Renu Ayinanfyayä – The Senses Paradigm

[Plumps]

The bot is too slow  ... again

http://naviteri.org/2012/11/renu-ayinanfyaya-the-senses-paradigm/

Here at last is the revised and finalized Renu Ayinanfyayä—the "Senses Paradigm," the original version of which was submitted by the LEP Committee a long time ago. It's an excellent framework for clarifying and summarizing the Na'vi expressions relating to perception.

...

[Tìtstewan]

The bot is too slow  ... again

No... Buggy

[Tìtstewan]

Renu Ayinanfyayä - The Senses Paradigm

Here at last is the revised and finalized Renu Ayinanfyayä - the "Senses Paradigm," the original version of which was submitted by the LEP Committee a long time ago. It's an excellent framework for clarifying and summarizing the Na'vi expressions relating to perception.

inanfya (n., i.NAN.fya) 'sense (means of perception)'

Inanfya (from inan 'read, gain knowledge from sensory input' + fya'o 'path, way') covers the five senses the Na'vi share with us: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. Whether there are other inanfya unique to the Na'vi (for example, perception of magnetism) is a matter for further investigation. In what follows we'll just deal with the five familiar senses.

The following table sums up the necessary vocabulary, some of which is already familiar and some of which will be new to you:



First some details of the new vocabulary:

hefi (vtr., HE.fi—inf. 1,2) 'smell (-control)'

ewku (vtr., EW.ku—inf. 1,2) 'taste (-control)'

zìm (vtr.) 'feel (-control)'

yune (vtr., YU.ne—inf. 1,2) 'listen to (+control)'

syam (vtr.) 'smell (+control)'

'ur (n.) 'sight, look, appearance'

sur (n.) 'taste, flavor'

zir (n.) 'touch, feel, texture'

The "ability" nouns consist of the –control verbs with the addition of –tswo; an exception is ewktswo, where the unstressed u has dropped.

tse'atswo (n., tsa.'A.tswo) '(sense of) sight, vision'

stawmtswo (n., STAWM.tswo) '(sense of) hearing'

hefitswo (n., HE.fi.tswo) 'sense of smell'

ewktswo (n., EWK.tswo) 'sense of taste'

zìmtswo (n.,  ZÌM.tswo) 'sense of touch'

Now for some explanation of the table entries.

As you see, the expressions in the first three columns are verbs, and in the fourth and fifth nouns. Let's look first at the verbs.

–control vs. +control

Many languages distinguish between perceptions that occur without your control (for example, "see" and "hear" in English) which we're calling "—control" vs. perceptions that you initiate yourself (like "look" and "listen") which we call +control. If you heard a bird singing, you had no choice in the matter: the external stimulus, in this case sound, came to your ears without your control and created an internal sensory experience. But if you listened to the bird, you made a deliberate choice to focus your attention on the stimulus. Unlike English, Na'vi makes this distinction in all the sensory modalities.

Examples of the VTRs - the transitive verbs:

sight
-control:      Peut tse'a ngal? [audio=http://naviteri.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Peut.mp3]listen[/audio]
.                     'What do you see'
+control:     Poti nìn! [audio=http://naviteri.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Poti.mp3]listen[/audio]
.                    'Look at him!'

hearing
-control:      Fol oeyä tìpawmit ke stolängawm. [audio=http://naviteri.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Fol-oeyä.mp3]listen[/audio]
.                      'Unfortunately they didn't hear my question.'
+control:      Nga zene aylì'ut karyuä yivune, ma 'evi. [audio=http://naviteri.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Nga-zene.mp3]listen[/audio]
.                      'You must listen to your teacher, my son.'

smell
-control:      Fnu, ma smuk, fnu! Oel hefi yerikit! [audio=http://naviteri.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Fnu.mp3]listen[/audio]
.                     'Quiet, everyone! I smell a hexapede!'
+control:     Fìsyulangit syam. Fahew lor lu nìtxan, kefyak? [audio=http://naviteri.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Fìsyulangit.mp3]listen[/audio]
.                     'Smell this flower. Its fragrance is beautiful, isn't it?

taste
-control:      Fìnaerìri ngal ewku 'uot astxong srak? [audio=http://naviteri.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Fìnaerìri.mp3]listen[/audio]
.                      'Do you taste something strange in this drink?'
+control:      Ke new oe mivay' tsnganti a 'olem Rinil. [audio=http://naviteri.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Ke-new-oe.mp3]listen[/audio]
.                      'I don't want to taste the meat that Rini cooked.'

touch
-control:      Tengkrr hu palukantsyìp uvan seri zolìm oel mì sa'leng a 'uot a lu txa' sì ekxtxu. [audio=http://naviteri.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Tengkrr1.mp3]listen[/audio]
.                     'While playing with my cat I felt something hard and rough on his skin.'
+control:     Oeti 'ampi rä'ä, ma skxawng! [audio=http://naviteri.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Oeti-ampi.mp3]listen[/audio]
.                     'Don't touch me, you moron!'

(In the last example, note that rä'ä 'don't' can come after the verb for special emphasis.)

