Mo'at means "Dreamcatcher"

[Mi'niri]

I can't remember where I heard this from, but I heard that Mo'at means "dreamcatcher" in Na'vi. Then I started thinking of how it was Mo'at who was the first to suggest (at least enthusiasticaly) that jake join the clan. I thought it was interesting how thedreamcatcher was the one who caught thedreamwalker I wonder if they did that on purpose. But I thought that was kool.

what are your thoughts

p.s. I know "Neytiri" means "gives Life" wich is kind of perfect. But does anyone know what the other names mean?

[Loverofnature]

hmm... remember the scene where he is about to go in again, after having met the clan for the first time and slept? they go through the names, and if i recall correctly, when mo'at gets mentioned, Jake says Dragonlady. and it seems Grace agrees. so i have no idea

[Mi'niri]

I think when he said dragonlady he was just being smug

[Human No More]

Originally Posted by Mi'niri

I think when he said dragonlady he was just being smug

Indeed - it means a fierce woman

The original script isn't canon, there are lots of differences in names and detail so I wouldn't consider that true unless it appeared somewhere else, plus dream being unil is a significant difference.
The ones with other names are really interesting, I never thought about any possible etymology

[Ashen Key]

Originally Posted by Human No More

Indeed - it means a fierce woman

The original script isn't canon, there are lots of differences in names and detail so I wouldn't consider that true unless it appeared somewhere else, plus dream being unil is a significant difference.
The ones with other names are really interesting, I never thought about any possible etymology

I ADORE etymology.

And yeah, I know where 'Mo'at' = 'dreamcatcher' comes from isn't considered canon-canon, BUT...well, hell. I like it, and it lets me play around with other names, and no one says that they only have to have one word for dream. Both white and ivory are words for white; navy is just as much blue as blue; rapiers and gladiuses are both swords. Actually, given the age of the Na'vi language, it'd surprise me if 'in-universe' it's as stripped down as it is in the dictionaries.

But I wouldn't say that Mo'at = Dream Catcher without adding that it's from the original scrip, though.

[Ashen Key]

Originally Posted by Mi'niri

I can't remember where I heard this from, but I heard that Mo'at means "dreamcatcher" in Na'vi. Then I started thinking of how it was Mo'at who was the first to suggest (at least enthusiasticaly) that jake join the clan. I thought it was interesting how thedreamcatcher was the one who caught thedreamwalker I wonder if they did that on purpose. But I thought that was kool.

what are your thoughts

p.s. I know "Neytiri" means "gives Life" wich is kind of perfect. But does anyone know what the other names mean?

"Neytiri" actually means "Wants Life" - which I actually think is more perfect, given her choices in canon and how I view her.

As for the others, I'll just copy from my own notes what I've worked out and conjectured (I've been working on a number of original names and things for stories, as well as poking at the names mentioned):

Neytiri: neu (want)-tirey (life): Wants Life

Peyral: pey (wait/ wait for) - ral (meaning)”: she who is meant to wait/ Waits for Meaning/ Patience (????)

Ninat: nin (look at) – at (possibly catcher/catching): connotations of “eye-catching”/ “attention-grabbing”

Tsu'Tey: tsteu (brave): Brave

Sylwanin: syl/sil (“good”, derived from sìltsan) – wä (against) - nin (look, look at) : “good despite her looks” / inner worth (????)

Mo'at, according to the original script, means "dream catcher" - so I'm assuming here that both 'mo' and 'unil' mean dream (maybe 'mo' is more of a dialectal word that universal Na'vi), that 'at' can mean 'catch' and 'catching' without needing to have a 'yu' on the end. Which I admit is conjecture, but ah well.

Eytukan's name...I have no idea. In pure sound, it alludes to eyktan, leader, but when I break it down, I get the following:

ey (from eyk, leader) – tu (derivative) – kan (aim)

So, could have connotations of "first aim", "leads the arrow", or something like that - like Ninat, I don't think it's a name that has a literal meaning in English.

Possibly - I fully admit that I've done all of the above myself, so, you known, YMMV.

[tm20]

Originally Posted by Ashen Key

"Neytiri" actually means "Wants Life" - which I actually think is more perfect, given her choices in canon and how I view her.

As for the others, I'll just copy from my own notes what I've worked out and conjectured (I've been working on a number of original names and things for stories, as well as poking at the names mentioned):



Mo'at, according to the original script, means "dream catcher" - so I'm assuming here that both 'mo' and 'unil' mean dream (maybe 'mo' is more of a dialectal word that universal Na'vi), that 'at' can mean 'catch' and 'catching' without needing to have a 'yu' on the end. Which I admit is conjecture, but ah well.

Eytukan's name...I have no idea. In pure sound, it alludes to eyktan, leader, but when I break it down, I get the following:



So, could have connotations of "first aim", "leads the arrow", or something like that - like Ninat, I don't think it's a name that has a literal meaning in English.

