When to use mood infixes

Started by Mech, May 05, 2016, 04:46:58 AM

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Mech

While composing some dialogues, I thought putting the positive mood marker <ei> wherever it seemed appropriate. For example to say "I come here gladly" I thought putting "nìprrte' frrfeien". Since, I thought, the speaker is glad, so they are supposed to include <ei> also.

But then it occured to me that perhaps I used <ei> too much, as if it was part of some obligatory grammatical or syntactical "rule". On the contrary, <ei> doesn't seem to be obligatory for phrases like "nga yawne lu oer", "oe prrte' lu" and "oe lrrtok si". Na'vi is a quite economical language: you don't need plural when number is established, you don't need tenses when time is established, so perhaps <ei> is unneeded when you already speak about something nice. So you either say "nìprrte' frrfen" or "frrfeien", preferably the second as more economical, but "nìprrte' frrfeien" or "oe lrrtok seiyi" would be redundant.

Then again I remembered the greeting "nawma sa'nok lrrtok siveiyi"; the speaker is already supposed to be happy in his meeting, and wishes for Eywa's blessing and all. The positive mood is established but <ei> is used nonetheless. Or is it part of the formality of the greeting?

Plumps

Good question :-\

I remember that Paul said at one point (but I can't find the source right now) that once you've established a mood you don't need to repeat it over and over again.


Quote from: Mech on May 05, 2016, 04:46:58 AMBut then it occured to me that perhaps I used <ei> too much, as if it was part of some obligatory grammatical or syntactical "rule". On the contrary, <ei> doesn't seem to be obligatory for phrases like "nga yawne lu oer", "oe prrte' lu" and "oe lrrtok si". Na'vi is a quite economical language: you don't need plural when number is established, you don't need tenses when time is established, so perhaps <ei> is unneeded when you already speak about something nice. So you either say "nìprrte' frrfen" or "frrfeien", preferably the second as more economical, but "nìprrte' frrfeien" or "oe lrrtok seiyi" would be redundant.

I'd agree with you.

I've seen people using zola'eiu nìprrte' for "welcome" which – personally – I think is redundant as well because nìprrte' already says that it's gladly, albeit in a fixed conversational expression.

But then again, we have the expression srefereiey nìprrte' "(I'm) looking forward (to it)" – here I think it has more to do with establishing the subject of the clause without stating oe explicitly. Remember that po floleiä means "I'm happy to say, s/he succeeded" and not *"s/he is happy to have succeeded".

Quote from: Mech on May 05, 2016, 04:46:58 AMThen again I remembered the greeting "nawma sa'nok lrrtok siveiyi"; the speaker is already supposed to be happy in his meeting, and wishes for Eywa's blessing and all. The positive mood is established but <ei> is used nonetheless. Or is it part of the formality of the greeting?

Could be. Unfortunately, we don't have much information about that. :(

Blue Elf

Well, it's not good idea to abuse any infix, not just <ei>. Once context is established, no need to repeat infix again. Single usage is usually enough.
Oe lu skxawng skxakep. Slä oe nerume mi.
"Oe tasyätxaw ulte koren za'u oehu" (Limonádový Joe)