Toa Mata Element Prefix

[Astrotorical]

//Grid_Entry Active... Topic entered--Greetings. Yes I am here because I finally got around to asking this. It must bug some of you, and if this question has been answered then-I graciously accept a link to the topic and the deletion of this one (or whatever the protocol is)--So yeah-Element Prefixes.-Ta and Ko and what not-Is there any particular reason why they Heavily appear to be based off of the Toa's names whose elements they control?- Le- Prefix meaning Air. Lewa, Toa of. Lehrak, rahkshii themed green, to oppose the Matoran virtue of Faith. You get the idea-- Why is it like this? Surely Le-matoran were called this before Lewa was greated. Toa Tuyet was the first toa of water (i think?) and she was a Ga-Toa.-If she is the first, why not call here a Tu-Toa, in honor of her?-The Other element prefixes are based upon someother meaning, such as De- (sound) a play on Decibels, Fe- (iron) scientific symbol for iron- And yet Air is not Ox- (oxygen) or Ae- (aero)--This leads me to believe Lewa was named after the element (Le- being the prefix for whatever matoran word means Air)---Either that or the Writers didnt think of that until later on--Help?-//\\End of Line.\\Encom International ©

[Gamzee Makara]

There is probably a topic on this somewhere, but in a due fit of laziness, I will forego the hunt.You basically answered your own question twice, there.If you recall, Metru Nui (as well as all Matoran throughout the Matoran Universe) used these prefixes long before they even knew the Toa Mata existed. The Toa Mata were in fact created by Artahka on Daxia, receiving their names from said being and the Order of Mata Nui. So, in story, their names originated from the preexisting prefixes. (This would most likely be the case for such engineered beings such as the Bohrok and Rahkshi.)As for your statement on the writers, you are most likely correct there as well. In reality, the Toa Mata's names were most likely thought of before the villages and Matoran, as they were the main characters. So, really, it most likely happened in the exact opposite fashion as in the story when the writers and set designers were working out characters and a setting.After the early years of Bionicle, the story evolved, bringing in new elements with new prefixes. At this point the writers most likely took the opportunity to fill in the back story of the names and characters, not quite retconning the names' origins but incorporating them in a new way.tl;dr It would seem they made it up as they went along.

[Toatapio Nuva]

First of all, the first Toa was Helryx.And I believe the Toa Mata were named after the prefixes. They were always meant to be sort of icons of the elements they represented. They had a special mission, after all, to awaken Mata Nui.But in reality, the reason is that in 2001, we only knew the six Toa Mata. And I believe the explanation for the village names was that the Matoran had named their villages and their own Matoran types that way to honor the Toa.

[Gamzee Makara]

But in reality, the reason is that in 2001, we only knew the six Toa Mata. And I believe the explanation for the village names was that the Matoran had named their villages and their own Matoran types that way to honor the Toa.

Unless you mean to say that was the original explanation, which it may very well have been, that doesn't seem to make sense now.As I mentioned before, the Matoran and their islands utilized these prefixes before the Toa Mata were put into direct contact with them, particularly in Metru Nui. Now, when Vakama and fellow Toa Metru discovered the island of Mata Nui after the Great Rescue in 2005, it is implied that, after transforming into the Turaga, they named the portions of the islands for their recently resuscitated Matoran. Notably, at that point they had not even met the Toa Mata.

[Toatapio Nuva]

Yes, I meant that was the original explanation, before 2004.Another interesting fact is that the Matoran types weren't so clearly separated in 2001-2003 story. They were just Matoran (Tohunga in 2001). Different-colored Matoran were called Koronans or villagers based on which village they lived in (for example Le-Matoran were Le-Koronans or Matoran of Le-Koro). The different Matoran having actual physiological differences (I mean for example Ga-Matoran having bigger lungs and Po-Matoran being stronger) and different names (Le-Matoran, Ga-Matoran, etc.) was made up in 2004-2005 when the story began to become more complex. This makes sense since we learned then that there were more Matoran than just the ones who lived on Mata Nui.

[a goose]

Well, reality explanation: The Toa were thought up, and the prefixes drawn from their names. They then used the prefixes again for the Bohrok and Rahkshi and whatnot so that we would recognise them by their names rather than always having to look at them.Canon explanation:It's a bit of a plot-hole, but I think that if you really needed an explanation, Gamzee's works fine.

Another interesting fact is that the Matoran types weren't so clearly separated in 2001-2003 story.

Not true. In 2001 they were all 'Tohunga' or 'Koronans', but after 'Matoran' was introduced we had Ta-Matoran, Ga-Matoran, etceteras. In 2002 - onwards the seperation was clearer than in 2001.

