Special plurals

Started by Blue Elf, June 12, 2011, 03:16:53 PM

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Blue Elf

Well, subject of this tread is probably not too clear, so what's my problem?
In various languages (at least in Czech) we have nouns which expresses both singular and plural (linguists call it probably plurale tantum, if I'm not wrong). I hope they exists in English also, so these examples should work:
howl (or ululation) of wolf/wolves, roar of lion/lions
How to translate the first one into Na'vi?
nguway aynantangä or aynguway aynantangä.
Does it exist plurale tantum in Na'vi or we must always use "normal" plural ?
Oe lu skxawng skxakep. Slä oe nerume mi.
"Oe tasyätxaw ulte koren za'u oehu" (Limonádový Joe)


Tirea Aean

perhaps you think of nouns such as naer (cannot be pluralized)

I'm not sure of any na'vi nouns which only exist in the PLURAL, though I think there are one or two such as naer which only exist in SINGULAR. I think smar is the other one. (and some abstract nouns might not make sense to pluralize)

I think one example of the tantum is "pants" or "glasses"(ones you wear on your face) "shorts". although most of these I can think of are clothing...

I think it's safe to say

aynguway aynantangä to indicate "the cries of the viperwolves", each one having one's own cry.

Lance R. Casey

Quote from: Tirea Aean on June 12, 2011, 04:38:46 PM
perhaps you think of nouns such as naer (cannot be pluralized)
That one can, actually, but not syuve (disclosed over aynaer;)).

// Lance R. Casey

Tirea Aean

Maye it WAS syuve I was thinking of. K2c.

Blue Elf

Quote from: Lance R. Casey on June 12, 2011, 05:00:13 PM
Quote from: Tirea Aean on June 12, 2011, 04:38:46 PM
perhaps you think of nouns such as naer (cannot be pluralized)
That one can, actually, but not syuve (disclosed over aynaer;)).
After reading the link I think my question was wrong - it is not related to plural but countability, so question is if nguway is countable or not, therefore if nguway aynantangä is correct or not. Seems to be incorrect as TA says that aynguway aynantangä is correct, then  nguway must be countable.
Oe lu skxawng skxakep. Slä oe nerume mi.
"Oe tasyätxaw ulte koren za'u oehu" (Limonádový Joe)