"going to"

[NeotrekkerZ]

So I was thinking about the phrase "going to" and realized we don't really have a translation for it in Na'vi.  Yes you could use <íy> but that really only works for something like "I'm going to go soon."  If you wanted to say "I'm going to go in a year," you'd be out of luck.  I also don't think you could use kerä here either, as it's more of an intention/plan than a literal translation of "going."

Icelandic handles this scenario with a special verb:  að ætla to be going to. 

Hence why I'm submitting it for possible vocabulary.  I'd put a poll with it like wm.annis did with "in vain," but I don't know how. 

[Hawnuyu atxen]

Well, <ìy> isn't the only future tense, theres <ay> too.
The difference between the two is that <ìy> is for near future and <ay> is for simple future (or future in general)

Otherway, i think both can mean "will", or "going to"... but it's just me...

[omängum fra'uti]

I don't know about Iclandic but it sounds like it's the same as English, where it is really just working as a helper verb.  You see, here's their dirty little linguistic secret...

English has two tenses.  Past and present.  Apparently Icelandic is the same as well from a quick web search.

Future tense isn't accomplished through verb forms, it's accomplished with helper words...  Like "Going to".

So when a language really has future tense normally, those words just disappear into nothingness, because they aren't needed anymore.

[NeotrekkerZ]

So when a language really has future tense normally, those words just disappear into nothingness, because they aren't needed anymore.

So with a language that really has a future tense, how do they distinguish between "I'm going to go" and "I will go?"

Perhaps the easiest fix is to just ask for a word that means to intend/plan that functions as another auxiliary verb like tsun.

[omängum fra'uti]

Well first, tell me, what's the difference?  There really isn't much of one.  If you want to show uncertainty, you could use any number of ways...

Kxawm oe kayä Perhaps I will go
Oe kayatsä I might go
Nayew oe kivä I will want to g
New oe kìyevä I want (now) to go (in the future)
New oe kivä I want to go
*Oe kìyevä I will go (maybe) - not 100% sure this would be proper meaning/usage, but if it's correct it may come closest to the implied meaning of "I'm going to go".

[roger]

"going to do" is the opposite of "have done". Both are aspects based on the present tense: "have done" is s.t. the effects of which persist into the present, and "going to do" is s.t. the anticipation of which exists in the present. Na'vi doesn't have either.

[NeotrekkerZ]

Well first, tell me, what's the difference?

roger kind of touched on how I view the two, but I'll try to clarify my point of view regarding the two:

I will go means barring unforeseen circumstances I'll be there.  The focus is on the future related to the present, like a tense.

I'm going to go announces the intention that I will be there.  The focus is more on the present moment looking forward to the future, like an aspect.

[roger]

we could use a verb like "plan" or "intend" for this meaning.

[Prrton]

we could use a verb like "plan" or "intend" for this meaning.

Yes. Seconded, and it/they should (IMO) suffice for this.

to plan/organize/design (v. trans. -l/-ti ??)
to intend (to [verb]) (cf: new, zene, tsun requires -iv- in slave verb ??)

[roger]

we don't need modals to match what we have in English, though. Most languages get along just fine w/o a "going to" aspect, just as English gets along just fine w/o a perfective.

[NeotrekkerZ]

Anything that fixes that gap in our knowledge is fine with me.