Are suffixes hyphenated?

Started by ’ite, June 05, 2014, 06:07:11 PM

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’ite

Kaltxì. :)
I have heard from different sources that suffixes are hyphenated (for example oe-yä) and from other sources they are not (for example oeyä), which confused me.
Just to confirm, are they hyphenated, or is it just an easier way to write for beginners?
Irayo.

Plumps

For the most part it is just an easier way for beginners to tell apart the root word from the suffix. ;)

Although there are cases in which a hyphen is used, e.g. yayo-o "some bird" or oe-eo "before/in front of me". Otherwise, especially case endings like oeyä or oeru are not hyphenated (other than a help for beginners).

’ite

Okay. Irayo. :) As for the ones you mentioned that do use a hyphen, are they just irregular and need to be memorized, or is there a rule for them?

Plumps

Nìprrte' ;)

There is a rule behind it.
It has to do with the fact that normally the same vowels don't go together in Na'vi. You have this phenomenon where the dual or trial prefix me+ or pxe+ merge with the initial vowels of nouns, e.g. me+ & 'eylan > meylan "two friends" (and not *meeylan) or pxe+ & ekxan > pxekxan "three obstructions" (and not *pxeekxan).

With the indefinite -o suffix it was decided that it would be too confusing to determine whether you meant "bird" or "some bird", so the hyphen is used to show indefinite and you hold the o somewhat longer in speech. Same goes for suffixed adpositions that begin with the vowel the noun ends with, e.g. Txewì-ìlä "according to Txewì".

Especially with adpositions, though, you have the choice whether to put it before the noun or attach it to the noun as a suffix.

It's a stylistic decision :)
That is not used with consonants, mind you ;) "to the river" would be kilvanne and we have it in tìomummì oeyä "to my knowledge"