Easy Guide to Na'vi Prefixes, Infixes, and Suffixes II

Started by Tirea Aean, February 15, 2012, 03:16:53 PM

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Tirea Aean

Easy Guide to Na'vi Prefixes, Infixes, and Suffixes II
An extensive, simplified rundown of All current affixes.
Because the original thread was from December 2009.

Updated: 2 May 2016

Notes:

Any adposition (word marked as adp. in the dictionary) may become a suffix on the end of any noun. Same with and to. Neither may become a prefix, however. Separate before, OR attached after. Example: Eywa hu nga. = Eywa ngahu.

+ instead of - means causes lenition.

Productive means "this can be added to any word (or just any word of a certain part of speech, for example, just any noun or just any verb) at speaker's will to create a new word with an obvious new meaning".

Non-productive means "this can not be added to any word at speaker's will, so any words with this thing must be found in the dictionary as-is".

Lenition: words that start with a certain letter change to start with a different letter.
Lenition chart:
    if word starts with this letter -> change the first letter to this letter
        px -> p
        kx -> k
        tx -> t
        p -> f
        k -> h
        t -> s
        ts -> s
        '  -> goes away

Verb infix positions:

        t<0><1>ar<2>on (two syllable regular)
        <0><1>om<2>um (two syllable starts with vowel)
        srung s<0><1><2>i (si verb)
        yomt<0><1><2>ìng (compound, head last)
        n<0><1><2>ewomum (compound, head first)

Modal verbs are those marked as vim. or vtrm. in the dictionary.


All Current Productive Prefixes :

    For nouns or pronouns only :
     
        fì- this. Used in order to say "This __<noun>__...".
        tsa- that. Used in order to say "That __<noun>__...".
        me+ Dual. Two of something.
        pxe+ Trial. Three of something.
        ay+ Plural. More than three or some unknown number of something.
        fay+  these. Used in order to say "These __<noun>s__...".
        tsay+ those. Used in order to say "Those __<noun>s__...".
        fne- Type of. Used in order to say "Type of __<noun>__".
        sna- Used to group living things other than people. Example: snanantang - pack of viperwolves
        munsna- Used to say a pair of something. Example: munsnahawnven - a pair of shoes
        fra- Every. Used in order to say "every __<noun>__".
        fray+ All of these. Combination of fra- and ay+. "All of these __<noun>s__"
        pe+ What. Turns a statement into A QUESTION. Used in order to say "What __<noun>__..?".
        peme+ What two. Turns a statement into A QUESTION (dual). This is used to ask "What two <noun>s?". See "Forms with pe-" (Na'viteri.org)
        pepe+ What three. Turns a statement into A QUESTION (trial). This is used to ask "What three <noun>s?". See "Forms with pe-" (Na'viteri.org)
        pay+ What (plural). Turns a statement into A QUESTION. Used in order to say "what __<noun>s__..?".

    For verbs only :

        tsuk- Able. Used in order to say "<verb>able".
        ketsuk- Opposite of tsuk-. Used in order to say "un<verb>able".

    For adjectives only :

        a- This means the adjective is paired with the noun directly before it (to the left).
        nì- This is productive to turn an adjective into an adverb. It's similar to English -ly ending.
            Note on adj. starting with e: If the e is stressed, drop ì from -. (E.g.: netrìp "luckily, happily") Else, keep ì and drop e. (E.g.: nìyawr "correctly, rightly")

    For adverbs only :

        nìk- Created by nì- + ke- is used to create negative adverbs.
            Examples: kelkin "unnecessarily" <- In this example nì- is added to a negative adjective to create a negative adverb.
                            nìktungzup "carefully, firmly" <- Here was nì- added to a negative verb: nì- + (ke + tungzup "drop, let fall") = nìktungzup The "e" drops away.

