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Elemental Theme Naming


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Ok I know many characters in the MU have had themed names based on the Matoran language. Like Tahu and his team and two of the Toa Hagah Gaaki and Pouks as well. But I also noticed that a few Av-Matoran have names based off real world words with a connection to light. 

 

Photok is based off the latin word Phot which we het photo from.

 

Tanma is clearly based off tanning caused by light.

 

Solek is again based off a latin word Sol or sun.

 

The only one to not follow is Takua/Takanuva.

 

I'm wondering do Matoran normally get named something connected to their element? Even if it's in Matoran? It be a funny coincidence if not. What do you guys think? Am I over analyzing this?

 

I'd say it's food for thought when trying to name unnamed Matoran for stories or later canonization polls.

 

 

 

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Takua was impersonating a Ta-Matoran, therefore his name was Takua. 

 

Radiak was named for "radiance," but Kirop and Guvla don't seem to follow a pattern.

 

Personally, I think it was supposed to be a joke on LEGO's part. I wouldn't trust it as a pattern. 

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Takua was impersonating a Ta-Matoran, therefore his name was Takua. 

 

Radiak was named for "radiance," but Kirop and Guvla don't seem to follow a pattern.

 

Personally, I think it was supposed to be a joke on LEGO's part. I wouldn't trust it as a pattern. 

 

Takua's name sounding Ta-Matoran would make sense but he was the first Matoran in existence.

 

Point taken on those two but maybe they are exceptions to the rule. I'm not saying they all have theme names but we do have not so obvious puns fo names. To me Vakama always sounded like someone tried to turn the word Volcano into a name.

 

Could be a joke but if it works why abandon it?  :D

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I always thought Photok was inspired by photons, or light particles. Honestly, that sounds a lot more likely.

 

I have to agree that Radiak may have been based on radiance, or radiation, which light is a form of.

 

Anyways, no. Besides those few examples, very few Matoran bear names that have any elemental significance, as far as I can tell. Although Maglya, a Ta-Matoran, has a name that reminds me vaguely of "magma." So, there may be some examples that I just haven't looked into, but I haven't noticed many that follow this pattern.

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I always thought Photok was inspired by photons, or light particles. Honestly, that sounds a lot more likely.

 

I have to agree that Radiak may have been based on radiance, or radiation, which light is a form of.

 

Anyways, no. Besides those few examples, very few Matoran bear names that have any elemental significance, as far as I can tell. Although Maglya, a Ta-Matoran, has a name that reminds me vaguely of "magma." So, there may be some examples that I just haven't looked into, but I haven't noticed many that follow this pattern.

Photon is derived from the same root word so yeah either of them work.

 

There is a over looked one. Boreas a Le-matoran is named after the greek god of the north winds. Funny for a Matoran of air huh?

 

I'm just saying it isn't out of the realm of possibility.

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A lot of the earliest names were based on names from the Maori culture, and a lot of them mean things (like Kopaka means Ice, Kanohi means face, Mata means spirit, etc. etc.) but a lot of the later ones were either thrown together or taken from other languages, like Nixie and Orkahm.

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I know there is a Matoran in MNOGII named Kamen, which is the Japanese word for Mask. Kind of funny.

 

-NotS

And also Russian for stone.

 

Three possibilities here.

Either he was rebuilt on Mata Nui into a WAY more powerful form, wears a large-eyed mask with antennae, rides a motorcycle and fights Dark Hunters...

...or vahki carriers are somewhat afraid of him...

...or both.

Which to canonize, BZP?

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...

I'd say it's food for thought when trying to name unnamed Matoran for stories or later canonization polls.

 

Why are people thinking about canonising unnamed characters already? Why is this such a big deal in the Bionicle community?! Just let them be background characters or extras or something! 

 

It is a good point that Takua was not originally a Ta-Matoran so presumably that can't have been his real name can it? He must have had a unique Av-matoran name before being hidden away and disguised...

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It is a good point that Takua was not originally a Ta-Matoran so presumably that can't have been his real name can it?

It was; he was featured in one of the early history flashback scenes somewhere, by that name. And there's no reason his sharing the sound of the fire prefix means he can't have had that name. It just means that the name's meaning cannot have included that he was a Ta-Matoran. Languages don't work exclusively like that.