[Logan Tec]

//Grid_Entry Active... Topic entered--Greetings. Yes I am here because I finally got around to asking this. It must bug some of you, and if this question has been answered then-I graciously accept a link to the topic and the deletion of this one (or whatever the protocol is)--So yeah-Element Prefixes.-Ta and Ko and what not-Is there any particular reason why they Heavily appear to be based off of the Toa's names whose elements they control?- Le- Prefix meaning Air. Lewa, Toa of. Lehrak, rahkshii themed green, to oppose the Matoran virtue of Faith. You get the idea-- Why is it like this? Surely Le-matoran were called this before Lewa was greated. Toa Tuyet was the first toa of water (i think?) and she was a Ga-Toa.-If she is the first, why not call here a Tu-Toa, in honor of her?-The Other element prefixes are based upon someother meaning, such as De- (sound) a play on Decibels, Fe- (iron) scientific symbol for iron- And yet Air is not Ox- (oxygen) or Ae- (aero)--This leads me to believe Lewa was named after the element (Le- being the prefix for whatever matoran word means Air)---Either that or the Writers didnt think of that until later on--Help?-//End of Line.Encom International ©

hmm maby it would be wired to have lewa be oxewa or Aewa le best fits his name and tuyet was not the first toa it was helyx she said that in a book but anyway le just best fit them.

[Dralcax]

- And yet Air is not Ox- (oxygen) or Ae- (aero)--This leads me to believe Lewa was named after the element (Le- being the prefix for whatever matoran word means Air)

Levitate

[Makuta Matata]

I think that the Toa Mata were based off of the element prefixes, not the other way around.

[Toatapio Nuva]

Well, reality explanation:The Toa were thought up, and the prefixes drawn from their names. They then used the prefixes again for the Bohrok and Rahkshi and whatnot so that we would recognise them by their names rather than always having to look at them.Canon explanation:It's a bit of a plot-hole, but I think that if you really needed an explanation, Gamzee's works fine.

Another interesting fact is that the Matoran types weren't so clearly separated in 2001-2003 story.

Not true. In 2001 they were all 'Tohunga' or 'Koronans', but after 'Matoran' was introduced we had Ta-Matoran, Ga-Matoran, etceteras. In 2002 - onwards the seperation was clearer than in 2001.

Oh? Well, you may be right. I simply don't remember those names being used in 2002. Then again, that was a long time ago.

[a goose]

Not entirely sure on 2002, but they existed in 2003. (A line in MoL says 'Po-Matoran')I assume the prefixes were introduced alongside the word 'Matoran'.

[Astrotorical]

//Grid_Entry Active... Topic entered--

//Grid_Entry Active... Topic entered--Greetings. Yes I am here because I finally got around to asking this. It must bug some of you, and if this question has been answered then-I graciously accept a link to the topic and the deletion of this one (or whatever the protocol is)--So yeah-Element Prefixes.-Ta and Ko and what not-Is there any particular reason why they Heavily appear to be based off of the Toa's names whose elements they control?- Le- Prefix meaning Air. Lewa, Toa of. Lehrak, rahkshii themed green, to oppose the Matoran virtue of Faith. You get the idea-- Why is it like this? Surely Le-matoran were called this before Lewa was greated. Toa Tuyet was the first toa of water (i think?) and she was a Ga-Toa.-If she is the first, why not call here a Tu-Toa, in honor of her?-The Other element prefixes are based upon someother meaning, such as De- (sound) a play on Decibels, Fe- (iron) scientific symbol for iron- And yet Air is not Ox- (oxygen) or Ae- (aero)--This leads me to believe Lewa was named after the element (Le- being the prefix for whatever matoran word means Air)---Either that or the Writers didnt think of that until later on--Help?-//

hmm maby it would be wired to have lewa be oxewa or Aewa le best fits his name and tuyet was not the first toa it was helyx she said that in a book but anyway le just best fit them.

And yet Air is not Ox- (oxygen) or Ae- (aero)This leads me to believe Lewa was named after the element (Le- being the prefix for whatever matoran word means Air)

Levitate

//Grid_Entry Active... Topic entered--To both of those, I say He was named after the Maori word for Air. not because Le- fits him better. Im saying the Element prefix could have been Ae- or Ox--His name was never ever ever going to be Oxewa of Aewa.- nor was it going to be based off of the word Levitate.--I thought you two should know that--//End of Line.Encom International ©

[bonesiii]

Thanks, guys. Question answered several times lol, and just to make sure there's no confusion, yes, Greg confirmed the Mata were named after the elements, not the other way around.Topic closed.