[should've posted a reference-list like this a long time ago. Better late than never!] A Matoran Dictionary 2nd Edition LIST OF VOLUMES =||= Volume I :: A-D Volume II :: E-J Volume III :: K Volume IV :: L-M Volume V :: N-P Volume VI :: R-S Volume VII :: T-U Volume VIII :: V-Z =||=
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0mhtDAJjqs (starts at ~0:47) "Battle Chant of the Toa (Prayer to Mata Nui)" O’I HIKI HOIHA OU IHIKI HAHKO ... HAHKO! O’I HIKI HAUIHA OU IHIKI HAHI ====================== Literal Translation: 1. Protect us from deception; 2. You will save us from deception. 3. Make us safe from deception; 4. You are a protector against deception. ====================== Note: I've been a bit fast-and-loose with constructing vocabulary here-
TOAVAKAMAJAI - THE PROPHECY I'akua, taka-kui rayaku. Amaja lhikai-na rokha: Toa Mata Nui haya. Ivaha, nga roraga-rhui. Still, all hope was not lost. Legends tell of six mighty heroes, the Toa, Who would arrive to save Mata Nui. Time would reveal that these were not simply myths... -- Toa imahra voya, kouya, Ceura, aku-rhui. Mata Nui'ai Matoroi Ikraaka hau takaya. For the Toa would appear on the shores of the island, it w
MATANUYAMAJAI - THE LEGEND Ivaha vahai, Mata Nui ini-wahi uvoya; Nohi-artakhai akoa, Matoran roya, karaya. In the time before time, The Great Spirit descended from the heavens, Carrying us, the ones called the Matoran, To this island paradise... - Oa kaitura, maitura; Mata Nui i-Haua-Ngavongu, Kaita, Maita, Vaita, Oai takaya. We were separate and without purpose, So the Great Spirit illuminated us With the Thre
This post, I'm gonna to talk about some ideas related to other potential affixes, one in particular that I think can be quite straightforwardly derived using some comparative evidence centered around the following word: inika "energies of a star" Note that the translation we are given for this word is unique in that it is apparently a compound of two semantic units: "energy" and "star". That's different from the single-word definitions we usually get, and it also provides us with an example
[tumblr it up] If you've ever browsed through the entries of the Matoran Dictionary or been brave enough to delve into those old Learning Matoran lessons, you may have run into a concept that goes under the (pretty obtuse) name of "splitting+displacement" or (even worse) "variable placement". It's usually applied to things called "particles" or "affixes", and usually very little explanation is provided for what it is and where it comes from. Sorry. In this post, I’ll attempt to add some fles
[and tumblr too] This post, we're taking a brief detour from other projects to talk about something slightly more mundane: Is there something in the Matoran Language that marks verbs as verbs and distinguishes them from non-verbs? I would like to propose that there is at least one verb-marker expressed as a suffix (or "derivative particle") -ya. What's the evidence? Admittedly, there is only one canon piece of evidence, since we have only one confirmed verb in Matoran: zya "to attack". This
If you’re someone who remembers BZPower back before the archive deletion and downtimes (I confess, I’m getting murky) and roughly prior to '08-'09, you might know me as a different person. I mostly lurked 'round this little forum called Artwork II, which was the place where all the shops and "sprite kits" were safely hidden from the world. Back then, most of my contribution to BZP came in the form of pixel art. Yeah, it was a different time. Well, I haven’t done any pixel art for quite a while
[ tumblr ya] Treatise: Translating the Avohkii : Part 4 : Whoa, hold on! It’s dangerous to go alone! First, read this, then this, then this. All done? Good – let’s get moving. Here’s the full transcription of the Avohkii-text once again: The bolded part of the transcription has already been translated in the previous posts. To recap: Mapaku ke-whenu-ka kitu ak-ila ... “Reader, seek out an individual originating from within a secret underground (place)” This portion of the passag
bionicle |n.cmpd.| biological chronicle; lit. "chronicle of biology ('the all-living') [bionicle < boyanikul < boya-nai-akul, from boya "biology" (nominalized from bo-ya "to grow, live", see also bo "elemental plant-life; living, growing"), nai "all", and akul "chronicle; lit. "(that which is) seen/known" (< aku-li, from aku "sight, vision" and the adjectival particle -li)] This has gone too far. ._. JRRT
