Toothbrush

[Nongyu te Syulang Swokioang'itan]

How does one say toothbrush nìNa'vi? I thought of sìk sre' laroyu san, but then I remembered -yu doesn't go with adjectives

[Eana Unil]

Hmmm.... kxawm san 'u a sleyku sre'ìt laro  

Spoiler

Hmmm.... maybe "thing which makes tooth become clean".

[Tìtstewan]

It missing a word for "brush" and for "to clean"...
---
vul a kem si sre' alaro = branch that makes theet clean ?

Why branch?
Because the most cultures who lives in forests, cleans their theet by a little branch. *bushman in Africa*

[Eana Unil]

Well, the problem here is that we don't know if the Na'vi people uses branches for tooth cleaning like many aboriginal tribes or cultures on earth... 
We only know that the Na'vi people have met humans and I'm sure that those humans used toothbrushes

[Tìtstewan]

They can use leaves (rìk)?

[Eana Unil]

For cleaning their teeth? I'd rather think they use it for something else, hrh ... Nah, just kidding.

I don't know. We all can't know, for I'm sure this is a thing for James Cameron to decide. He has to tell us what Na'vi use for body hygiene and many other things we don't know about yet.

[Taronyu Leleioae]

We only know that the Na'vi people have met humans and I'm sure that those humans used toothbrushes

This could be a false assumption though.  As the sawtute do not stay in the forests at night except the scientists at the remote camp.  And if you think about it, trying to brush your teeth while trying to hold your breath (having taking off your face mask), is going to be a challenge.  Far more likely, the toothbrush stayed "home" for their return.

Leaves I suppose are possible.  If an abrasive to clean the teeth would be used, it would be ground up charcoal.  Possibly, but very unlikely, mixed with sand.  (On the premise that some Na'vi actually cleaned their teeth.  Which, in the non sugared or grain based diet, I'm personally doubting...)

Edit:  I completely agree with Eana that this runs into JC's realm of culture...

[Tìtstewan]

For cleaning their teeth? I'd rather think they use it for something else, hrh ... Nah, just kidding.

Hehe!

I don't know. We all can't know, for I'm sure this is a thing for James Cameron to decide. He has to tell use what Na'vi use for body hygiene and many other things we don't know about yet.

I think, they don't have too much except many plants and so... They won't clean their theet with stones...
But yes, we don't know it exacly.

[Eana Unil]

We only know that the Na'vi people have met humans and I'm sure that those humans used toothbrushes

This could be a false assumption though.  As the sawtute do not stay in the forests at night except the scientists at the remote camp.  And if you think about it, trying to brush your teeth while trying to hold your breath (having taking off your face mask), is going to be a challenge.  Far more likely, the toothbrush stayed "home" for their return.

True. Maybe humans used some sort of tooth cleaning pill and chewed on it or something and only used toothbrushes at home. We don't know.

Leaves I suppose are possible.  If an abrasive to clean the teeth would be used, it would be ground up charcoal.  Possibly, but very unlikely, mixed with sand.  (On the premise that some Na'vi actually cleaned their teeth.  Which, in the non sugared or grain based diet, I'm personally doubting...)

Imo that's highely likely. But also highely likely would be (to me) that they indeed use some sort of branch for this, since they're using so many plants for so many things.

For cleaning their teeth? I'd rather think they use it for something else, hrh ... Nah, just kidding.

Hehe!

Or they use water...

Regarding all of this... Unfortunately we simply don't know yet...  

[Taronyu Leleioae]

True. Maybe humans used some sort of tooth cleaning pill and chewed on it or something and only used toothbrushes at home. We don't know.
Regarding all of this... Unfortunately we simply don't know yet...  

Heh!  I sincerely doubt it.  Reason being... this is essentially a military operation.  And all about cost savings.  Shipping "pills" from Earth to clean teeth (if hypothetically possible) would be more expensive cargo wise than creating toothbrushes out of local materials or more likely made from an advanced 3D Printer. 

But this makes for an interesting discussion, nonetheless.  My inclination is that because the Na'vi don't see themselves above the other creatures, they would do as their "brothers" do.  Which is likely non brushing.  Which, honestly, is what humans did not that long ago.  (Medieval period and even after that.)  Granted, it's just a hunch, and this is part of JC's developing Na'vi culture.

As random and trivial as it might sound, I'm intrigued with the foot washing concept.  Not that I think the Na'vi did it that often.  But keeping HomeTree clean would have been something consciously managed.  (Sanitation in general...)  Perhaps some sort of basin or dug out wood "pools" to do so?  If they can make water drums as well as "dug out" canoe/flat boats, then both are technologically possible.  (Not to mention use in the kitchen/cooking area...)


However I've significantly derailed the original question...

Maybe something along the lines of...

fì'ut säpar a oerì sre' yur     ?

[Tanri]

What about "vul (sä'o) a sre'ti laro sleyku" - literally "branch (tool) which makes teeth to become clean" 

Or shorter "vultsyìp a sre'fpi" - "little branch for the teeth"

[`Eylan Ayfalulukanä]

What about "vul (sä'o) a sre'ti laro sleyku" - literally "branch (tool) which makes teeth to become clean" 

Or shorter "vultsyìp a sre'fpi" - "little branch for the teeth"

I wonder if that would work for 'toothpick' as well. Based on what we know about their diet, I would guess that a toothpick would be needed more often than a toothbrush. A branch would work, and so would a bone splinter txäremtsyìp a sre'fpi
When I was in East Africa, a bush was pointed out to me whose twigs were used as toothbrushes. It was called a 'toothbrush tree'.

[Vawmataw]

Kaltxì ma frapo!
Sadly, no word for that, Nongyu.
I like 'Eylan's idea, that is txäremtsyìp a sre'fpi, but I would say vultsyìp a sre'fpi.

[Nongyu te Syulang Swokioang'itan]

Irayo ma frapo!
Well, I  guess we'll just have to wait and see...  Personally, I think I prefer Kameyuä idea san vultsyìp a sre'fpi sìk. It's light on the tongue and relatively short

[Blue Elf]

Well, really we don't know how and even if ever Na'vi clean their teeth, but - maybe they can use some plant for this action, they can simply chew it....
Back to question - why to not try to use some derivation of yur?
To clean teeth - yur aysre'it
teeth cleaner -aysre' yuryu (strange, but not impossible )

[Vawmataw]

Good idea Blue Elf.