Na'vi/Texts

The publicly available texts in Naʼvi include short snippets and phrases released in interviews, a couple spoken samples of the language provided with transcriptions, two poems, and a page from the Naʼvi script of the film. Phrases Following are publicly released samples of Naʼvi that were not used in the text of this Wikibook. Fìskxawngìri tsapʼalute sängi oe. "I apologise for this moron."http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article6954138.ece Na'vi talk down Klingon as the last word in alien-speak The Times Chris Ayres December 12, 2009 January 9, 2010 {| |- |fì-skxawng-ìri||tsapʼalute||s‹äng›i||oe |- | this-moron-top ||apology || make‹pej?› || I |} Fayvrrtep fìtsenge lu kxanì. "These demons are forbidden here." {| |- |fì-ay-vrrtep||fì-tsenge||lu||kxanì |- | this-pl-demon || this-place || be || forbidden |} Oeri ta peyä fahew akewong ontu teya längu. "(Ugh,) my nose is full of his alien smell."http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=1977 Some highlights of Naʼvi Paul Frommer Zimmer, Benjamin Language Log December 19, 2009 January 9, 2010 {| |- |oe-ri||ta||po-yä||fahew||a-kewong||ontu||teya||l‹äng›u |- | me-top || from || s/he-gen || smell || attr-alien || nose || full || be‹pej› |} Tawsìp ngeyä lu sngeltseng. "Your ship is a garbage scow." [translation from Klingon]"We Translate Your Phrases into Na'vi", UGO Movie Blog, December 23, 2009 {| |- |taw-sìp || ngeyä||lu||sngel-tseng |- | sky-ship || your || be || garbage+place |} Ayftxozä lefpom ayngaru nìwotx! "Happy Holidays to you all!" {| |- |ay-ftxozä||le-fpom||ay-nga-ru||nì-wotx |- | pl-holiday || adj-well.being || pl-you-dat||adv-all |} Mipa zìsìt lefpom ngaru! "Happy New Year!" {| |- |mip-a||zìsìt||le-fpom||nga-ru |- | new-attr || year || adj-well.being || you.sg-dat |} Lìʼfya ngeyä sìltsan leiu nìtxan. "Your (use of) language is very good!"An email {| |- |lìʼ-fya||ngeyä||sìltsan || l‹ei›u || nì-txan |- | speak?-way || your || good || be‹approb› || adv-great |} ʼAwvea ultxari ohengeyä, Nawma Saʼnok lrrtok siveiyi. "May the Great Mother smile upon our first meeting."Norm's greeting to Grace in Avatar {| |ʼawvea||ultxa-ri||ohe-nga-yä||nawm-a||saʼnok||lrrtok||s‹iv›‹ei›i |- |first||meeting-top||I.form+you-gen||great-attr||mother||smile||make‹sjv›‹approb› |} Lu awngar aytele apxay a teri saʼu pivlltxe. "We have a lot to talk about."Lit., "There are to us many matters that about them (we) may speak." {| |lu||awnga-ru||ay+txele||a-pxay||a||teri||ay+tsa-ʼu||p‹iv›lltxe |- |be||we.incl-dat||pl+matter||attr-many||sbrd||about||pl+that-thing||speak‹sjv› |} Oeyä ikran slivu nga, tsakrr oeng ʼawsiteng mivakto. "Be my banshee and let's ride together.""Calling All 'Avatar' Fanatics — How to Say 'I Love You' in Naʼvi", lemondrop.com, 2010 Jan 20 {| |oe-yä||ikran||sl‹iv›u||nga||tsa-krr||oe+nga||ʼaw-si-teng||m‹iv›akto |- |I-gen||banshee||become‹sjv›||you||that-time||I+you||one-make-same||ride‹sjv› |} Tengkrr palulukan moene kxll sarmi, poltxe Neytiril aylìʼut a frakrr ʼok seyä layu oer. "As the thanator charged towards us, Neytiri said something I will always remember." {| |teng-krr||palulukan||me-oe-ne||kxll||s‹arm›i |- |same-time||(name)||du-I-to||charge||make‹past.ipfv› |} {| |p‹ol›lltxe||Neytiri-ìl||ay-lìʼu-it||a||fra-krr||ʼok||ay+ts[e]-yä||l‹ay›u||oe-ru |- |say‹pfv›||(name)-erg||pl-word-acc||sbrd||all-time||memory||pl+it-gen||be‹fut›||I-dat |} Film script A portion of the script of Jake, the human protagonist in the film Avatar, is visible in a short documentary on the making of the film.Avatar the Movie: James Cameron's Avatar: The Movie Behind The Scenes: Making The Movie 2 Three minutes in, there's a close-up of a page of Jake's Na'vi dialog, "Naʼvi Dialog for Jake—3-13-2007", reproduced here. Stress is marked by underlining. Since the dialog is Jake's, it is likely that some of the Naʼvi may be ungrammatical.Not all the lines made it into the film; the "words are like stones" line, for example, was spoken in English. Oel ngati kameie, ma Tsmukan, ulte ngaru seiyi ireiyo. I See you Brother, and thank you. {| |oe-ìl ||nga-ti ||kam‹ei›e ||ma ||tsmuk-an ||ulte ||nga-ru ||s‹ei›i ||ireiyo |- |I-erg||you-acc||See‹approb›||voc||sibling-masc||and||you-dat||make‹approb›||thanks |} Ngari hu Eywa saleu tirea, tokx ʼìʼawn slu Naʼviyä hapxì. Your spirit goes with Eywa, your body stays behind to become part of the People. {| |nga-ri ||hu ||eywa ||salewJake would seem to be mispronouncing this. ||tirea ||tokx ||ʼìʼawn ||slu ||naʼvi-yä ||hapxì |- |you-top||with||Gaia||proceed||spirit||body||remain||become||people-gen||part |} Sìfmetokit emzolaʼu ohel. I have passed the tests. {| |+tì-fmetok-it ||em-z‹ol›aʼu ||ohe-ìl |- |pl+nomz-test-acc||over-come‹pfv›||I.form-erg |} Ätxäle si tsnì livu oheru Uniltaron. I respectfully request the Dream Hunt. {| |ätxäle ||si ||tsnì ||l‹iv›u ||ohe-ru ||unil-taron |- |request||make||that||be‹sjv›||I.form-dat||dream-hunt |} Ma Eytukan, lu oeru aylìʼu frapor. Eytukan, I have something to say, to everyone. {| |ma ||eytukan ||lu ||oe-ru ||ay-lìʼ-ʼu ||fra-po-ru |- |voc||(name)||be||I-dat||pl-say-thing||every-one-dat |} Aylìʼu na ayskxe mì teʼlan. The words are like stones in my heart. {| |ay-lìʼ-ʼu ||na ||ay+tskxe ||mì+txeʼlan |- |pl-say-thing||like||pl+stone||in+heart |} Eo ayoeng lu txana tìkawng. A great evil is upon us. {| |eo ||ay-oe-nga ||lu ||txan-a ||tì-kawng |- |before||pl-I-you||be||great-attr||nomz-bad |} Sawtute zeraʼu fte fol Kelutralti skivaʼa. The Sky People [humans] are coming to destroy Hometree. {| |+taw-tute ||z‹er›aʼu ||fte ||fo-ìl ||kelku+utral-ti ||sk‹iv›aʼa |- |pl+sky-people||come‹ipfv›||so.that||they-erg||home+tree-acc||destroy‹sjv› |} Pìyähem fìtseng yeʼrìn. They will be here soon. {| |p‹ìy›ähem ||fì-tsenge ||yeʼrìn |- |arrive‹imm›||this-place||soon |} Ayngari zene hivum, tx[...] (rest of line obscured) You have to leave, or you will die. {| |ay-nga-ri ||zene ||h‹iv›um |- |pl-you-top||must||leave‹sjv› |} Ma Tsuʼtey te Ro[...] Tsuʼtey of the Rongloa, son of [...] {| |ma ||tsuʼtey ||te |- |voc||(name)||of [in names] |} Naʼviru [...] to the people [...] (handwritten) {| |naʼvi-ru |- |people-dat |} Jake's speech near the end of the movie, which Tsu'tey translated, is as follows. It was cut in places for the timing of the film, so it does not completely follow the English: Fpoleʼ sawtutel ʼupxaret The sky people have sent us a message [san] Ayoeri tsat new tsun mivunge [sìk]. that they can take whatever they want [and no-one can stop them]. Slä awngal 'upxaret fpìye' for. But we will send them a message. Kämakto nìwin, ayngati spivule hufwel. You ride out [as] fast [as] the wind can carry you. Ayolo'ru alahe peng ziva'u. You tell the other clans to come. For peng syeraw Toruk Makto. You tell them toruk-makto calls [to them]. Tswayon