reuse them).


This last one is actually the two-month old husky I am talking about, in my hands two years ago.

I am also very fond of birds, particularly like those you can find in Latin America, that are very colorful and original.


Pirate, ninja, zombie, or robot?

Seeing is a fair enough superpower for me. Honestly. I do not have the need or see what superpower I would want.

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

- Tools for survival
- Solar panel with equipment
- Laptop with satellite network connection

If you could travel to anywhere in space and time (including fictional universes), where would you go and why?
I don't really see where else I would like to go. Perhaps Pandora in some way? But I would certainly need a lot of training. Once again for the Na'vi culture and the nature. ;D

If you were granted one single wish what would it be?
To understand what I see through my eyes in the most thorough way possible, since I spend a lot of time trying to search, understand and investigate. Like Seze Mune, I would like universal kame and tsaheyl si.

What is a question you'd ask yourself? How would you answer it?
I am constantly asking myself questions and questioning myself to ensure I do the right thing. Hmm, right now, I am thinking of "How can I loose this fat that show up on my stomach?". I am tempted to answer "Stop moaning and go spend more time running and carrying weights at the sports room, fatso!".
This is the kind of severe reaction I often have at myself when there is a recurrent issue, although I am not fat. But there are many questions I could ask myself about many other more interesting things I just cannot think of currently.

True or false?
- I cannot dream or remember my dreams when or after sleeping.
- I have a hard head in such way I can actually break doors or harm with it without felling any pain or confusion.
- I enjoy airplane traveling even on long distances.

What is the funniest, weirdest, or most embarrassing Na'vi or Avatar related thing that has happened to you?
The funniest thing I had with Na'vi is telling someone by SMS I was studying Na'vi, counting on the fact we would not know about or not care, and this friend immediately replied "MA TSUMUKAN!!!".
I then discovered she was in fact also more or less a fan, and hope one day to be able to study Na'vi.

Question from Ningey, previous NotW :
If you were a Na'vi who got to visit today's Earth (by whatever means) and found out what's going on here, what would be YOUR message for humankind?
Hmm... As a Na'vi, I would encourage humankind and humans in general to be more tolerant and open to other cultures of the same planet. I would also heavily insist on the need to perpetuate the transmission of knowledge and education to future generations. This is the condition to respect, good behavior, openness and tolerance towards any kind of other people (with the exception of fundamentalists of course). The Na'vi seem to be excellent at transmitting their knowledge and learnings and is part of their education. This would avoid a lot of global, political and religious issues as well as breaking preconceived ideas.
As a Na'vi, I would also encourage to avoid being too materialistic, and encourage to be more positive. In a modern society, there is an increasing number of people unsatisfied while having at least some of comfort. The Na'vi don't need what all the humans have, but they are happy with all what they have and whith their way of life, probably happier than many humans who are stuck in their monotone city life. Thinking more positive is probably cannot be that bad.
Finally, as a Na'vi, I would also encourage to take much more care of the environment in any kind of place, for everyone, and educate people for this to be part of our way of life. There is only one Earth and without a healthy planet, we would not live. It is also a matter of respect for future generations and all the other living species around us.

I think this is the kind of message I would transmit as a Na'vi. But this is only my opinion. ;)

I apologize for the time I took writing all this. Too much work pushed me to write all this above my sleep time. I may have written too much though...


Niri Te

Congratulations ma Tsmuktengan!! I can't wait to see your three questions.
Niri Te
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

Tsmuktengan

My post is finished. All my apologies for the long length of texts and the time I took to write this. I wanted to make it as good as possible, but I feel like I did not do it the right way... Anyway all this is me.


Ningey

Well, interesting, but too long? I would guess not.

As to your statements I would say ngay, ngay, tsleng...


"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

Toruk Makto

99 NotWs on the kxemyo
99 NotWs
Take one down...

oh. wait. Sorry.

Congrats!!  False, True, True?

Lì'fyari leNa'vi 'Rrtamì, vay set 'almong a fra'u zera'u ta ngrrpongu
Na'vi Dictionary: http://files.learnnavi.org/dicts/NaviDictionary.pdf

Tsmuktengan

Quote from: Toruk Makto on April 18, 2012, 09:28:15 PM
99 NotWs on the kxemyo
99 NotWs
Take one down...

oh. wait. Sorry.

