Conversational Zera'u

Started by Kyttin13, September 27, 2019, 06:44:24 PM

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Kyttin13

Oe zera'u... is used for "I'm coming..." in sentences. Thoughts on using "Zera'u" for a casual response...when someone calls you, you don't usually answer "I'm coming!" (Or at least I don't) instead I just answer "Coming!" Thoughts??

Tirea Aean

Quote from: Kyttin13 on September 27, 2019, 06:44:24 PM
Oe zera'u... is used for "I'm coming..." in sentences. Thoughts on using "Zera'u" for a casual response...when someone calls you, you don't usually answer "I'm coming!" (Or at least I don't) instead I just answer "Coming!" Thoughts??

I believe this would work

Mech

I am inclined to belive it would not work, unless we have such a canonical example. It sounds too english.

Tirea Aean

I dislike English as much as the next guy but "sounds too English" imo isn't a thoroughly convincing argument on its own against something in Na'vi. Na'vi is littered with examples of things blatantly influenced by English or otherwise operating like an English counterpart.

Although, I would totally agree that argument is valid for anything highly idiomatic in English such as metaphorical figures of speech not found in most or any other languages.
But it's my understanding (correct me if I'm incorrect), that "[I'm] coming" is very literal and not very idiomatic of a thing to say and I would imagine it to be common across most if not every language. And To drop an obvious pronoun is also known to be a signature Na'vi-like move.

At the end of the day, neither side of the question can truly claim 100% certainty of the answer. I can see it being a thing, I can see it not being a thing. I would absolutely understand someone if they said "zera'u" like this. Would this be impossible or difficult to understand for people who don't speak English? If so, then I'd say you're right and it shouldn't be a thing, and if not then I don't see why it wouldn't be a thing  :-\

Vawmataw

#4
Quote from: Mech on September 28, 2019, 05:38:12 AM
I am inclined to belive it would not work, unless we have such a canonical example. It sounds too english.
Here it is: http://naviteri.org/2013/08/taronway-the-hunt-song/

Quote1

We are walking your way                        Terìran ayoe ayngane
                                                            are-walking  we       towards-you

We are coming                                       Zera'u
                                                            (we)  are-coming

Otherwise, there could be pìsyähem or pìsyate.
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Mech

#5
I was thinking something like Engilsh vs. French, both languages make obligatory use of pronouns. English speech tends to drop the "I" from time to time, but it is a bit idiomatic in this context. You can say "Coming!" meaning "I am coming", but in French (AFAIK) you must say "j'arrive", not just "arrive" dropping the je (I).

Like French and English, Na'vi also requires pronouns, and comparing English against French, why Na'vi should go along with English idiomatism? That's why I said "too English", because it sounds idiomatically English, not because I hate it  :-\

The hunt song doesn't give a clear answer because here we have a different case: as Horen say:
QuotePro-Drop: A subject pronoun (subjective or agentive) may be dropped if it is the same as the subject of the previous statement.

I mean here zera'u drops the pronoun because it continues the previous sentence, referring to the already established ayoe.

But Kyttin13 gives a different context as "a response when someone calls you" which is another case.

We can reasonably assume that na'vi is also pro-drop when you respond to a question (the context is already established) but i wouldn't bet on it until we have an example.

Kyttin13

So far I'm leaning towards using "oe zera'u" when out in public/in a less causual situation, and "zera'u" in an extremely casual situation, such as when I'm at home, between me and my husband...
But I thank you all greatly for all your help!!!

Kyttin13


Kyttin13

Otherwise, there could be pìsyähem or pìsyate.
[/quote]

I'm *just. Starting* to learn, and, as such have an insatiable desire for new info...
That said, Vawmataw,
What do pìsyähem and pìsyate mean???

Tirea Aean

pìsyähem comes from pähem (the verb meaning to arrive) and the <ìsy> infix which is the "It is my intention that I will do this soon" tense for verbs
pìsyate comes from pate (the verb meaning to get to a place, to arrive) and the same <ìsy> near-future intention infix as above.

The idea with these is something like "I will soon arrive" or "I'm about to show up" or "I'll be there soon" or "I'll be right there" or similar.

Kyttin13