My attempt at a funny poem about learning Na'vi (in English)

Started by Irtaviš Ačankif, July 15, 2011, 09:06:05 AM

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Irtaviš Ačankif

When you hear some Na'vi
but can't pronounce a sound
you're in for a sänumvi
'cause you are such a skxawng

me before duals
pxe before trials
ay before plurals
and nothing before the singulars

oe means I
nga means you
po means him
and ayoe means us all

When you hear some Na'vi
but can't pronounce a sound
you're in for a sänumvi
'cause you are such a skxawng

rr in tengkrr
ll in plltxe
ts in tsaheylu
and r in ikran

sa'nok for mother
sempul for father
'eylan for friend
and kxutu for your foe

When you hear some Na'vi
but can't pronounce a sound
you're in for a sänumvi
'cause you are such a skxawng

kaltxì when you meet
kìyevame when you leave
and it's always good
for oel ngati kame

skxawng for a moron
pxasìk when you're angry
But don't overuse
or else you'll be kawng

Now you hear some Na'vi
and can pronounce the sound
The first thing you say
to everybody here,

"Ma ay'eylan ayeylan,
smukan sì smuke,
oeyä kharyu,
irayo sì irayo!"


"Ma smukan sì smuke,
ma oeyä ayeylan,
oeyä haryu nìteng,
irayo sì nìtxan!"


This poem is dedicated to myself, who is a total tawtute skxawng.
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.

Ftxavanga Txe′lan

hrh! :D Now that is a very nice and funny poem. :) Good job. ;)

I found two Na'vi things to point out:

Quote from: Uniltìrantokx te Skxawng on July 15, 2011, 09:06:05 AM"Ma ay'eylan,
smukan sì smuke,
oeyä hkaryu,
irayo sì irayo!"

Both mistakes are lenition mistakes. :) Don't forget, with ay+ the glottal stop of 'eylan is dropped, and in the third line the ay+ is invisible but it is still plural, so the 'k' becomes 'h' and it gives haryu. You did it right in the second line though! :D

Irtaviš Ačankif

The meter and rhyming, though, is a bit off. Any suggestions?
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.

Blue Elf

Quotepo means him
Here's one small mistake too - po means he or she. For him/her you must add acusative (or by other word patientive) case ending: pot or poti
Anyway, good poem :)
Oe lu skxawng skxakep. Slä oe nerume mi.
"Oe tasyätxaw ulte koren za'u oehu" (Limonádový Joe)


Kamean

Tse'a ngal ke'ut a krr fra'uti kame.


Tanri

Very nice, ma Uniltìrantokx te Skxawng. :)

Another technical note: in "and ayoe means us all", ayoe actually means "we, but not you". For "we all, including you" we have a inclusive pronoun ayoeng (shortly awnga). It depends what you exactly want to say.

I am not a poet, but the final speech may be like this (6 syllables in each line):
Ma smukan sì smuke,
ma oeyä ayeylan,     (pronounced shortly "ma weyä ayeylan")
oeyä haryu nìteng,    (pronounced weyä as well)
irayo sì nìtxan!
Shaping thoughts to some form is truly difficult.
Tätxawyu akì'ong.

Ftxavanga Txe′lan

Quote from: Tanri on July 15, 2011, 03:02:38 PMAnother technical note: in "and ayoe means us all", ayoe actually means "we, but not you". For "we all, including you" we have a inclusive pronoun ayoeng (shortly awnga). It depends what you exactly want to say.

Oh, I thought "inclusive/exclusive" referred to I, but now I see it means that you are included or excluded. :o Nice to know! :)

Blue Elf

Quote from: Ftxavanga Txe′lan on July 15, 2011, 03:14:39 PM
Quote from: Tanri on July 15, 2011, 03:02:38 PMAnother technical note: in "and ayoe means us all", ayoe actually means "we, but not you". For "we all, including you" we have a inclusive pronoun ayoeng (shortly awnga). It depends what you exactly want to say.

Oh, I thought "inclusive/exclusive" referred to I, but now I see it means that you are included or excluded. :o Nice to know! :)
Inclusion/exclusion works on all forms of 1st person:
singular: I = oe
dual: exlusive: we two, but not you = moe
   inclusive: I and you = oeng
trial: exlusive: we three, but not you = pxoe
   inclusive: we two and you = pxoeng
plural: exclusive: we four or more, but not you = ayoe
   inclusive: you and we three or more = ayoeng/awnga (do not confuse with aynga)

All inclusive forms ends with -ng, what is shortened form of nga (you). So, when putting these forms into ergative, it doesn't take -ìl ending (which you can expect), but -al (-ng changes back to its full form nga, so -l ending must be used)
Oe lu skxawng skxakep. Slä oe nerume mi.
"Oe tasyätxaw ulte koren za'u oehu" (Limonádový Joe)


Ftxavanga Txe′lan

#8
Thanks a lot for this information, ma Blue Elf, it's very clear and useful! :D

Irtaviš Ačankif

Irayo for all of your nice replies! Editing the original post.
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.

'Oma Tirea

Quote from: Blue Elf on July 15, 2011, 03:49:49 PM
All inclusive forms ends with -ng, what is shortened form of nga (you). So, when putting these forms into ergative, it doesn't take -ìl ending (which you can expect), but -al (-ng changes back to its full form nga, so -l ending must be used)

It's not just the ergative agentive, but the patientive, dative, and maybe even the topical as well.  Natkenong: oengoengal, oengat(i), oengar(u), and maybe oengari.

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

ÌTXTSTXRR!!

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

Blue Elf

Quote from: 'Oma Tirea on July 16, 2011, 01:36:37 AM
Quote from: Blue Elf on July 15, 2011, 03:49:49 PM
All inclusive forms ends with -ng, what is shortened form of nga (you). So, when putting these forms into ergative, it doesn't take -ìl ending (which you can expect), but -al (-ng changes back to its full form nga, so -l ending must be used)

It's not just the ergative agentive, but the patientive, dative, and maybe even the topical as well.  Natkenong: oengoengal, oengat(i), oengar(u), and maybe oengari.
Yes, of course - wondering why I didn't mention that...
Oe lu skxawng skxakep. Slä oe nerume mi.
"Oe tasyätxaw ulte koren za'u oehu" (Limonádový Joe)