livu

[Ftxavang Pamtseotu]

I've ran across the usage of "livu" in a few things... However, I've found no source as to what livu means. As far as Im picking up it is some sort of formality usage. I've seen several examples where it has been used in a sentence regarding forgiveness. But I see no purpose/meaning of this word. Not to mention I saw on the wiki that it can be left out when one says "Eywa ngahu livu", thus making it "Eywa ngahu" - Eywa with you. So again what purpose does livu serve/what does it mean?

['Oma Tirea]

In simplest terms:

livu = l<iv>u = the verb "lu" with an <iv> infix.

So for the livu in the above phrase Eywa ngahu livu, it means "may be" in the whole entity "May Eywa be with you."

NB livu is often omitted from the phrase, as it is implied.

NB2: the dictionary currently doesn't cover the many verb inflections in this polysynthetic language (some 276 inflections total are possible for each verb!), nor inflections for other words.  I would recommend checking out Na'vi in a Nutshell or the Na'vi grammar cheat sheet by wm.annis for more information.

[Ftxavang Pamtseotu]

Irayo!!  didn't even stop to think about it being a verb with an infix.

[Ftxavang Pamtseotu]

Reason I ask is that i had a friend reply to a post I made in Na'vi saying good evening my brothers and sisters. His reply "Livu win si' txur oe zene" Which I interpret as, May speed and strength be with you. ?? Is that accurate?

[Plumps]

Not quite...

Here the ‹iv› infix happens because of zene

oe lu win sì txur = "I am fast and strong"
=> oe zene livu win sì txur = "I must be fast and strong"

However, with Na'vi's relative free word order and a short sentence like that, the elements can pretty much float around freely. You will come across ‹iv› quite often...

[Ftxavang Pamtseotu]

Not quite...

Here the ‹iv› infix happens because of zene

oe lu win sì txur = "I am fast and strong"
=> oe zene livu win sì txur = "I must be fast and strong"

However, with Na'vi's relative free word order and a short sentence like that, the elements can pretty much float around freely. You will come across ‹iv› quite often...

hence why I was thrown off with his use of Oe with the new understanding of the use of livu... Hmmm.. Curious why he posted that, something tells me he just found a random Na'vi phrase and copy and pasted it after googling the greeting I posted.

oe zene livu win sí txur would have been much easier for myself to translate than "Livu win sí txur oe zene"

[omängum fra'uti]

Livu win sí txur oe zene is actually slightly ungrammatical Na'vi.  In that form, zene MUST come before the verb normally.  But that line had some liberties taken with grammar for poetic/artistic purposes. (It's a line from the hunt song - You are fast and strong, so only if I am fast and strong will you feed the people.)

[Ftxavang Pamtseotu]

Livu win sí txur oe zene is actually slightly ungrammatical Na'vi.  In that form, zene MUST come before the verb normally.  But that line had some liberties taken with grammar for poetic/artistic purposes. (It's a line from the hunt song - You are fast and strong, so only if I am fast and strong will you feed the people.)

Where would one pickup how to state things more Na'vi-ish?

[`Eylan Ayfalulukanä]

Where would one pickup how to state things more Na'vi-ish?

First, Na`vi in a nutshell, which a new learner should read and reread until it 'sticks'.

Second, look at the examples of sentences that people have written (including me), and then been heavily corrected. Write your own sentences and let people correct you.

Specifically third: Be familiar with the places where word order is important, such as the aforementioned modal verb constructions.

Fourth (and this is hard), try not to think of Na`vi as transliterated English (or whatever your native language is). Na`vi is its own animal, and has some constructions (like sentences with futa in them) that at first look really odd and nonsensical.  In time, especially if you practice number 2, these will start to become sensible (in a Na`vi sense, anyway).

Be patient. This all takes time. I have been at this eight months, and there is still much to learn and perfect!

I should add that the infixes can be tricky. Even experienced learners get caught off-guard by an infix once in a while. This, too improves with time and experience.

[Ftxavang Pamtseotu]

Where would one pickup how to state things more Na'vi-ish?

First, Na`vi in a nutshell, which a new learner should read and reread until it 'sticks'.

Second, look at the examples of sentences that people have written (including me), and then been heavily corrected. Write your own sentences and let people correct you.

Specifically third: Be familiar with the places where word order is important, such as the aforementioned modal verb constructions.

Fourth (and this is hard), try not to think of Na`vi as transliterated English (or whatever your native language is). Na`vi is its own animal, and has some constructions (like sentences with futa in them) that at first look really odd and nonsensical.  In time, especially if you practice number 2, these will start to become sensible (in a Na`vi sense, anyway).

Be patient. This all takes time. I have been at this eight months, and there is still much to learn and perfect!

I should add that the infixes can be tricky. Even experienced learners get caught off-guard by an infix once in a while. This, too improves with time and experience.

Irayo `Eylan Ayfalulukanä!

I've glanced over Na'vi in a Nutshell a few times and refer to it on occasion. I've kinda jumped right in to trying to put together phrases and sentences. Suppose it is time to back track.