set oehu, You fly now, with me, ma smukan, ma smuke! brothers, sisters! sawtuter wìyintxu ayoeng and we will show the sky people ke tsun fo fìkem sivi [that] they cannot take whatever they want [cannot do this] fìtsenge [and that] this l(u) awngeyä! [this] is our [land]! A few other lines of the film have been confirmed, including some which did not make it into the final cut: Grace: Tsun tivam. Aylìʼu ngian nì'it skepek lu. "Not bad. You sound a little formal." Tsuʼtey: Fayvrrtep fìtsenge lu kxanì. "These demons are forbidden here." child: Txopu räʼä si, lu ketuwongo nìʼaw. "Don't be afraid, it's just some alien." ʼÌʼawn alìm! "Stay back!" Moʼat: Fìketuwongti oel stìyeftxaw. "I will look at this alien." (stìsyeftxaw would also be appropriate here) Yola krr, txana krr, ke tsranten. "It doesn't matter how long it takes." Pori zene kllfrivoʼ nga. "He is your responsibility." Eytukan: Tsampongut Tsuʼteyìl iveyk. "Tsuʼtey will lead the war party." chant: Srung si poeru, ma Eywa! "Help her, Gaea!" Moʼat: Tivìran po ayoekip. "Let her walk among us." Lu hasey. "It is finished." There have been several attempts at working out the rest of the script. Some of these are summarized at LeanNavi.org here. They likely include numerous errors. Songs Frommer translated four of Cameron's songs into Na'vi. The Hunting Song is in the next section; here are the other three. Weaving Song Note that several words occur in their short-plural form. {| |-valign=top | The rhythm of rain and sun, ||            || Tompayä kato,tsawkeyä kato, ||                         || tompa 'rain', kato 'rhythm'tsawke 'sun' |- | Of night and day, || || Trrä sì txonä || || trr day, txon night |- | The rhythm of the years, || || S(ì) ayzìsìtä kato, || || zìsìt year |- | And the beat of the hearts, || || Sì ʼekong teʼlanä || || ʼekong a beat, txeʼlan heart |- | Hearts of the People || || Teʼlanä le-Naʼvi || || |- | Fills me, || || Oeru teya si, || || teya full |- | Fills me. || || Oeru teya si. || || |- |colspan=5|  |- | I weave the rhythm || || Katot täftxu oel || || täftxu to weave |- | In yellow and blue, || || Nìean nìrim || || ean blue, rim yellow |- | The rhythm of the years, || || Ayzìsìtä kato, || || |- | The spiral of the lives, || || ʼÌheyu sìreyä || || ʼìheyu a spiral, tìrey life |- | Lives of the people, || || Sìreyä le-Naʼvi, || || |- | Fills me, || || Oeru teya si, || || |- | Fills me. || || Oeru teya si.|| || |} Tree Song (Funeral Song) This song appears in the movie. A fair amount of elision occurs, marked in parentheses. {| |-valign=top | We are all seeds / Of the Great Tree ||            || Utralä (a)Nawm / ayrinaʼ l(u) ayoeng, ||                         || |- | Whose strength is in our legs || || A peyä tìtxur mì hinam awngeyä || || |- | Like the mighty trunks, || || N(a) aysangek afkeu, |- | In our arms || || Mì pun |- | As sheltering branches, || || N(a) ayvul ahusawnu, |- | In our eyes || || M(ì) aynar |- | The blue-flower || || Na seze |- | Which unfolds to the sun. || || A ʼong ne tsawke. |- | We are all seeds / Of the Great Tree || || Utralä (a)Nawm / ayrinaʼ l(u) ayoeng, |- | Whose song is within us. || || A peyä tìrol m(ì) awnga. |} Spiral Song {| |-valign=top | Music creates patterns ||            || Pamtseol ngop ayrenut ||                         || |- | In the silence of the mind || || Mì ronsemä tìfnu || || |- | As weavers do || || Tengfya