Possibly - I fully admit that I've done all of the above myself, so, you known, YMMV.

O_o holy shiit you have a pHD in xenolinguistics or something?

[Ashen Key]

Originally Posted by tm20

O_o holy shiit you have a pHD in xenolinguistics or something?

Heeeeee, nope! Just a few Na'vi dictionaries, and a passion for working out how things work. I've been poking at name books and how names are formed for years, so I just apply that feel to the Na'vi names. They are FUN to make up, by the way, once you get the feel for them.

[Ni'Alu]

I think I remember reading somewhere (maybe on a LearnNavi.org forum?) that Neytiri's name meant "she who calls the spirits" or something. Etymologically speaking, I'm not sure how this works out, but it made sense to me at the time since Neytiri is slotted to be the next Tsahik.

One never really knows with some names. In many tribal cultures, if you look at the language and the correlation of names closely, you notice sometimes the meanings of names don't always follow directly along with the original terms. They can hint at the original meanings like "blue" and "flute" or "dream" and "life" but then deviate somewhat as they become an abbreviated amalgamation that is easier to say...something pleasant on the tongue perhaps.

Wow I wrote a whole lot more than I originally intended! hahah oops
Sorry for the schpeel guys, I just got so excited. :p

[Ashen Key]

Originally Posted by Ni'Alu

I think I remember reading somewhere (maybe on a LearnNavi.org forum?) that Neytiri's name meant "she who calls the spirits" or something. Etymologically speaking, I'm not sure how this works out, but it made sense to me at the time since Neytiri is slotted to be the next Tsahik.

Etymologically, it makes close to zero sense, sadly. Her name is 'Wants Life', which actually suits her really, really well.

Originally Posted by Ni'Alu

One never really knows with some names. In many tribal cultures, if you look at the language and the correlation of names closely, you notice sometimes the meanings of names don't always follow directly along with the original terms. They can hint at the original meanings like "blue" and "flute" or "dream" and "life" but then deviate somewhat as they become an abbreviated amalgamation that is easier to say...something pleasant on the tongue perhaps.

Actually, a lot of names are like that, no matter the culture. It makes them so very, very fun.

[Hunter of the Glade]

Originally Posted by Mi'niri

Mo'at means "dreamcatcher" in Na'vi.

Well...she is tsahik, the one who interprets the will of Eywa after all...

[apache_blanca]

Originally Posted by Hunter of the Glade

Well...she is tsahik, the one who interprets the will of Eywa after all...

^^^agree. Add the Dreamhunt ritual to it that she guides (like many other rituals), & I see this interpretation - dreamcatcher - is apt. Altho other interpretations, like "fierce woman", are also true...

[Human No More]

That was just a discussion of Jake's description of her (when being shown the photos) and not intended to be anything to do with her name.

[FoxRunning]

here is a thought, from someone new to the movie, but who has watched it umpteen times: ^_^

- there is a long standing distrust/dislike of the 'Dreamwalkers'/Avatars. yet, when Mo'at met one who was not a scientist or other teacher, but a warrior, and after she heard Neytiri's description of how all the little spirits first came to her, then landed on Jake, covering him, Mo'at at once turned to her daughter and gave her to he training of Jake as a Na'vi warrior. Wouldn't that be a job more suitable to Tes'uty, who was already training several young warriors?

- Mo'at, being the shaman, and so most likely the wisest/best at matchmaking, gives the training of Jake to her daughter, instead of to the one usually in charge of it. Could it be that she sees that Tes'suty is not really suited to the job of clan leader, because of his being a bit too quick to judge people, and not thinking things through, as you see throughout the movie? Mo'at first was clued in on Jake's more stable personality by the little spirits, then by personal observation. Could it be that she decided that Jake and Neytiri would be a better pair as the next Clan leaders?

...just thinking. and sorry that i don't recall the correct spelling of everyone's name.

Originally Posted by Mi'niri

I can't remember where I heard this from, but I heard that Mo'at means "dreamcatcher" in Na'vi. Then I started thinking of how it was Mo'at who was the first to suggest (at least enthusiasticaly) that jake join the clan. I thought it was interesting how thedreamcatcher was the one who caught thedreamwalker I wonder if they did that on purpose. But I thought that was kool.

what are your thoughts

p.s. I know "Neytiri" means "gives Life" wich is kind of perfect. But does anyone know what the other names mean?

[Human No More]

Interesting - I think that getting Neytiri to show Jake might have been a way of trying to get her to realise that not all humans might necessarily be a problem, which she certainly knew before Sylwanin was killed, but was prepared to kill Jake on sight when she first sees him.
I think that rather than any one person, learning would more be from different individuals who are skilled at different things though, much like with humans.