A note on may': Its original meaning, as you see in the table, is the control-form of 'taste'—that is, 'check out something by tasting.' Its use expanded to include "checking out" almost anything, and not just by taste - as the dictionary says, 'try, sample, evaluate, test-drive.' So you can may' a fruit, an article of clothing, a new way of holding your bow, etc.

As for the two +control forms in the second and third columns, the simple verbs in column 2 are used mostly with an explicit object, while the tìng forms are used mostly without an object. So the most common way to say 'Look at that!' is Nìn tsat! But if you just want to say 'Look!' it's usually Tìng nari! But other possibilities exist. So, for example, to say 'Look at him!' the most common way is simply Poti nìn! But Poru tìng nari! is also possible.

The last two columns in the table are self-explanatory. The "nouns of sensation" are the sensations related to the verbs in the first two columns. So, for example, you stawm or yune a pam - that is, you hear or listen to a sound. And the words ending in -tswo are the abilities related to the senses. For example:

              Tsakoakteri stawmtswo lu fe'. Pohu a tìpängkxo ngäzìk lu nìtxan. [audio=http://naviteri.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Tsakoakteri.mp3]listen[/audio]
              'That old woman's hearing is poor. A conversation with her is very difficult.'

Middle Voice

When we say things in English like "This tastes good," "That feels smooth," "This fish smells awful," "He looks like a warrior," we're using what's been called "middle voice." How do we say such things in Na'vi?

"Middle voice" constructions in Na'vi use the intransitive verb fkan, which has no simple equivalent in English and is difficult to translate by itself:

fkan (vin.) 'resemble in a sensory modality, come to the senses as'

But some examples will make it clear how to use fkan:

              Fìnaerìri sur fkan oeru kalin. [audio=http://naviteri.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Fìnaerìri-sur.mp3]listen[/audio]
              'This drink tastes sweet to me.'
              Literally: 'As for this drink, the taste comes to me as sweet.'

But some examples will make it clear how to use fkan:

Note that fkan behaves syntactically like lu and lam - that is, it's intransitive. Also, both sur and oeru in the above example are optional. If you omit oeru, you're making a general statement: not that the drink tastes sweet to you, but that it tastes sweet, period - that is, to everyone. If you omit sur, the sentence is grammatical but ambiguous, since you're not specifying the sensory modality: the drink could taste sweet, but it could also smell sweet. It's safe to omit the noun of sensation if the context makes it clear. Or in some cases you might want to be deliberately ambiguous.

              Nikreri Riniyä 'ur fkan lor. [audio=http://naviteri.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Nikreri-1.mp3]listen[/audio]
              'Rini's hair looks beautiful.'

              Nikreri Riniyä fkan lor. [audio=http://naviteri.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Nikreri-2.mp3]listen[/audio]
              'Rini's hair is pleasant to the senses.'

In the second example, we don't know if Rini's hair looks beautiful, feels beautiful, or smells beautiful.

For expressions like "looks like," "feels like," etc., we use fkan along with na or pxel. Example:

              Raluri fahew fkan oeru na yerik. [audio=http://naviteri.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Raluri-1.mp3]listen[/audio]
              'Ralu smells like a hexapede to me.'

              Raluri fkan na yerik. [audio=http://naviteri.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Raluri-2.mp3]listen[/audio]
              'Ralu smells (looks? sounds?) like a hexapede.'


Finally, here are a few sense adjectives, some of which are new, that you can use along with fkan:

As you know, we have the adjectives lor and vä', which mean "pleasant/unpleasant to the senses," respectively. (Note that we use lor for sensory impression rather than sìltsan.) These words can be used for any of the senses - that is, something can be pleasing in touch, taste, smell, what have you.  In addition, for the sense of taste we have the specific words ftxìlor 'good-tasting' and ftxìvä' 'bad-tasting'. So for "This drink tastes good," we can say either Fìnaerìri sur fkan lor or Fìnaerìri fkan ftxìlor.

Also:

onlor (adj., on.LOR) 'good-smelling'

onvä' (adj., on.VÄ') 'bad-smelling'

Here are the primary "taste" adjectives:

kalin (adj., ka.LIN) 'sweet'

syä'ä (adj., SYÄ.'ä) bitter

we'ay (adj., WE.'ay) 'sour'

wip (adj.) 'salty'

fwang (adj.) 'savory, umami, rich'

Note that these words can be used to describe smells as well as tastes. But Na'vi also has primary "smell-words" along with "taste-words":

nget (adj.) 'smell of decaying wood and leaves; dank (non-animal decay)'

kxänäng (adj., KXÄ.näng) 'smell of decaying animal/flesh; rotting, putrid'

sosul (adj., so.SUL) 'pleasant smell of nearby running water, rain, moist vegetation'

unyor (adj., un.YOR) 'sweetly aromatic (a flowery or aromatic woody sort of smell; may also refer to some spices used in Na'vi cooking)

atxar (a.TXAR) 'smell of living animals, as found around a watering hole or animal nest'

As we enter the festive season, these new words and expressions should help you describe the tastes and smells of holiday meals. Syuveri ayftxozäyä ayngaru fkivan onlor ftxìlorsì nìwotx!