ngop säftxuyul |- | In the physical world. || || Mì hifkey. |- | Chorus: |- | We sing to See || || Awnga rol fte kivame |- | We See to sing || || Kame fte rivol |- | We sing our way || || Rerol tengkrr kerä |- | Down the eight paths || || Ìlä fyaʼo avol |- | To the center. || || Ne kxamtseng. |- | |- | The songs bind the thirteen spirals || || Aywayl yìm kifkeyä |- | Of the solid world || || ʼÌheyut avomrr |- | To the eight spirit paths || || Sìn tireafyaʼo avol |- | Like the threads of a Songcord. || || Na waytelemä hìng. |- | Chorus |} Spoken textsSpoken texts There are four online recordings of Frommer speaking extended amounts of Naʼvi. Short dialog http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/magazine/06FOB-onlanguage-t.html Skxawng! The New York Times Benjamin Zimmer December 4, 2009 January 9, 2010 Half-way down the article is a sound recording of a short conversation, with English subtitles. The Naʼvi is not documented; what follows likely contains some errors. Unintelligible segments are marked with ((double parentheses)). Oel hu Txewì trram naʼrìngit tarmok. Yesterday I was with Txewì in the forest Tsoleʼa syeptutet atsawl frato mì sìrey. and we saw the biggest Trapper I've ever seen. ((L))u fo l((e))hrrap Those things are dangerous. Tsun tutet tspivang ko They can kill a person, you know. Oe ((o))mum. I know. Nari soli ayoe [moe] fteke nìhawng livok. We were careful not to get too close. Glossary: Trram yesterday, naʼrìng a forest, tok to occupy (a place) Tseʼa to see, syep to trap, tute a person, tsawl big, tìrey life Hrrap danger, tspang to kill, omum to know Nari si to pay attention, fteke lest, hawng excessive, lok approach Hunt Song BBC interview In the 0818 broadcast, at time 3′30″, Frommer recites the second verse and chorus of the Hunt Song he translated for Cameron. The Naʼvi text is as follows:James Cameron's Avatar: A Confidential Report on the Biological and Social History of Pandora !t (HarperCollins) New York City Maria Wilhelm Mathison, Dirk 2009 0061896756 {| |-valign=top | We are walking your way ||            || Terìran ayoe ayngane ||                         || tìran to walk |- | We are coming || || Zeraʼu || || zaʼu to come |- | We are singing your way || || Rerol ayoe ayngane || || rol to sing |- | So Choose || || Ha ftxey || || ftxey to choose |- | Choose one among you || || ʼAwpot set ftxey ayngal a l(u) ayngakip || || ʼawpo an individual |- | Who will feed the People. || || ʼAwpot a Naʼviru yomtìyìng. || || yom to eat, tìng to give |- |colspan=5|   |- |colspan=5|Chorus |- |colspan=5|   |- | Let my arrow strike true || || Oeyä swizaw nìngay tivakuk || || swizaw an arrow, ngay true, takuk to strike |- | Let my spear strike the heart|| || Oeyä tukrul txeʼlanit tivakuk || || tukru a spear, txeʼlan a heart |- | Let the truth strike my heart|| || Oeri tìngayìl txeʼlanit tivakuk || || |- | Let my heart be true. || || Oeyä txeʼlan livu ngay. || || |- |colspan=5|   |- | You are fast and strong || || Lu nga win sì txur || || win fast, txur strong |- | You are wise || || Lu nga txantslusam || || txan much, tslam to understand |- | I must be fast and strong || || Livu win sì txur / oe zene || || |- | So only Only if I am worth of you || || Ha n(ì)ʼaw Pxan livu txo nìʼaw oe ngari || || nìʼaw only, pxan worthy |- | Will you feed the People || || Tsakrr nga Naʼviru yomtìyìng || || |} Public letter A public letter in Naʼvi (2010 Jan 20) using basic vocabulary, read aloud by Frommer and with English subtitles. The Naʼvi is as follows. Stressed syllables are underlined. Ayeylanur oeyä sì eylanur lìʼfyayä leNaʼvi nìwotx:To all my friends and friends of the Naʼvi language: ʼeylan a friend, lìʼfya a language (lit. 