All Current Productive Suffixes :

    For nouns or pronouns only :

        Cases :

            -l This goes on the noun who is verbing something (subject). Don't use this if it ends with a consonant.
            -ìl The same thing as -l. Use this instead of -l if the noun ends with a consonant.
            -it This goes on the noun that the subject is verbing (direct object). Use this instead of -t if word ends with consonant.
              Don't use this if word ends in a vowel or in ey.
            -ti Same as -it. May be used regardless of what the word ends with. Example: sa'nokti, sempulti.
            -t Same as -ti and -it. Don't use this if the word ends with a consonant. Use this if word ends with a vowel or ey.
            -ru This goes on the noun to whom or for whom the subject is verbing (indirect object).
              Don't use on words ending with consonant.
            -ur Same as -ru. Use this instead of -r if word ends with consonant. Don't use on words ending with ew.
            -r Same as -ru and -ur. Don't use this if the word ends with a consonant. Use this if word ends with a vowel or ew.
            -yä This goes on the noun to form a genitive. It can be possessive, Similar to the English -'s ending. It can also mean "of" e.g. "The <noun> of the <noun>". Don't use this if word ends with consonant, o, or u.
            -y Short form of . Rare and colloquial. Used on pronouns. Don't use if word ends with consonant.
            same as -yä and -y. Use this for nouns ending in consonants o or u.
            -ri This goes on the topic noun. Topics are first in the sentence and after it comes a comment.
              Used commonly instead of -yä or for inalienable possession,
              e.g. with body parts. Don't use on words ending with consonant.
            -ìri Same as -ri but for words ending with a consonant.

        Other noun/pronoun-only suffixes :

            -ya Same meaning as ma. Can only be used with singular collective nouns. e.g. family, group, etc. It's a rare suffix.
            -fkeyk State of. Used to say "the state of the__<noun>__".
            -o Indefinite some. Used to say "Some__<nouns>". Also used on time-related words to say "for [the duration of] <unit of time>
              Example: "zìsìto amrr" = "for 5 years"
            -pe Same as pe+. Use this for more variation or to avoid lenition.
            -tsyìp Mini/Diminutive. Used to say "dear little __<noun>__" or "mini __<noun>__". Can also make a new meaning, such as utral = tree, utraltsyìp = bush. These special new meaning uses will all be listed in the dictionary.
            -am previous. This goes on 'time nouns' such as trr (day), kintrr (week), etc. to make it "yesterday", "last week", etc.
            -ay next. This goes on 'time nouns' such as trr (day), kintrr (week), etc. to make it "tomorrow", "next week", etc.

    For numbers only :

        -ve Ordinal marker. Similar to English st, nd, rd, th.

    For adjectives only :

        -a This means the adjective is paired with the noun directly after it (to the right)

    Only for colour words :

        -pin Creates colour nouns. Example: rimpin (the color yellow)
            Note: If before -pin is a word that end with a letter n, the letter n becomes m. Example: ean (blue, green) + -pin = eampin (the colour blue, green)

    For verbs only :

        -yu Typically turns a verb into a noun who is a doer of that verb. e.g taron = hunt, taronyu = Hunter.
        -tswo Turns a verb into a noun which means the ability to do that verb. e.g.
            Example: hefi = smell, hefitswo = ability to smell (sense of smell).

All Verb Infixes :

    Pre-first position :

        <äp> Reflexive. Using this means the subject is doing the verb to his/her self. The verb then can only take one subject which gets no case marks.
            Verbs with <äp> are always intransitive.
            Example: Poan y<äp>ur. = He washes himself.
        <eyk> Causitive. This leaves a subject-noun either:
                  - A) another noun, to do something
                  - B) a noun with another noun to make something.
            Verbs with ‹eyk› are always transitive.
            Example: nga-l oe-ti h<eyk>ahaw. = You cause/make me to sleep. Oe-l nga-ru po-ti t<eyk>aron. = I cause/make you to hunt him.

    First position :

      Tenses (having to do with time) :

            <am> Past
            <ìm> Recent past
            <ìy> Near future
            <ìsy> Near future with determination of the speaker to bring the situation about.
            <ay> Future
            <asy> Future with determination of the speaker to bring the situation about.
     
