Verb - to have?

[Is.]

Hello!

Possession (genetive) can be expressed by using the suffix -yä and -ä. Possession can apparently also be understood without explicitly having to write it out, if the topic marker -ri and -ìri is used. But how do you say things like "I have a spear", "I don't have a spear", "I will have a spear", "I had a spear", etc? (That is, not "This spear is mine" as in: "Fìtukru eoyä lu" (?). I can not find a word for "to have" in the vocab.

Do we know this yet?

Kindly,
Dawid

[Eywayä mokri]

We don't have any precise word to say "have" yet, sorry.

[Is.]

Oh, ok!

In japanese the "to have" verb is a little bit tricky as well, because you can have alot of different things. Items, disease, siblings, etc. So there are many many ways to indiciate possession, and what is being possessed. But still, there is a basic verb for "to have" - motsu.

The complexity of all this is shown in this wiki article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_possessives

That said, I hope Na'vi will be more straightforward!

[Taronyu]

I agree with you there, Is.

The problem is that a lot of people seem to think that lu can be used to mark 'have'. A new word from Frommer would be good.

It is also possible, of course, that the Na'vi, like the Pirahã, don't have a marker for possession. It seems likely, given their social structure.

[wm.annis]

We don't have any precise word to say "have" yet, sorry.

Many human languages lack the verb "to have" instead using various idiomatic expressions.  I find the greeting, nga-ru lu fpom srak to-you is well-being?, suggestive that Na'vi may do the same thing, using the dative with lu to indicate the possessive notion of have.

[Eywayä mokri]

I think I should add this question to the FAQ.

[Taronyu]

I think I should add this question to the FAQ.

Seconded. I'll add a note to the definition in my dictionary.

[Eywayä mokri]

I added the question and the answer William did. But I think someone (who have the rights) should go there to complete or correct that.