3.1

## 3.1.1 - Cases

The Na’vi case endings change depending on whether the word ends in a consonant, a vowel or a diphthong.

### **3.1.1.1**

Note that words ending in the pseudo-vowels **ll** and **rr** take the consonant endings: **trr-ä**, **’ewll-it**.

### **3.1.1.2**

After the vowels **o** and **u** the genitive is just **-ä**, but after all other vowels it is **-yä**. So, **tsulfätuä** from **tsulfätu**, but **Na’viyä** from **Na’vi** and **lì’fyayä** from **lì’fya**.

### **3.1.1.3**

Nouns in **-ia** have the genitive in **-iä**, as in **soaiä** from **soaia**.

### **3.1.1.4**

In addition to several pronouns (3.2.1.6), there are a few nouns with irregular genitives: **Omatikayaä** (from **Omatikaya**). These are marked in the dictionary.

### **3.1.1.5**

Due to the similarity in sound between **y** and **i**, the patientive ending **-it** is simplified when suffixed to a diphthong ending in **y**, as in **keyeyt** *errors* instead of **\*keyeyit**. And due to similarity in sound between **w** and and **u**, the same simplification happens to the dative **-ur**, as in **’etnawr** *to/for a shoulder*. However, in the case of the diphthong **aw**, the ending **-ur** may also be valid, as in **’etnawr** as well as **’etnawur**.

### **3.1.1.6**

A noun ending in the glottal stop may also take the dative in **-ru**, such as **lì’fyaolo’ru**. Otherwise nouns ending in consonants take **-ur**.

### **3.1.1.7**

The variation between the long and short endings in the patientive and dative appears to be largely a matter of style and euphony.

#### 3.1.1.7.1

The Reef Na'vi dialect prefers the patientive form **-ti** to **-it** and **-t**.

## 3.1.2 - Foreign Nouns

When human words are borrowed into Na’vi some words need to be adapted to the phonology of the Na’vi language, such as **Kerìsmìsì** *Christmas*. Among the other changes, the final **-ì** is required because Na’vi words cannot end in **s**. Because some of the case endings have vowels that will resolve otherwise illegal clusters, the final **-ì** of such borrowings will be elided, such as with the genitive, **Kerìsmìsä**. Using the German city of Cologne as an example (Köln in German):

Examples:

Note that for the patientive and dative, only the forms that start with a vowel— **-it** and **-ur** —are permitted. A form like **\*Kelnti** is not a permitted Na’vi word shape.

## 3.1.3 - Indefinite -o

A noun may take the indefinite suffix **-o**, “one, some.” Case endings follow the **-o**, such as **puk-o-t**.

## 3.1.4 - Number

Na’vi nouns and pronouns may be singular, dual, trial or plural (four or more). Number is indicated by prefixes, all of which cause lenition.

Number Prefixes
 Trial
 Plural

### **3.1.4.1**

The plural prefix *only* may be dropped if there is lenition. The plural of **prrnen** is either **ayfrrnen** or the short plural **frrnen** (but see 6.5.2.2). The dual and trial prefix are never dropped this way. There is an exception: **'u** *thing* does not take a short plural form, always occurring as **ayu**.

### **3.1.4.2**

In the dual and trial, if a word begins with **e** or **’e**, the resulting **\*ee** is simplified, so **me+** + **’eveng** is **meveng**. See also 2.3.1.2.

### **3.1.4.3**

In Reef Na'vi **pxe-** will be pronounced as though **be-**.

1. ↑ http://naviteri.org/2013/01/awvea-posti-zisita-amip-first-post-of-the-new-year/
2. ↑ https://naviteri.org/2012/10/audio-and-video-learning-materials-for-navi-101/
3. ↑ Dative -ru Clarification
4. ↑ http://naviteri.org/2011/09/%E2%80%9Cby-the-way-what-are-you-reading%E2%80%9D/comment-page-1/%23comment-1093