        Aspects (nothing to do with time) :

            <ol> Perfective (action is completed)
            <er> Imperfective (action is incomplete)

        Combining tense and aspect :

            <alm> Past perfective. Action has happened in the past. -> e.g. Oe y<alm>om. ~ I had eaten.
            <ìlm> Recent past perfective. Action has just happened recently. -> e.g. Oe y<ìlm>om. ~ I have just eaten.
            <ìly> Near future perfective. Action will have been done soon. -> e.g. Oe y<ìly>om. - I will soon be eating.
            <aly> Future perfective. Action will have been done. -> e.g. Oe y<aly>om. - I will have eaten.
            <arm> Past imperfective. Action was being done in the past. -> e.g. Oe y<arm>om. - I was eating.
            <ìrm> Recent past imperfective. Action was just being done recently. -> e.g. Oe y<ìrm>om. - I was just eating.
            <ìry> Near future imperfective. Action is about to be happening soon. -> e.g. Oe y<ìry>om. - I will soon be eating..
            <ary> Future imperfective. Action will be happening. -> e.g. Oe y<ary>om. - I will be eating.

        Subjunctive :

            <iv> A) Required in secondary verbs which come after modal verbs. e.g. Oe zene y<iv>om. = I must eat.
                  B) Used with wishes, hopes, etc. This includes verbs appearing after fte and fteke.
                  C) Used optionally in commands.

        Combining Subjunctive with Tense :

            <imv> Past subjunctive.
            <iyev> or <ìyev> Future subjunctive.

        Combining Subjunctive with Aspect :

            <ilv> Perfective Subjunctive.
            <irv> Imperfective Subjunctive.
            Either of the above are mostly only used in I wish noun were verbing or I wish noun had verbed. (nìrangal ...).
     
        Participles :

            <us> Active Participle. This turns a verb into an attributive adjective in the form "The Verbing noun...".
                  Example: H<us>ahaw-a nantang = A sleeping Viperwolf.
            <awn> Passive Participle. This turns a verb into an attributive adjective in the form "The Verbed noun...".
                  Example: Palulukan a-t<awn>aron lehrrap ke lu = A hunted thanator is not dangerous.

    Second Position :

        <ei> This means that whoever speaking has a positive attitude/mood/feeling toward what's being said.
        <äng> This means whoever is speaking has a negative attitude/mood/feeling toward what's being said.
            It can turn into <eng> when followed by the letter i. Example: tsap'alute s<eng>i = tsap'alute s<äng>i
        <uy> Honorific. Formal, ceremonial, and rarely used.
        <ats> Inferential. Used when making assumptions.
            Example: Pol fìtsengit ke tok. Kelkuti t<ats>ok = He is not here. (He) must be home.

Gerund / Noun creation

        tì- + <us> With this prefix and infix verbs can be transformed to productive nouns (Gerund).
            From si constructed verbs, gerunds can not be derived. E.g. tswayon (to fly) = tswusayon (the fly)




All Current Non-Productive Affixes :

    Important! Everything in this section describes patterns that exist. None of the following are freely usable to coin new forms of words that are not already in the dictionary.

    Prefixes :
        ke- This is used to create a negative or opposite adjective. E.g.: teng "same, equal" - keteng "different, not equal" / eyawr "correct" - keyawr "incorrect"
            Note: For adjectives with le- merges ke- with le- to kel- -> lekin "necessary" - kelkin "unnecessary".
                          Attention: *kele- > kel-, unless it would create an impermissible consonant cluster, in which case it remains kele-. E.g.: kelemweypey "impatient"
        sä- instrumental noun deriving affix. numeri oe nume. I learn the teaching.
        tì- noun deriving affix. ngay sìltsan lu. The truth is good.
        le- adjective deriving affix. Poan lehrrap lu. He is dangerous.
        kaw- not one deriving affix. Oe kawkrr ke kamä. I never went.

