I'm a bit lost on the language itself.

Started by ANiceSunset, January 02, 2010, 08:03:44 PM

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ANiceSunset

I'm a bit lost on understanding the alphabet itself. Or maybe i shouldn't start on that for a beginner.

I found this.
http://wiki.learnnavi.org/Phonetics

But the it's explanation is a bit confusing for me.
There's the table chart with Na'vi, then IPA... what's the IPA for? Is the informal part how the letter or whatever it is sounded?


I feel that understanding the constrution of words is more important and necessary for me then just mindlessly memorizing words and vocabulary that i don't understand how it's created...

So for example, translating my name Allen to Na'vi would be....well "ällen"?

Am I on the right track?
An amatuer practices until he gets it right, a professional practices until he can't get it wrong.



Keylati Kimbeyli'ite

Well, I am only a beginner myself, but I believe that your name in Na'vi would be älän. ällen would be pronounced more like ä-ll(trilled)-eyn.

Now, is it the pronunciation or the alphabet that you don't understand?
Oeru Eywal tivìng tìtxurit.

wm.annis

Quote from: Ketxa on January 02, 2010, 08:16:43 PM
Well, I am only a beginner myself, but I believe that your name in Na'vi would be älän. ällen would be pronounced more like ä-ll(trilled)-eyn.

The Na'vi sound written with two ells, ll is simply a vocalic l, that is, l acting as a vowel.  If English were spelled like Na'vi, "people" would be pipll.

And I'm not sure if there's a typo in the "-eyn" part of your description, but Na'vi e is only pronounced like the short-e in "felt."

Keylati Kimbeyli'ite

Yeah it was a typo. I was supposed to put eh, but a y sorta just showed up. I guess I didn't understand correctly about the ll then. I knew it was used as a vowel, but that just cleared it up for me.
Oeru Eywal tivìng tìtxurit.

Doolio

the "ll" sound is basically a little bit longer "l", and probably deeper than na'vi single 'l'. listen to frommer's clips, he used both "ll" and "rr" couple of times.
...taj rad...

ANiceSunset

Quote from: Ketxa on January 02, 2010, 08:16:43 PM
Well, I am only a beginner myself, but I believe that your name in Na'vi would be älän. ällen would be pronounced more like ä-ll(trilled)-eyn.

Now, is it the pronunciation or the alphabet that you don't understand?

It's a bit of both... unfortunately.
I need help on how to pronounce the alphabet...

Sigh* i feel stupid already. Learning this is like back when i was growing up learning english.
An amatuer practices until he gets it right, a professional practices until he can't get it wrong.



Tskxäozì Ewaoe

WEll, most of the letters in fact, are like English.
You'll probably only have to watch out for a few like the 'r', the 'rr', the í and the ä.
And also the dipthongs, tx kx and px.

I suggest you join the Skype chat o watch some Youtube videos.

Ftiafpi

Quote from: Tskxäozì Ewaoe on January 02, 2010, 10:50:04 PM
WEll, most of the letters in fact, are like English.
You'll probably only have to watch out for a few like the 'r', the 'rr', the í and the ä.
And also the dipthongs, tx kx and px.

I suggest you join the Skype chat o watch some Youtube videos.

It's a little general to say that most letters are like in English but I have found that if you pronounce them how it looks in english with preference to using the back of your throat then you get most things right.

Also, the tx, kx, and px are not diphthongs but are edjectives and are pronounced with a click using air held in your mouth, not from your lungs (hard to understand I know, there's some good videos around describing these).

I also 2nd the voice chat though on skype, you'll learn more in 1 hour there than any book study. Good fun too, I spend hours on there.

Tskxäozì Ewaoe

my bad, my bad XD
Ejectives. Dipthongs are the 'rr' and 'll'. Yeah the videos are best for thoses.
Just type in Youtube: "Learn Na'vi" and you should get some pretty good vids.

ANiceSunset

#9
About the skype chat thing...

Do i just add one of you guys on skype chat and we can talk? Or is there an actual section on this community forum where we can use skype chat...

There's the "The NaViProfessor" person...
almost all of the people teaching Na'vi on youtube are from this forum... XD I'm at the right place to learn this!
An amatuer practices until he gets it right, a professional practices until he can't get it wrong.



Tskxäozì Ewaoe

Of course you are. This site's called "LearnNavi" for a reason! XD

ANiceSunset

Is there like any books out i can go buy about teaching the Na'vi language or any vocab/grammar stuff?
An amatuer practices until he gets it right, a professional practices until he can't get it wrong.



omängum fra'uti

http://www.amazon.com/Avatar-Confidential-Biological-History-Camerons/dp/0061896756
That's the only book with anything remotely Na'vi language based in it.  However, it does almost nothing to actually teach it, and has (I believe - the store I went to was out of stock) no grammar rules or anything like that, just samples and vocabulary.
Ftxey lu nga tokx ftxey lu nga tirea? Lu oe tìkeftxo.
Listen to my Na'vi Lessons podcast!

ANiceSunset

Quote from: omängum fra'uti on January 02, 2010, 11:32:02 PM
http://www.amazon.com/Avatar-Confidential-Biological-History-Camerons/dp/0061896756
That's the only book with anything remotely Na'vi language based in it.  However, it does almost nothing to actually teach it, and has (I believe - the store I went to was out of stock) no grammar rules or anything like that, just samples and vocabulary.

It'll do for now.

Irayo.

(Did I say it correctly?)
An amatuer practices until he gets it right, a professional practices until he can't get it wrong.



Ftiafpi


Numeie

Quote from: Tskxäozì Ewaoe on January 02, 2010, 11:06:25 PM
my bad, my bad XD
Ejectives. Dipthongs are the 'rr' and 'll'.
Still nope  :P

The diphthongs are aw, ew, ay, and ey.
Hispanohablantes, si queréis contribuir al wiki de Avatar en español os lo agradecería. http://es.james-camerons-avatar.wikia.com/

Tskxäozì Ewaoe