A Na'vi phrasebook issued by the RDA
The Na'vi language is the constructed language of the indigenous Na'vi used in the Avatar films and video games. It was created by Paul Frommer, a professor at the Marshall School of Business with a doctorate in linguistics. He designed the language according to fit it to some of James Cameron's ideas of how the language should sound. Beside this, the only constraint was that it had to be learnable and pronounceable by the actors.
The Na'vi have a tribal communal culture. Their history is passed down by oral tradition through stories. Humans, in order to document it, use most English alphabet letters, plus two diacritics (ä, ì), digraphs to represent the three ejectives (px, tx, kx), and an apostrophe as a glottal stop.
There are several avenues available to learn Na'vi. Two main websites are dedicated to the learning of the language: Kelutral.org and LearnNa'vi.org.
Paul Frommer regularly uploads pronunciation guides to his Soundcloud channel, The Sounds of Pandora, and continues to describe and expand the language on his blog, Na’viteri.
Na'vi Pictograms[]
Na'vi pictograms, present on a poster at the Old School House
The Na'vi do not have a phonetic or ideographic script for the language, but do have pictograms. These are seen at the Old School House for example.[1] Na'vi made signage in the park reflects that, with totems used to signify where rides are.[2][3]
In some earlier sources there was evidence of a written script, but these are now considered non canonical. These include readable signs and texts in the 2009 Nintendo DS game, written by the Tawkami Clan, a clan known for their sharing of lore. The weapons of the Anurai Clan in the 2009 Wii/PSP game were also engraved with runes.
Vocabulary[]
- https://dict-navi.com/ (searchable, multi-language database)
- https://reykunyu.lu/ (another multi-language database with audio samples)
Behind the Scenes[]
The Na'vi language was created by Paul Frommer, a professor at the Marshall School of Business with a doctorate in linguistics. Na'vi was designed to emulate the general aural feel and flavor of Polynesian languages,[4] such as Maori, one of the three official languages of New Zealand.[5] Cameron told Frommer that the Na'vi were roughly similar in vocal production to humans, and didn't want any electronic manipulations of their speech.[6]
See Also[]
- Spoken Na'vi in Avatar
- Spoken Na'vi in Avatar: The Way of Water
- Spoken Na'vi in Flight of Passage
- Spoken Na'vi in Na'vi River Journey
External Links[]
References[]
- ↑ https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2017/03/countdown-to-pandora-the-world-of-avatar-continues-with-first-look-at-navi-translator-device/
- ↑ http://wdwnt.com/blog/2017/03/new-details-pandora-world-avatar-no-attraction-signage-wilderness-explorers-banshee-connect-avatar-no-disney-bags-etc/
- ↑ https://twitter.com/visitpandora/status/835211619294658565
- ↑ http://usoproject.blogspot.com/2009/11/interview-with-paul-frommer-alien.html
- ↑ https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/3248154/Avatar-language-based-on-Maori
- ↑ https://www.ign.com/articles/alien-earths-sydney-chandler-on-creating-the-xenomorph-language-the-script-just-said-wendy-opens-her-mouth-and-speaks-to-aliens
| Na'vi Culture | |
|---|---|
| Clans | |
| Armor | 'Awvea Tsamsiyu • Battle Band • Eyktan • Helmet • Karyu • Leggings • Nawm • Nawma Ni'awve • Nawma Taronyu • Nawma Tsamsiyu • Taronyu • Tirea • Tsteu |
| Clothing | |
| Culinary | Basket • Butchering Tool • Cooking Pot • Fire Pit • Fire Pit Tools • Fish Yoke • Food Wrap • Ground Rack • Leaf Plate • Mixing Pot • Na'vi Diet • Water Carrier |
| Music | |
| Other | Eywa • Mountain Banshee • Hometree • Octal Arithmetic • Toruk Makto • Tree of Souls • Clan Leader • Three Laws of Eywa • Songcord • Heartlands Ikran • Tsahìk • Mating • Iknimaya • Tsaheylu • Spirit World • Loom • Hammock • Na'vi Dance Costume • Great Hunt |