    Suffixes :

        -an masculine suffix for certain nouns. Example: Poan täftxuyu lu. He is a weaver.
        -e feminine suffix for certain nouns: Poe taronyu lu. She is a hunter.
        -vi partitive relationship marker: Oe nume mì numtsengvi. I learn in the classroom.
        -lo multiplicative number suffix for 'aw, mune, pxey: 'Awlo oe ramol. Once I sang.
        -nay creates a new noun that is related to the original by being a step down in some relevant hierarchy - size, rank, accomplishment, etc.: Example, ikran -> ikranay
        -nga' adjective deriving affix. 'Akra apaynga' lu. It is moist soil.
        -tu person noun from non-verbal stem deriving affix. Oe reltseotu lu. I am an artist.
        -sena  X-sena is an object that specifically carries or contains X, like this example: paysena water container.



Edits:
- moved ke- no non-pro section, removed redundant note, added reiteration about what non-pro is, for convenience
- fixed some lines and formattings
- added all not productive affixes to complete this guide
- added new suffix in not productive section
- added in notes section what productive and non-productive means
- added hì-,hì'- to non-productive prefixes
- some visual edits for consistency
- removed hì'-
- added -pin for color words only

Kamean

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


Tirea Aean

Tstunwi. :) It took me a long time to type all this out on mobile devices.

Kamean

Kea tìkin. :)
QuoteIt took me a long time to type all this out on mobile devices.
Your computer is not working? :o
Tse'a ngal ke'ut a krr fra'uti kame.


Tirea Aean

I  was away from home. Something to know about me: A VAST percentage of my posts here are from an Android phone or tablet.  :D

Kamean

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


Tirea Aean

So, comments and possible corrections are welcome. Karma to the corrector as always. ;)

Kamean

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


'Oma Tirea

Sìltsan :) Only a few keyey:

<ats> is missing from second-position infixes.
-vi and -nga' aren't productive.
-tu is only productive on nouns, not mostly non-verbs.

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

ÌTXTSTXRR!!

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

Alyara Arati

#9
Quote<iv> A) required in secondary verbs which come after modal verbs. e.g. Oe zene yivom=I must eat. B)used with wishes, hopes, etc. C) used optionally in commands. D) sensible way to translate "would verb"

Txantsana tìkangkemvi. :)

Edit: I forgot to ask about "fte" and "fteke". :-[
Learn how to see.  Realize that everything connects to everything else.
~ Leonardo da Vinci

'Oma Tirea

Maybe one of these days wm.annis could make another thread: Na'vi Linguistics: Good <iv>ning :)

[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

Very good overview!
There are also special forms for "these two/three X": fìme+/fìpxe+ and "those two/three X" tsame+/tsapxe+, if they can be count as standard prefixes (in fact it is combination, see horen leNa'vi 3.3.7.)
Oe lu skxawng skxakep. Slä oe nerume mi.
"Oe tasyätxaw ulte koren za'u oehu" (Limonádový Joe)


Lance R. Casey

Some things I noticed:


  • ketsuk-: missing opposite of tsuk-
  • -ti, -ru: can be used with both vowel-final and consonant-final words (clarification)
  • -yä, : this is genitive, not possessive; the latter is a common but not exclusive use of the former
  • -o: also means "for (duration)" when referring to spans of time
  • ‹eng›: optional variant of ‹äng› when followed by i

  • nì-: productive on adjectives
  • -am, -ay: how productive are these?


// Lance R. Casey

Tirea Aean

Thanks all for help. Karma to all who made suggestions. Wasnt sure of productivity of -am and -ay so left them out for now.

POST HAS BEEN EDITED

Alyara Arati

Quote<ats> Inferential. Uled when making assumptions e.g. Pol fìtsengit ke tok. Kelkuti t<ats>ok=He is not here. (he) must be home
Learn how to see.  Realize that everything connects to everything else.
~ Leonardo da Vinci

Tirea Aean


Lance R. Casey

More nits: ketsuk is lacking a hyphen and nì- is in the wrong section.

// Lance R. Casey

Tirea Aean

Quote from: Lance R. Casey on February 16, 2012, 10:54:01 AM
More nits: ketsuk is lacking a hyphen


Fixed.

Quoteand nì- is in the wrong section.

Where should it go?

Lance R. Casey


// Lance R. Casey

Tirea Aean