 

Look at Avohkii versus Avohkah; one is of the Light element, the other of the Lightning element. Or look at Onua versus Onewa, or Kongu versus Kopaka. He also kept the Ta start of his name when he became a Toa of Light, so if knowing you're of the light element is an inherent problem to having those two letters in your name, the fact that he was changing his name would have been the time to act on it. :P

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...

I'd say it's food for thought when trying to name unnamed Matoran for stories or later canonization polls.

 

Why are people thinking about canonising unnamed characters already? Why is this such a big deal in the Bionicle community?! Just let them be background characters or extras or something! 

 

It is a good point that Takua was not originally a Ta-Matoran so presumably that can't have been his real name can it? He must have had a unique Av-matoran name before being hidden away and disguised...

 

Easy there. I only meant if there are any contests in the future for naming a Matoran we could think along the lines there. I was more concerned with creative writing set ups like the EMU or my up coming collab. 

 

 

It is a good point that Takua was not originally a Ta-Matoran so presumably that can't have been his real name can it?

It was; he was featured in one of the early history flashback scenes somewhere, by that name. And there's no reason his sharing the sound of the fire prefix means he can't have had that name. It just means that the name's meaning cannot have included that he was a Ta-Matoran. Languages don't work exclusively like that.

 

Look at Avohkii versus Avohkah; one is of the Light element, the other of the Lightning element. Or look at Onua versus Onewa, or Kongu versus Kopaka. He also kept the Ta start of his name when he became a Toa of Light, so if knowing you're of the light element is an inherent problem to having those two letters in your name, the fact that he was changing his name would have been the time to act on it. :P

 

Quite right though the Avohkah I assume were named that due to their being in Karda Nui more so than their element. After all it is the source of light for the MU. :P

 

I was always wondering why there were two characters in the series whos names when read phonetically are identical. I knew there was different pronunciations for Onewa to Onua. But till I heard their names said I kept accidentally reading them the same. :D could be me being silly.

 

But more on the subject. Should we take a look at the Characters with names that are connected to their Element? See how many there really are and see how viable naming them in reference to their Element has in theory? :headbonk:

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I would suggest you check this spreadsheet Lyichir posted on Brickshelf detailing name origins from 01-03. It's an incredibly useful reference, pretty much proving (assuming the translations are accurate, which I trust) that this is indeed true, although not all the names are from Maori. Many MNOGII names came from a variety of other languages, from Slovak to Spanish. Takua means hope or pride in Swahili, for example. Again, that's Lyichir's work, not mine.

 

Later names were probably closer to just messing around with English words, however. Axonn carries, guess what? A giant axe. Vamprah is pretty much the closest thing in Bionicle to a vampire. Bitil is a beetle.

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I would suggest you check this spreadsheet Lyichir posted on Brickshelf detailing name origins from 01-03. It's an incredibly useful reference, pretty much proving (assuming the translations are accurate, which I trust) that this is indeed true, although not all the names are from Maori. Many MNOGII names came from a variety of other languages, from Slovak to Spanish. Takua means hope or pride in Swahili, for example. Again, that's Lyichir's work, not mine.

 

Later names were probably closer to just messing around with English words, however. Axonn carries, guess what? A giant axe. Vamprah is pretty much the closest thing in Bionicle to a vampire. Bitil is a beetle.

Thanks Johnrahk I'll look at that in the morning see where the name origins came from. Would do it now but I'm on my Wii U and it can't open that file.  ;)

 

It may help me come up with a few ideas for my characters in the LoMN colab. (What I was talking on in my last post. :) )

 

Your right on that some of the Barraki were almost painful in that regard. Mantax relly takes the Bula Berry. One extra letter is all it took to name him something not Manta. Think he was picked on by his race?  :D

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And also Russian for stone.

 

Three possibilities here.

Either he was rebuilt on Mata Nui into a WAY more powerful form, wears a large-eyed mask with antennae, rides a motorcycle and fights Dark Hunters...

...or vahki carriers are somewhat afraid of him...

...or both.

Which to canonize, BZP?

 

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:lol-sign:  I didn't even realize what you were getting at before. That is rich that is.

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