<uy> - how formal do I want to be?

[Alyara Arati]

I was thinking of writing some poetry nìNa'vi for which I'd like to use ngenga as a sign of respect, but I don't want to be too formal.  Do I have to use the <uy> infix?  Irayo in advance.
Alyara Arati

[wm.annis]

I was thinking of writing some poetry nìNa'vi for which I'd like to use ngenga as a sign of respect, but I don't want to be too formal.  Do I have to use the <uy> infix? 

You don't.  The ‹uy› infix is more often used in specifically ceremonial contexts, rather than just for formality.

[Tirea Aean]

I was thinking of writing some poetry nìNa'vi for which I'd like to use ngenga as a sign of respect, but I don't want to be too formal.  Do I have to use the <uy> infix? 

You don't.  The ‹uy› infix is more often used in specifically ceremonial contexts, rather than just for formality.

isn't that also the case with ohe and ngenga? I thought there might-have-been some kind of connection in those three.

what do we know for a fact about these words?

[wm.annis]

Well, in Ultxa3.mp3 around 10:35, Frommer says "the honorifics I think should be restricted to really {garble} mostly ceremonial."

[Tirea Aean]

Well, in Ultxa3.mp3 around 10:35, Frommer says "the honorifics I think should be restricted to really {garble} mostly ceremonial."

so how can we be formal without being ceremonial?

[wm.annis]

Well, he did say "mostly ceremonial."  The honorific pronouns seem much more likely to be used outside of ceremonial contexts, as in, for example ngenga lu pesu? (Na'viteri).

[Tirea Aean]

Well, he did say "mostly ceremonial."  The honorific pronouns seem much more likely to be used outside of ceremonial contexts, as in, for example ngenga lu pesu? (Na'viteri).

--noted.

[Alyara Arati]

Thanks for the input.  I thought <uy> was a little over the top for what I wanted, but I wasn't certain about usage.  I still think I'm going to use the honorific pronoun, though; maybe I'm writing a semi-formal poem.

['Oma Tirea]

<uy> is indeed rare because it is the ceremonial infix.  Kewnya Txamew'itan commented on how it should be used:

This is very important. It would be like saying "verily, may I request from thee that thou doth give to me the salt which thou art possess'd of" instead of "please pass the salt".

As for ohe and ngenga vs. oe and nga, it seems like wm.annis got it here.

[Tirea Aean]

This is very important. It would be like saying "verily, may I request from thee that thou doth give to me the salt which thou art possess'd of" instead of "please pass the salt".

That always makes me LoL... the first time i saw that:

HRRRRRRRRRHH nìhawng.

but its true stuff...