Source: Renu Ayinanfyayä - The Senses Paradigm

Edit:
I did the job of the Bot - A job, who have to do th Bot *laugh*
Edit 2:
I hope I pick up the right audiocodes...
Edit 3:
Update the table pic for better looking

[Tìtstewan]

I changed the table pic for better looking.

[Ftiafpi]

Very nice work.

[Toruk Makto]

I am still pondering how to mark -control and +control in the dictionary. I am wondering if passive/active might be better terminology...?

[Tìtstewan]

Ma Toruk Makto
Do you mean this:


 
   
   
   
   
   
   

	VTR      passive	VTR      active	VIN      active	N      sensation	N      ability
sight	tse'a      'see'	nìn      'look at'	tìng nari      'look'	'ur      'sight, look, appearance'	tse'atswo      'sight, vision'
hearing	stawm      'hear'	yune      'listen to'	tìng mikyun      'listen'	pam      'sound'	stawmtswo      'hearing'
smell	hefi      'smell'	syam      'smell'	tìng ontu      'smell'	fahew      'smell'	hefitswo      'sense of smell'
taste	ewku      'taste'	may'      'taste'	tìng ftxì      'taste'	sur      'taste, flavor'	ewktswo      'sense of taste'
touch	zìm      'feel'	'ampi      'touch'	tìng zekwä      'feel'	zir      'feel, texture'	zìmtswo      'sense of touch'

[Yaknun]

Siltsan tìkangkem ma Titstewan 

Nga lu karyu niNa'vi   

[Kemaweyan]

I think «passive» would mean that this action was made with one. Like passive participles with -awn-: yerik atspawnang - killed yerik (it does not mean that yerik kills someone). But all actions in the chart are active - they are made by one, like active participles -us-. So controlled and uncontrolled are the best terminology, IMO.

[Tìtstewan]

I think «passive» would mean that this action was made with one. Like passive participles with -awn-: yerik atspawnang - killed yerik (it does not mean that yerik kills someone). But all actions in the chart are active - they are made by one, like active participles -us-. So controlled and uncontrolled are the best terminology, IMO.

When I read the blog first time, I thought about the using of "passive" and "active". But at the moment, I don't thought about <awn> or <us>, so I'm agree with you.

Siltsan tìkangkem ma Titstewan 

Nga lu karyu niNa'vi   

Kehe, oe mi numeyu lu.

[wm.annis]

I am wondering if passive/active might be better terminology...?

No no!  Not the same thing at all.

Active, -control: I saw a dog.
Active, +control: I looked at a dog.
Passive: A dog was seen by me.

The issue only comes up for smell and taste where clarity can be had with idiom, "take a smell/sniff" and "take a taste."  It's a question of whether or not you've done something on purpose, not if it's being done to you.

[Plumps]

I'm pondering about that as well for dict-navi ... we don't get around a few explanatary words if we don't want to use +/–control. In my personal learning material I used +/–K (~ +/–c in English) as an abbreviation.
Ma Markì you could add this abbreviation to the introduction section along vtr., adp. etc.

The issue only comes up for smell and taste where clarity can be had with idiom, "take a smell/sniff" and "take a taste."  It's a question of whether or not you've done something on purpose, not if it's being done to you.

These are actually good synonyms for clarification. Permission to use them for dict-navi?

[Toruk Makto]

I could, but it may be better to just elaborate in the definitions since there are only a few words with his concept. Wm is right of course and I will correct the entries today.

[Ftiafpi]

I could, but it may be better to just elaborate in the definitions since there are only a few words with his concept. Wm is right of course and I will correct the entries today.

I support this, no reason to make something confusing just to save a few lines in the dictionary.

[Plumps]

Perhaps I'm too careful with this but how would we say something like:

     How does it smell/taste/feel/sound/look(s like)?

[wm.annis]

Perhaps I'm too careful with this but how would we say something like:

     How does it smell/taste/feel/sound/look(s like)?

I would think either with fyape/pefya or peuna, na 'upe, etc.

[Plumps]

You mean like

     Pefya fkan (ngar)?

I started thinking about it when I read the 'do you taste something strange in this drink?' question. I also thought about something like

     Fìnaerìri pesur/surpe fkan ngar?
     How does this drink taste to you?

Would that be possible/understandable?

[Blue Elf]

Perhaps I'm too careful with this but how would we say something like:

     How does it smell/taste/feel/sound/look(s like)?

I would think either with fyape/pefya or peuna, na 'upe, etc.

Fyape/pefya was my first idea too - similar like asking about weather: Yafkeyk pefya?

Another idea is:
Lu tsaru pe+ 'ur/pam/fahew etc. -> lit. what look/sound/smell... it has

But what developed Plumps seems to be best alternative! What Paul says about it?

[wm.annis]

     Fìnaerìri pesur/surpe fkan ngar?
     How does this drink taste to you?

oooOOOooo.  Sunu oeru nìtxan.

[Ftiafpi]

     Fìnaerìri pesur/surpe fkan ngar?
     How does this drink taste to you?

oooOOOooo.  Sunu oeru nìtxan.

There's just something wonderfully elegant about that phrase.