Difference between "ke" and "kaw"

[txura utral]

"ke" and "kaw" seem to have similar functions in Na'vi. ex: 'u=thing ke'u=nothing krr=time kawkrr=never.
What is the difference between these prefixes?

[Taronyu]

This is a tough question. These are the definitions I decided on:

*kaw–: [kaw] adp. contraction of ke aw
not one, derived from kawkrr never and
kawtu no-one

ke: [kɛ] adv., adj. not, no
ke–: [kɛ] prefix no, not

Also,

ka: [ka] adv. allomorph of ke not

I figure that they are allomorphs of each other, but I can't seem to figure out how they work as to their position. But you may notice that *kaw  is never on it's own (hence why I use the * to show that it is not attested). The ke, on the other hand, can be on it's own, as an adverb or adjective, or connected to a word, as a prefix.

Semantically (meaning-wise), they mean the same thing, however.

[txura utral]

This is a tough question. These are the definitions I decided on:

*kaw–: [kaw] adp. contraction of ke aw
not one, derived from kawkrr never and
kawtu no-one

ke: [kɛ] adv., adj. not, no
ke–: [kɛ] prefix no, not

Also,

ka: [ka] adv. allomorph of ke not

I figure that they are allomorphs of each other, but I can't seem to figure out how they work as to their position. But you may notice that *kaw  is never on it's own (hence why I use the * to show that it is not attested). The ke, on the other hand, can be on it's own, as an adverb or adjective, or connected to a word, as a prefix.

Semantically (meaning-wise), they mean the same thing, however.

Thanks for the info. That helped a lot.