Suggestion - Na'vi Speakers / Learners Registry and Census

Started by Erimeyz, January 17, 2010, 02:45:18 AM

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Erimeyz

How many speakers does Na'vi have?  How many people are trying to learn it?  Wouldn't you like to know?

Me too.

I propose a Na'vi Speakers and Learners Registry.  I've created a page on the wiki for it: go to http://wiki.learnnavi.org/ and click on the "Na'vi Speakers and Learners Registry" link.  If you'd like to be counted among the Na'vi speaking population, go to that page, edit it, and add your name.

I've split it up into four sections: Native Speakers (you never know), Fluent Speakers, Intermediate Speakers, and Novices.  I've provided criteria for each section.  I based the criteria on the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines published by the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages.  I used the ACTFL "Superior" criteria for what I'm calling "Fluent", and the ACTFL "Intermediate - Mid" criteria for "Intermediate".  I think those are reasonable criteria for the otherwise poorly-defined concepts of "fluent speaker" and "speaker, but not fluent".  I welcome other suggestions.

I'm pitching this as a trial, which is why I'm discussing this on the Suggestions board.  I want to see if there's any interest or feedback, especially from Seabass and the other site admins.  I don't know if it's a good use of the wiki or not, or if there might be a better way to do this (or if it's even a good thing to do at all).  So, let me know what you think!

  - Eri

Erimeyz

BTW - the reason this idea came to me is because on the Wikipedia Na'vi Language article there's an infobox listing the number of speakers.  Right now it's set to "1".

On several occasions, people have edited the article to raise the number, usually saying things like "I speak Na'vi, so it's at least two" or "There's a bunch of us learning the language now."  The edits get reverted... and rightly so, because they can't be properly sourced, cited, and verified.

A Na'vi speakers' registry would help fix that.

  - Eri

Payoang

No-one is fluent yet to the point of being able to truly speak it -- that position is currently reserved for Professor Frommer alone, and rightly so. Aside from him, no-one knows the many unmentioned rules and nuances about the language, and the number will stay at "1" until Fox (copyright-holders of Na'vi) agrees to release more information.

When that time comes, LearnNavi will most likely have some sort of proficiency exam. I'm guessing.

Erimeyz

I commented on that point over on Wikipedia.  My take is that it is possible to be a "speaker" of a language even if you are not fluent in it, and even if you do not have a complete understanding of the grammar or a comprehensive mastery of the lexicon.  Vast numbers of English speakers are not fluent, and even more do not have a formal or complete knowledge of the grammar (including many native speakers).

The criteria I proposed on the LN wiki page describe speakers by their capability, not their knowledge, and it reflects a range of proficiencies, from non-speaker to fluent speaker.  I created the criteria by adapting (and simplifying!) formal criteria used by an organized body of language educators, which I chose because it seemed to be the only such criteria available.

In short, I think it's quite reasonable to say that some of us could be considered Na'vi speakers today (albeit low-proficiency speakers), even with the incomplete knowledge we have.  Not many of us... maybe not even the best of us.  But it's at least possible.

  - Eri

Erimeyz

Also, I think the registry would be a useful concept even if all it did was list the people that are trying to learn the language, regardless of whether they have yet mastered it well enough to be considered "speakers".

  - Eri

Swok Txon

Seems like a good idea to me

and a test from this would be good as well to rank you digitally

Mesireatu

Kaltxì!
I would like to add my name on the Beginner's list. My Learn Na'vi Forum name is Il Sogno Viandante (Which is 'The Dreamwalker' in Italian) and I aren't registred on the Na'vi Wiki.. My real name is Liselotte Frejdig and I live outside Karlstad, Sweden. Many thanks on beforehand!!
Varför minns jag alla dåliga vitsar, men glömmer alla infix i Na'vi?? ???
Why do I remember all bad jokes, but forget all the infixes in Na'vi?? :-[

Jag älskar dig, Sara L!!
Nga yawne lu oer, Sara L!!

Toruk Makto

This project never launched.  That's why the last post on it is over three years old.

Lì'fyari leNa'vi 'Rrtamì, vay set 'almong a fra'u zera'u ta ngrrpongu
Na'vi Dictionary: http://files.learnnavi.org/dicts/NaviDictionary.pdf