[oh a tumblr what] Treatise: Translating the Avohkii : Part 3 : Take a stroll through the previous posts for all the juicy, juicy previous details. For now, here’s where we’re at in the translation process: The bolded parts have been translated as follows: The string ke-whenu-ka consists of the word whenu(a) "hidden/secret underground" modified by two particles: the basic locative particle manifesting as ke- "in/at/on" and the origin particle manifesting as -ka "from, out of". Th
[hey look a tumblr] Treatise: Translating the Avohkii : Part 2 : Check out the previous post for the full lead-in. Here’s a summary: There is an inscription written on the Mask of Light. The Mask of Light film novelization provides the “text” of this inscription, while the Mask of Light film itself has a sequence of actual dialogue where the inscription is pronounced. The two versions are different, but are clearly related. Starting with the version transcribed from the film, I will at
[also hey look a tumblr] Treatise: Translating the Avohkii : Part 1 : It has come to my attention that the novelization of the Mask of Light film includes the following passage: This is supposed to be Nokama’s reading of the inscription found on the Avohkii. Interesting, no? Even if the novelization is only semi-canon, this could provide material for expanding our (admittedly completely made-up) knowledge of the Matoran language. Where to begin? I began by seeking out the scene f
You people have brought many a smile to my face the past few days. After the time invested in the Matoran Dictionary project over the last several years, the sudden boost in exposure and overall positive response—both on BZP (thx news!) and off—means a lot. I’m glad to see so many people delving into it and having fun. In the end, that was the impetus for this project: my own personal enjoyment and enjoyment for other members of the Bionicle fandom. It’s all very satisfying. Heartfelt thanks.
A Matoran Dictionary 2nd Edition VOLUME VII :: T-U -T- ta |n./stm.| 1. elemental fire; 2. spirit, being, essence; 3. courage, ability, leadership; 4. fierce, rash, brash [ta < tā, from the elemental stem tā “elemental fire”. Variant forms: ta-, tal (l-modified), tau (u-modified, see entry tu), tah, tō (ā > ō / __# )] tahnok |n.| fire-designation Bohrok [FD: MN#2] tahtorak |n.cmpd.| very fierce speaker/orator [tahtorak < tah-toro-ak, from tah (variant of ta, see en
A Matoran Dictionary 2nd Edition VOLUME V :: N-P -N- nā |p.| many, multiple (plural particle) [Variant forms: nāl (l-modified), -nō (ā > ō / __#] naho |n.| protection of many [naho < nā-hō, from the plural particle nā “many, plural” and hā “protection, peace/calm, systems-normal” (with final ā > ō vowel shift)] nai |n./p.| all [nai < nā-ī, from the plural particle nā and the nounal particle ī. Variant form: nī] nai-ya |v.| to multiply, proliferate [From nai “
A Matoran Dictionary 2nd Edition VOLUME IV :: L-M -L- -la |p.| good, excellent (modifying particle) [etymology uncertain; possibly la < li-hā, from the primeval modifying particle li and the stem hā “protection, peace/calm, systems-normal”] lari |adj.| refined, perfectionistic; lit. “oriented toward excellence” [lari < la-rī, from the particle la “good, excellent” and rī, a reduction of rui “oriented toward” (< ru-ui)] lariska |n.cmpd.| powerful refined-creature/p
A Matoran Dictionary 2nd Edition VOLUME III :: K -K- ka |n./stm.| (non-elemental) power, force, energy; ability, (creative) potential [ka < kā. Variant form: ca] kabolo |n.| fruit of power [kabolo < ka-bolo, from ka “power, force, ability” and bolo “fruit”. Variant form: cabolo] kadin |n.cmpd.| (Kanohi-) flight; lit. “power of high-space” [kadin < ka-ti-ini, from ka “power, force, ability”, the stem ti “space, area” (variant of te, see entry), and ini “star(s); h
A Matoran Dictionary 2nd Edition VOLUME II :: E-J -E- e- |p.| make, cause (causative/transitive particle)† ehlek |n.cmpd.| effective contact/communication [ehlek < ehl-le-ak, from ehl “seeking/searching; detection, sense” (variant of el), the u-modified elemental stem leu “elemental air; listening/hearing/speaking”, and the intensive particle -ak, yielding an original sense of “seeking to communicate”, referencing the earliest Matoran attempts to make contact with sentien
