Put some spin and polish on these words

Started by wm.annis, April 08, 2010, 07:32:57 PM

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wm.annis

Over the last week or so I've been using the VOA word list to see what sort of lexical gaps there were in what we've asked for so far.  I've managed to get some pretty basic words into the C list as a result (things like "secret", "flood", "spill", etc.).  I've done my best to bring in comparisons to other languages, and try not to just give a bare English word.

I've got two big lists that still need a going over, so I thought I'd put them here.  If anyone wants to elaborate on a particular item, to refine the sense, to broaden it, etc., have at it.  In a few days I'll look it over and shift things to the wiki.

Emotions and Values
cheat
denounce
disaster
favorite
gentle
moderate, mild
neutral
risk, take a risk
ruin
serious
severe
terrible
treat (behave toward someone — "treat them well")
trouble

Social and Political Relations
behavior
celebrate
command
compete
compromise
congratulate
deny (request vs. person)
duty
enforce
excuse
famous, well-known
honest
invite
oppose
oppress
overthrow
partner
protest, object
unite
violate (break a code)?

If some acceptable entry is found for every term in the two lists above, that will leave us 80 words shy of the 1000 words Frommer has asked us for.

Kayrìlien

Quote from: wm.annis on April 08, 2010, 07:32:57 PM
Over the last week or so I've been using the VOA word list to see what sort of lexical gaps there were in what we've asked for so far.  I've managed to get some pretty basic words into the C list as a result (things like "secret", "flood", "spill", etc.).  I've done my best to bring in comparisons to other languages, and try not to just give a bare English word.

I've got two big lists that still need a going over, so I thought I'd put them here.  If anyone wants to elaborate on a particular item, to refine the sense, to broaden it, etc., have at it.  In a few days I'll look it over and shift things to the wiki.

Emotions and Values

cheat - This is probably going to be in the same category as "lie"; a concept that the Na'vi did not know before encountering humans. Therefore, it would likely be a loanword.
disaster - Perhaps there should be a different word for a natural disaster (something the Na'vi would see as caused by Eywa, perhaps) and a created disaster (something caused by Na'vi activities gone wrong, or human-wrought calamities)
ruin - I'm assuming you mean a verb here, as in "to mess something up" rather than a noun, "old, destroyed structure", eyawr? Depending on how many conflicts the Na'vi have with neighboring tribes, the second meaning might have a use too, but probably not...
trouble - Which do you mean here, "You're in trouble" (state of being guilty of causing a disapproved-of act), "You're causing trouble" (creating mischief), or "You are troubled" (mentally distraught)? Also, I think the Na'vi would make an important distinction between actions that accidentally cause trouble and actions that intentionally cause trouble.

Quote from: wm.annis on April 08, 2010, 07:32:57 PM
Social and Political Relations

If some acceptable entry is found for every term in the two lists above, that will leave us 80 words shy of the 1000 words Frommer has asked us for.

oppress - I really hope the Na'vi don't have a word for this concept.
partner - Hmmm, how do you mean exactly? "Spouse" should be it's own word, but most other non-familial relationships can probably be described by the more universal tsmukan/tsmuke. Or is there another meaning I'm missing here?

As far as other words that should go in these categories, how about "encourage" and "discourage" for the first group?

This looks really good so far, good job with this ma wm.annis!

Kayrìlien

wm.annis

Quote from: Kayrìlien on April 08, 2010, 08:00:16 PM
trouble - Which do you mean here, "You're in trouble" (state of being guilty of causing a disapproved-of act), "You're causing trouble" (creating mischief), or "You are troubled" (mentally distraught)? Also, I think the Na'vi would make an important distinction between actions that accidentally cause trouble and actions that intentionally cause trouble.

I was thinking more in terms of "difficulties, problems."

Quoteoppress - I really hope the Na'vi don't have a word for this concept.

Presumably they have — and continue to have — warriors and the word "war" for a reason.  There's no reason to assume all their leaders have throughout their history always been the best people for the job.

Quotepartner - Hmmm, how do you mean exactly? "Spouse" should be it's own word, but most other non-familial relationships can probably be described by the more universal tsmukan/tsmuke. Or is there another meaning I'm missing here?

I'm thinking more informal, someone you're teamed up with for a time for some particular purpose.

Prrton


These are all really good.

At least PART (maybe all) of the semantic range for PARTNER seems that it could be covered by lertu.

wm.annis