Someone help me with "Do/Does" and "Do/Does not"

Started by Doxy, January 03, 2010, 12:23:25 AM

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Doxy

I realise that while I have a decent graps on the concept of "To Be" or "Not to be" (In the lingual sense, not the Shakespearian sense) and Tense Infixes, I know absolutely nothing about "To Do" or "Not to Do."
Like, how would one say "you do not See" or "I do not understand?"

Tskxäozì Ewaoe

#1
'You see' would be 'ngal kame' And because NEGATIVE is denoted by 'ke-' or 'k'-',
'you no see' or 'you do not see' would be 'ngal ke kame'

'you no understand' or 'you do not understand' would follow the same rule, just put 'ke' in front of the word for understand.

omängum fra'uti

I'm not 100% sure this is accurate, as I've seen too many bits of conflicting information about ke to be sure...  But..

Nga-l ke tse'a
You do not see

Nga-l ke tslam
You do not understand

In a lot of cases, ke seems to act like a prefix, but it's possible it may be an adjective as well.  Either case would work in the above sentences.
Ftxey lu nga tokx ftxey lu nga tirea? Lu oe tìkeftxo.
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Doxy

Alright, I think I understand...

Now, how would I use "Did" and "Does" when the verb is simply understood by previous context?
Like, "I did." or "He didnt."
I understand that in the English language, these sorts of sentences are not considered "Correct" or "Complete," but we still use them.

Ex.
Person: "Ngari kekame"
You: "I do."

omängum fra'uti

We do use them, but it's idiomic, and idioms are rarely understood when translated literally.

I'm sure someone will say to use "si" as do because that's what it's listed as, but I'd be hesitant to do that myself because I have a feeling that's not exactly what it means.

You could also say something like "Tsa'u ngay lu" for that's true, or "Tsa'u tsleng lu" for that's false.
Ftxey lu nga tokx ftxey lu nga tirea? Lu oe tìkeftxo.
Listen to my Na'vi Lessons podcast!

kewnya txamew'itan

Quote from: omängum fra'uti on January 03, 2010, 12:28:11 AM
I'm not 100% sure this is accurate, as I've seen too many bits of conflicting information about ke to be sure...  But..

Nga-l ke tse'a
You do not see

Nga-l ke tslam
You do not understand

In a lot of cases, ke seems to act like a prefix, but it's possible it may be an adjective as well.  Either case would work in the above sentences.

surely you don't need -l as the veb is being used intransitively?
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omängum fra'uti

It's still a transitive verb, you're still not seeing SOMETHING and not understanding SOMETHING, it's just not stated, so likely would be contextual.

Of course like many grammar rules this isn't certainly how it works, but it's something to work with for now.
Ftxey lu nga tokx ftxey lu nga tirea? Lu oe tìkeftxo.
Listen to my Na'vi Lessons podcast!

kewnya txamew'itan

Internet Acronyms Nìna'vi

hamletä tìralpuseng lena'vi sngolä'eiyi. tìkangkem si awngahu ro
http://bit.ly/53GnAB
The translation of Hamlet into Na'vi has started! Join with us at http://bit.ly/53GnAB

txo nga new oehu pivlltxe nìna'vi, nga oer 'eylan si mì fayspuk (http://bit.ly/bp9fwf)
If you want to speak na'vi to me, friend me on facebook (http://bit.ly/bp9fwf)

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Doolio

Quote from: omängum fra'uti on January 03, 2010, 12:47:29 AM
We do use them, but it's idiomic, and idioms are rarely understood when translated literally.

I'm sure someone will say to use "si" as do because that's what it's listed as, but I'd be hesitant to do that myself because I have a feeling that's not exactly what it means.

You could also say something like "Tsa'u ngay lu" for that's true, or "Tsa'u tsleng lu" for that's false.

yes, the usage of 'do' in english is very idiomic. it server as a helper verb of sort, which doesn't have (and most likely is not) to be the case in na'vi.
lets take look at the english sentence "how do you do that?". the na'vi "do", imho, is just an ordinary verb, like the latter "do" in the sentence and it means to do something, it is most likely not constructional (as the first 'do' in the given sentence).
...taj rad...