Matt5327

It makes more sense that Nokama is speaking the archaic language. After all, Tahungi (as I lovingly call it) is "translated" into English for the rest of the movie. Also words like "Kanokee" sound incredibly similar to "Kanohi."

This, then, offers us more than just a few more words or grammatical rules in Tahungi - it offers us insight in the way the language developed. Which inflections became more or less pronounced? Which consonants replaced others? What sorts of vowel mutations occurred? Has the language always generally followed the same sentence structure, or is that too different?

Also, for context. Although drawing from the entirety of the matoran universe for information, I think a certain degree of focus should be kept on context - even what was happening in the real world as far as development. At this point the idea of hundreds of toa past was only being deliberated by LEGO, not to mention the concept of a completely different backstory. The Metru Nui story radically redirected the mythos from a world of mysticism to one of manipulative, but very solid, forces.

I would argue that it is in our best interest, therefore, to take a perspective that the former is true simply because it is better suited to linguistic development and it's study. Personally, I also think it presents a better mythos and is more suitable for the writings of new stories, legends and myths.

Thanks! What was going through my head was that the morphemes (I learned a new word it seems!) would represent the cultural/natural/etc. context of each koro, ie a table would be po (as it is of craftsmanship), or spirit would be fire. And they wouldn't always have to make sense; wīf, for instance, the Old English word for woman/wife, is neuter.

I suppose it would make the learning process rather arduous, though.

He returns! For a time I had given up, but checked today on a whim. Very good stuff.

I've actually been doing a lot of language stuff recently (Not as much as you, obviously, I'm an undergrad and language is a hobby, not area of study), and one of the coolest things I find about it is etymology. I was wondering, have you considered how the matoran language might have developed? It sounds really cool, but to be able to associate words and gramatical concepts with matoran culture would be (I think) really fun.

Obviously this wouldn't work (as it would require overhauling much of the language), but it would be neat to have multiple "declensions" (I don't know what the proper term is for a particle-based system) based on the six base elements; this would also replace the need for gender. When considering the matoran universe, I notice the tahunga separate themselves purely on this basis. Ga-matoran have what we see as feminine characteristics, but in the matoran universe they would be seen as Ga characteristics, and so-forth.

It's all for fun though. I just love discussing language.

P.S., Unfortunately it will be some time until I can study this in depth again (though I will keep up as it progresses). I'm currently studying Anglo-Saxon for a humanities GDR, as well as learning latin online (And greek is in the queue). Let's just say I have a thing for the classics.

Any plans to continue this? I'm loving it so far.

If you have not already settled the issue definitively in your mind, may I make one suggestion? I am of the opinion that placement of an adjective should affect meaning - similar to the emphasis word order has in latin, only much stronger. For instance:

nui=great

mata nui = great being, as in, of all the beings, he is the being of greatness.

kina nui = great temple, as in, the greatest of all temples.

nui jaga = great scorpion, as in, a scorpion of immense size.

nui rama = great insect, " "