Difference between revisions of "Adjectives"

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There are several adjective types in Na'vi — primitive adjectives, such as '''apxa''', and derived adjectives created with the prefix '''le-''' or participles created from verbs using the infix '''‹us›'''.
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There are several adjective types in Na'vi — primitive adjectives, such as '''apxa''', and derived adjectives created with the prefix '''le-''' or participles created from verbs using the infixes '''‹us›''' and '''‹awn›'''.
  
 
Adjectives do not agree for number, gender or case in Na'vi.
 
Adjectives do not agree for number, gender or case in Na'vi.
  
 
=== Predicate ===
 
=== Predicate ===
Adjective predication simply uses the copula '''lu''', as in '''fayvrrtep fìtsenge <u>lu kxanì</u>''' ''these demons <u>are forbidden</u> here'' ({{Corpus TO}}).
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Adjective predication simply uses the copula '''lu''', as in '''fayvrrtep fìtsenge <u>lu kxanì</u>''' ''these demons <u>are forbidden</u> here'' ({{Corpus TO}}). Participles derived with '''‹us›''' and '''‹awn›''' cannot be used predicatively.
  
 
=== Attributive ===
 
=== Attributive ===
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=== Comparative ===
 
=== Comparative ===
 
Comparative adjectives ("bigger", "more curious," etc) are expressed using the particle '''to'''.  To say that "A is adj-er than B" you say '''A to B lu ADJ''' as in '''po to oe lu sìltsan''' ''she is better than I'' ([[Canon#Adjective_Comparatives|Comparatives]]).
 
Comparative adjectives ("bigger", "more curious," etc) are expressed using the particle '''to'''.  To say that "A is adj-er than B" you say '''A to B lu ADJ''' as in '''po to oe lu sìltsan''' ''she is better than I'' ([[Canon#Adjective_Comparatives|Comparatives]]).
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[[Category:Morphology]]

Latest revision as of 05:27, 24 January 2011

There are several adjective types in Na'vi — primitive adjectives, such as apxa, and derived adjectives created with the prefix le- or participles created from verbs using the infixes ‹us› and ‹awn›.

Adjectives do not agree for number, gender or case in Na'vi.

Predicate

Adjective predication simply uses the copula lu, as in fayvrrtep fìtsenge lu kxanì these demons are forbidden here (TO). Participles derived with ‹us› and ‹awn› cannot be used predicatively.

Attributive

Attributive adjectives are linked to the noun they modify by affixing the syllable a to the adjective. The affix can be either a prefix or a suffix, attaching to the adjective so that it is closest to the noun. For example, using sìltsan good, sìltsana fmawn good news (AMFP), which could also be phrased fmawn asìltsan.

The attributive a is usually omitted from derived adjectives in le- when it would result in the combination ale-, which is somewhat redundant (Dec 27).

ayftxozä lefpom usual
ayftxozä alefpom permitted
*lefpom ayftxozä an error
lefpoma ayftxozä good

If the attributive a occurs next to another a, they merge into a single a, as in apxa skxawng a big moron.

Comparative

Comparative adjectives ("bigger", "more curious," etc) are expressed using the particle to. To say that "A is adj-er than B" you say A to B lu ADJ as in po to oe lu sìltsan she is better than I (Comparatives).