'way of speaking'), nìwotx all ofOel ayngati kameie, ma oeyä eylan, ulte ayngaru seiyi irayo. I See you, my friends, and I thank you. kame to "See", to look into and understand, irayo thanksFpoleʼ ayngal oer fìtxan nìftxavang a ʼupxaret stolawm oel. I have heard the message you have sent me so passionately. fpeʼ to send, fìtxan so much (lit. 'this much'), nìftxavang passionately, ʼupxare a message, stawm to hearLìʼfyari leNaʼvi oel ʼefu ayngeyä tìyawnit. I feel your love for the Naʼvi language. ʼefu to feel, tìyawne love (lit. 'belovedness')Ulte omum oel futa tìfyawìntxuri oeyä perey aynga nìwotx.And I know you are all waiting for my guidance. omum to know, tìfyawìntxu guidance, pey to waitSpivaw oeti rutxe, ma oeyä eylan: Please believe me, my friends. spaw believe, rutxe pleaseoe new nìtxan ayngaru fyawivìntxu. I want very much to guide you. new to want, nìtxan much, fyawìntxu to guideSlä nìawnomum, But as you know, (nì-?-omum, not currently parsable)zene oe ʼawsiteng tìkangkem sivi fohu I must work together with those ʼawsiteng together, tìkankem si to worka Uniltìrantokxit sì kifkeyit Eywaʼevengä zamolunge awngar. who have brought us “Avatar” and the world of Pandora. unil-tìran-tokx an Avatar (lit. 'dream-walker body'), kifkey a world, Eywa-ʼeveng Pandora (lit. 'child of Eywa'), za-munge bring hitherForu ʼupxaret oel fpoleʼ, I have sent them a message,  slä vay set ke pamähängem kea tìʼeyng. but up to now no answer has arrived. set now, pähem to arrive, tìʼeyng an answer Nìaynga oe perey nìteng.Like you, I too am waiting. nìteng similarlyTìʼeyngit oel tolel a krr, When I receive an answer, tel to receiveayngaru payeng, I will let you know, peng to telltsakrr payeʼun sweya fyaʼot and I will then decide the best way peʼun to decide, swey best, optimal, fyaʼo a waya zamivunge oel ayngar aylìʼut horentisì lìʼfyayä leNaʼvi.to bring you the words and rules of Naʼvi. lìʼu a word, koren a rule,Sìlpey oe, layu oeru yeʼrìn sìltsana fmawn a tsun oe ayngaru tivìng.   I hope I will soon have good news to give you. sìlpey to hope, yeʼrìn soon, sìltsan good, fmawn news, tìng to giveAylìʼufa awngeyä ʼeylanä aʼewan Markusì ta Ngalwey . . . In the words of our young friend Markus from Galway . . . ʼewan young ʼIvong Naʼvi!Let Naʼvi bloom! ʼong to bloomKìyevame ulte Eywa ngahu.Goodbye for now, and may Eywa be with you.  Ta ʼeylan karyusì ayngeyä, Pawl.Your friend and teacher, Paul. karyu a teacher On this Night Eliyahu Ha-Naʼvi (2010 Mar 21) Traditional questions for Passover Seder. Fìtxon na ton alahe nìwotx pelun ke lu teng? "Why is this night unlike all other nights?" {| |fì-txon||na||ay+txon||a-lahe||nì-wotx||pe-lun||ke||lu||teng |- |this-night ||like ||pl-night||attr-other||adv-all||which-reason||not||be||same |} Tonìri alahe, awngal yom hametsì-t, yom matsa-t, ke tsranten; fìtxon yom matsa-t nìʼaw. "Other nights, we may eat either leavened or unleavened bread; this night we eat only unleavened bread." {| |ay+txon-ìri||a-lahe||awnga-ìl|| yom||hametsì-it||yom|| matsa-t||ke||tsranten |- |pl-night-top||attr-other||we-erg||eat||hametz-acc||eat||matzah-acc||not||matter |} {| |fì-txon||yom||matsa-t||nì-ʼaw |- |this-night||eat||matzah||adv-one |} Tonìri alahe, awngal yom fkxenti lerìk nìwotx; fìtxon yom sat a lu syäʼä nìʼaw. "Other nights, we eat all manner of greens; this night we eat only those which are bitter." {| |ton-ìri||alahe||awnga-ìl||yom||fkxen-ti||le-rìk||nìwotx |- |nights-as.for||other||we-erg||eat||vegetable.food-acc||adj-leaf||all |} {| |fìtxon||yom||ay+tsa-it||a||lu||syäʼä||nìʼaw |- |tonight||eat||pl-that-acc||that||be||bitter||only |} Tonìri alahe, awnga ke yemfpay si keng ʼawlo; fìtxon yemfpay si melo. "Other nights, we do not dip even once; this night we dip twice." {| |ton-ìri||alahe||awnga||ke||yem-f?-pay||si||keng||ʼaw-lo |- |nights-as.for||other||we.intr||not||put-?-liquid||do||even||one-time |} {| |fìtxon||yemfpay||si||me-lo |- |tonight||dip||do||two-time |} Tonìri alahe, awngal yom wutsot tengkrr hereyn nìpxim, tengkrr teruvon, ke tsranten; fìtxon yom tengkrr teruvon. "Other nights, we dine either sitting upright or reclining; this night we eat reclining." {| |ton-ìri||alahe||awnga-ìl||yom||wutso-it||teng-krr||h‹er›eyn||nì-pxim |- |nights-as.for ||other ||we-erg ||eat ||meal-acc ||same-time ||sit‹ipfv› ||adv-erect |} {| |teng-krr||t‹er›uvon||ke||tsranten |- |same-time||lean‹ipfv›||not||matter |} {| |fìtxon||yom||teng-krr||t‹er›uvon |- |tonight||eat||while||lean‹ipfv› |} Tonìri alahe, awngal yom wutsot nìfyaʼo letrrtrr; fìtxon yom nìʼeoio. "Other nights, we dine normally; this night we dine with special rites." {| |tonìri||alahe||awnga-l||yom||wutso-it||nì-fyaʼo||le-trr~trr |- |nights ||other ||we-erg ||eat ||meal-acc ||adv-way||adj-day~redup |} {| |fìtxon||yom||nì-ʼeoio |- |tonight||eat||adv-ceremony |} Earth Day Mipa ʼUpxare fpi Frapo mì Srr ʼRrtayä (2010, Aprin 22) Ma oeyä eylan, Fìtrrmì letsranten—Trr ʼRrtayä—new oe pivlltxe ayngaru san kaltxì sìk ulte tivìng ayngar lìʼut a tìʼefumì oeyä lu lor frato mì lìʼfya leNaʼvi: meoauniaea. Fìlìʼuä ral lu tìmeʼem sì tìrusey mì hifkey na Nawma Saʼnokä hapxì, ʼuo a fpi reyʼeng Eywaʼevengmì ʼRrtamì tsranten nìtxan awngaru nìwotx. Ngaytxoa, nìawnomum ke lolu oer nìkeftxo mì soka srr ayskxom letam fte lìʼfyari awngeyä tìkangkem sivi. Slä lu oeru fmawno asìltsan: yeʼrìn ʼìyiʼa sänume a tsari kllfroʼ oe; mawkrr layeiu oer krr nìʼul fte ngivop aylìʼut sì tsayfnesänumvit a tsun frapor srung sivi fte nivume sì ziverok nìswey. Tsakrrvay, ayngeyä tìmweypeyri irayo seiyi oe, ulte fìtrrä ftxozäri, sìlpey oe, ayngaru prrteʼ livu. Kìyevame ulte Eywa ayngahu. Ta Pawl My friends, On this important day—Earth Day—I want to say hello to you and present to you the word that, in my opinion, is the most beautiful in the Naʼvi language: meoauniaea. The meaning of this word is “harmony, living in the world as part of the Great Mother,” something that matters a lot to all of us for the sake of The Balance of Life on both Pandora and Earth. My apologies: As you know, in recent days I have not had sufficient opportunity to work on our language. But I have some good news. My teaching responsibilities will soon end; after that I will have more time to create words and the kinds of lessons that can help everyone best learn and remember. In the meantime, I thank you for your patience, and I hope you enjoy today's celebration. Goodbye and Eywa be with you. From Paul Notes References Lexicon Na'vi–English dictionary