??? ??? ???

Yes, the next one will be the 100th Na'vi of the week. Should be celebrated.  :)


Toruk Makto

#6
I may have left some on the curb with that...

I was attempting an analogy to the song, "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall".  ::)  8)

Lì'fyari leNa'vi 'Rrtamì, vay set 'almong a fra'u zera'u ta ngrrpongu
Na'vi Dictionary: http://files.learnnavi.org/dicts/NaviDictionary.pdf

Tanri

Seykxel sì nitram ma Tsmuktengan!
Fìkintrrìri (nìteng fratrr nìwotx ;)) livu ngaru tìprrte' sì fpom!

Tse, 'en sìyi oe:
Ngay
Tsleng
Ngay

Quote from: Tsmuktengan on April 18, 2012, 09:38:15 PM
Yes, the next one will be the 100th Na'vi of the week. Should be celebrated.  :)
Indeed. Being 100th Notw don't happens often ;D, but what is a responsibility I can't imagine, is to choose the 100th one... ;)
Tätxawyu akì'ong.

Alyara Arati

Seykxel sì nitram, ma tsmukan. 8)

Ngay, Tsleng, Ngay. ???
Learn how to see.  Realize that everything connects to everything else.
~ Leonardo da Vinci

Tsmuktengan

#9
Irayo ma smuktu. :)

Quote from: Toruk Makto on April 19, 2012, 08:16:42 AM
I may have left some on the curb with that...

I was attempting an analogy to the song, "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall".  ::)  8)

Aha, now I see.  :)

Quote from: Tanri on April 19, 2012, 01:16:11 PM
Fìkintrrìri (nìteng fratrr nìwotx ;)) livu ngaru tìprrte' sì fpom!

I am so sorry, I am shameful but... I just cannot translate this sentence. Srung? :-[


Blue Elf

Ma Tsmuktengan - seykxel sì nitram! Ngeyä kintrr sivunu ngaru!
Nice to see on this board.
QuoteI am basically a 20 year old computer science student, living in Paris where I have always lived. I speak French, English (my second native language), Spanish, and have some few notions of Portuguese and Japanese. My Na'vi is... almost non-existant actually. I was also raised along by a sweet Philippine woman since I was born (that had no notion of French). I have spent 16 years of my life in an international school, and used to travel in many countries throughout the world.

Don't ask me too much about maths : I am rather a literary person, although I hardly read books. I love to analyze, investigate, and want to understand through several point of views and I want to balance various opinions with facts and context. I am also fan of history, geography, geopolitics, politics, diplomacy, ethical issues and love to discover other cultures. I can be interested in many kinds of issues as long as they do not require solid and precise scientific or mathematical knowledge. I am not afraid of debates or expressing clearly my point of view as long as a debate or discussion stays on track (I can seem harsh sometimes, but I never mean to harm, never). I want to find solutions and help people in the best way I can.
Seems you've seen much, know much and can do much. More such people are needed!

As for Ngay/tsleng statements:
Quote- I cannot dream or remember my dreams when or after sleeping.
Ngay, same for me. I know I had a dream, but don't remember it... with one exception. Many years ago in my dream I was chased by man with big knife, he catched me and..... well, I'm still living :)
Quote- I have a hard head in such way I can actually break doors or harm with it without felling any pain or confusion.
sounds like "re'o lefngap" ;D Tsleng
Quote- I enjoy airplane traveling even on long distances.
Ngay??
QuoteFìkintrrìri (nìteng fratrr nìwotx  ;)) livu ngaru tìprrte' sì fpom!
As for this week (also for every day) have pleasure and hapiness.

Enjoy all your days!
Oe lu skxawng skxakep. Slä oe nerume mi.
"Oe tasyätxaw ulte koren za'u oehu" (Limonádový Joe)


Tsmuktengan

Quote from: Blue Elf on April 20, 2012, 05:51:54 PM
Seems you've seen much, know much and can do much. More such people are needed!

To be honest, no. I really don't know that much compared to you. I am only 20. I have got many things to see and experience.  ;)


Ningey

However, a low age doesn't imply low wisdom (gaps in one's knowledge don't count here since they can easily be filled). To be honest, I think that you are the exact opposite. ;)


"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

Tsmuktengan

#13
Hmm... anyway...

