The Naʼvi language (Naʼvi: Lìʼfya leNaʼvi) is a fictional constructed language originally made for the 2009 film Avatar. In the film franchise, the language is spoken by the Naʼvi, a race of sapient humanoids indigenous to the extraterrestrial moon Pandora.
The Na'vi language seen in the Avatar movies, including Avatar: The Way of Water, was created specifically for the films, but it was no easy task. This wasn't the first time that a constructed language (a language that is created instead of naturally evolved — also known as a conlang) has been used in a film.
All the clans of Pandora believe in a shared consciousness through the life force called Eywa, who protects their delicate ecosystem through mutual communication. Avatar: The Way of Water may explain that to give the Na'vi a fighting chance against the humans, Eywa taught English to all the Na'vi clans.
Though Cameron has drawn inspiration from Native American groups for the Avatar franchise, most of the actors in the films are non-indigenous. Courtesy: Disney Co. According to Chase Iron Eyes, an activist and attorney for the Lakota People's Law Project, Indigenous people just want a seat at the table.
The Naʼvi language (Naʼvi: Lìʼfya leNaʼvi) is a fictional constructed language originally made for the 2009 film Avatar. In the film franchise, the language is spoken by the Naʼvi, a race of sapient humanoids indigenous to the extraterrestrial moon Pandora.
Dr. Paul Frommer, a professor with a PhD in linguistics from the University of Southern California, created the Na'vi language in 2005 for the first Avatar. He based it in part on Polynesian languages, and a dozen or so words crafted by Cameron.
Na'vi was designed to emulate the general aural feel and flavor of Polynesian languages, such as Maori, one of the three official languages of New Zealand.
Obviously the subtitles tell us that this means 'I'm sorry', however I was researching it (as you do) and the most basic way of actually saying sorry in Na'vi is just 'tsap'alute si' (I apologise).
The fully grown avatar is much closer in appearance to the long-limbed Na'vi than to a human. Typical adult size ranges from nine to ten feet (2.75 to 3.0m) tall with blue skin, bioluminescent markings and large eyes with golden irises.
Na'vi are monogamous creatures and the process of their reproduction is similar to Terran mammals, as they do possess genitalia; however, though they nurse their young and possess belly buttons where they were once connected to an umbilical cord, the Na'vi are non-placental, thus the details of their internal biology ...
At Grace's school, Neytiri and Sylwanin learn to speak English, being regarded as the “top students”, but the school is attacked and Sylwanin is shot and killed. This strains the human's relationship between the Na'vi, who ban them from their land.
For commercial purposes, however—and also for ease of reading by the actors—the “official” transcription is preferred. The letters b, d, j, and q never appear in Na'vi.
The Na'vi were an amalgamation of different people of color and marginalized groups in concerns to colonization. A group of colored people who appear to be savage but hold control of a desired resource. Cameron purposefully casted majority of the humans as Caucasian actors.
Na'vi can be learned like any other language, fictional or natural, and the community constantly produces new content and resources to aid in the learning process.
In Cameron's script she's introduced with the descriptor "in human age she would be 18," but that raises as many questions as it answers. As with the math that leads to Jake being 28, Neytiri's birth in the Earth calendar year 2136 and the film's setting in 2154 add up to make her 18, but that's by Earth standards.
Frommer holds forth on the Na'vi language and drops some other alien pickup lines (like "Nga yawne lu oer", which means "I love you") in a cool interview with Lemondrop. Another noteworthy tidbit: "The Na'vi don't have dirty words," Frommer says. "If you want a swear word, though, you could say, 'Pxasìk.
