Is 'fpi' correct in this sentence?

Started by HTML_Earth, December 10, 2011, 06:21:03 AM

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HTML_Earth

"lu krr fpi awnga kaltxì si"

It's supposed to be "it's time for us to say hello/greet" or "the time has come for us to say hello/greet"

I'm in the process of translating a song and I'd just like to know if this is right.

Tanri

I am afraid that it is easy to come with translations, but it is hard to fit them in a song. ;)
Especialy when only minor differences in meaning are involved.

Anyway, as long as the desired meaning is "for the sake of X", fpi is correct - with only one notice: it is an adposition, thus some noun or normalized clause is required:
"Leru krr fpi fwa kaltxì si." or "Krr za'u fpi fwa kaltxì si".
Without fwa, I see "lu krr fpi awnga kaltxì si" - "There is a time for us", and the "kaltxì si" remains alone.

Personally, I wouldn't use fpi, but fte, because it seems to me much closer to the original meaning:
"Krr za'u fte kaltxì sivi." (still maintaining 8 syllables as your original)
My preference of fte is also based on the fact, that fpi is to be used with a noun, while "kaltxì si" is an action.

Completely different approach is to use the adverb nìkmar:
"Nìkmar awnga fìtsap kaltxì säpivi " - It is the right time for us to greet each other".
- here the inclusive plural pronoun awnga directs me to use the fìtsap construction - we are saying hello to each other, no to someone else, and subjunctive <iv> express the possibility of action to happen.

The worst thing in translating to Na'vi is not the unability to say something, but the choice from many possible alternatives ;D
Tätxawyu akì'ong.

HTML_Earth

Ahh, thanks! I knew there was something wrong with using fpi.
I'm going to use "krr za'u fte kaltxì sivi" as it fits perfectly.
I'll post again if there's anything else, and when I'm finished. :D

Lance R. Casey

To me, krr za'u fte kaltxì sivi reads like "the time comes in order to say hello" -- i.e. the reason this "time" is arriving is to perform a greeting. How about (keeping the syllable count):

   krr a kaltxì si zola'u
   the say-hello time has come
   the time to say hello has come

In case that feels (potentially) ambiguous re: the common krr a construction, you could subtitute swaw.

// Lance R. Casey

HTML_Earth

Ah dang. There's actually more to that sentence:

The time has come to welcome spring,
And all things warm and green.

krr a kaltxì si zola'u
eana ayuru
(They don't need to rhyme here)

So if I change it, it won't fit with what I had planned :S

Lance R. Casey

~Free word order to the rescue:

   zola'u krr a kaltxì si
   eana ayuru


// Lance R. Casey

HTML_Earth