This thread will end soon. Feel free to ask anything you want before I answer, I don't know. :)

Shorter than a long speech, I basically went, want to go, and certainly gathered information about the following countries (I cannot update the map because of bugs form their feet-coded website. Add 'want' to Kenya, Serbia, Philippines, French Polynesia and French Guiana).  ;)

http://www.whereivebeen.com/map.php?uID=7275966&iID=m36oqyrnsufk3czqcvz9y3wi66ri1flc

I recommend this (Facebook) application as it is quite nice to be able to list where you have been and see where your friends have also been.

Having visited a place or two ony in some countryes does not mean you know everything about the country though (this would require living for a certain period in each country actually). I tend to compensate by looking to learn more deeply about the culture and local ways if I cannot see it directly or have not enough time to see it. I find this just so enriching.



MIPP

Parabéns por seres o Na'vi Of The Week #99! I know a bit of French but I can't remember how to build this sentence in French.  :-\

Now, the T/F questions... I'm going with True, True, False.

Na'vi for beginners | Dict-Na'vi.com

Hufwe lìng io pay, nìfnu slä nìlaw.
Loveless, Act IV.

Tsmuktengan

#15
Quote from: MIPP on April 22, 2012, 08:33:50 AM
Parabéns por seres o Na'vi Of The Week #99! I know a bit of French but I can't remember how to build this sentence in French.  :-\

Muito obrigado. ;)

Apesar de eu não falar bem português (eu acabo falando Portugnol), eu posso compreender as frases mais ou menos com facilidade. Obrigado aos membros brasileiros da minha família.

Um.... Okay, I admid, I used Google Translate to save time. A normal sentence by me would be completely broken. So don't worry about your French: my Portuguese isn't better. I can only understand the sentences (and fairly understand O Globo or Veja for example).

I would like to see more of Brazil. Up to now, I sticked most of the time to Rio de Janeiro (Ipanema and Copacabana) and a house in the mountains. A few years I was able to visit the Minas Gerais state. It was once planned to go to Brazilia (well, my brothers already went there, not me), Manaus, and southern Brazil.


Human No More

"I can barely remember my old life. I don't know who I am any more."

HNM, not 'Human' :)

Na'vi tattoo:
1 | 2 (finished) | 3
ToS: Human No More
dA
Personal site coming soon(ish

"God was invented to explain mystery. God is always invented to explain those things that you do not understand."
- Richard P. Feynman

Tsmuktengan

All right, it is passed midnight and I am finally home. :)

QuoteI cannot dream or remember my dreams when or after sleeping.
True. I am almost never able to remember my dreams or feel I dream. It is like closing and opening the eyes with nothing in between since few years. I can suddenly awake sometimes for no reason, or at least I do not remember why I awake so suddenly when it happens. I sort of stopped dreaming since a very bad experience few years ago where my dreams literally tortured me.

QuoteI have a hard head in such way I can actually break doors or harm with it without felling any pain or confusion.
True. This is very weird, but I apparently do have pretty much a hard one since I am small (I did hurt my head many times, including falling the stairs head ahead). When I am particularly angry at myself while alone, I have the bad habit of banging my head. I once used this against one very rude and unrespectful guy and it was quite effective. I also did a hole in a door without thinking I could. Hmm... I really must to stop doing this though...

QuoteI enjoy airplane traveling even on long distances.
False. I actually hate airplane traveling since a very unusually shaky landing in Paris. I did travel a lot by airplane without a single issue... but it goes worse now. I just hate not being in control and am frightened as soon as the cabin shakes, even if I know this is normal. It is getting harder to cope with.


Seze Mune

Pxasìk!  I missed congratulating you, ma Tsmuktengan, and having a go at the T/F statements!  Well, congratulations anyway!!   ;)

Tsmuktengan

Quote from: Seze Mune on April 22, 2012, 08:54:03 PM
Pxasìk!  I missed congratulating you, ma Tsmuktengan, and having a go at the T/F statements!  Well, congratulations anyway!!   ;)
Irayo! Anyway, what would you have guessed? :)