Difference between revisions of "Direct Address"

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(relationship words; mention the puzzling 'te')
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: ''Wow, <u>Britton</u>!  You speak well!''
 
: ''Wow, <u>Britton</u>!  You speak well!''
  
The particle is also used when addressing people by a term of relationship, such as '''ma smuke''' ''sisters''.
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The particle is also used when addressing people by a term of relationship, such as '''ma smuke''' ''sisters'', or '''ma oeyä eylan''' ''my friends'' ({{Corpus AMFP}}).
  
 
There has been some speculation in the LearnNavi.org forum that '''ma''' may indicate formality, but there is no hint of this in the interviews with Frommer.  In [http://www.pbs.org/newshour/art/blog/2009/12/usc-prof-says-youre-speaking-my-language.html this radio interview] he explicitly calls '''ma''' "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocative_case vocative]."
 
There has been some speculation in the LearnNavi.org forum that '''ma''' may indicate formality, but there is no hint of this in the interviews with Frommer.  In [http://www.pbs.org/newshour/art/blog/2009/12/usc-prof-says-youre-speaking-my-language.html this radio interview] he explicitly calls '''ma''' "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocative_case vocative]."
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=== te ===
 
=== te ===
The {{Corpus ASG}} dictionary includes the word '''te''' defined as ''particle used in full names.''  It's not currently known how this works.
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The {{Corpus ASG}} dictionary includes the word '''te''' defined as ''particle used in full names.''  It's not clear what this might signify at the moment.  It is a feature of the names in Cameron's initial Na'vi vocabulary, as in '''Tsu’tey te Rongloa Ateyitan''' ([http://www.foxscreenings.com/media/pdf/JamesCameronAVATAR.pdf Avatar script], p.148).
  
 
[[Category:Syntax]]
 
[[Category:Syntax]]

Revision as of 20:04, 23 January 2010

ma

When addressing someone by name, the name follows the vocative particle ma:

Tewti, ma Prrton! Plltxe nga nìltsan!
Wow, Britton! You speak well!

The particle is also used when addressing people by a term of relationship, such as ma smuke sisters, or ma oeyä eylan my friends (AMFP).

There has been some speculation in the LearnNavi.org forum that ma may indicate formality, but there is no hint of this in the interviews with Frommer. In this radio interview he explicitly calls ma "vocative."


te

The ASG dictionary includes the word te defined as particle used in full names. It's not clear what this might signify at the moment. It is a feature of the names in Cameron's initial Na'vi vocabulary, as in Tsu’tey te Rongloa Ateyitan (Avatar script, p.148).