Learn Mando'a

We all know that love in Mando’a is “Kar’taylir Darasuum.” But I feel like kar’taylir darasuum is more of a formal and poetic way to say love and honestly it’s a very complicated way to do so regularly. Kar’taylir becomes “to know” or “to hold in the heart,” which fits very well for the overall statement but alone as “to know” is just awkward to me.

Maybe we should make “to know” a different word and find a way to make a lesser word for the general use of “love?”

Personally, I would keep it the same just for its significance- there’s a whole scene in the Republic Commando books where it’s established that makes it and its meaning seem very weighted in regards to culture

Tra'nau wrote: ↑

22 Apr 2023 17:17

Personally, I would keep it the same just for its significance- there’s a whole scene in the Republic Commando books where it’s established that makes it and its meaning seem very weighted in regards to culture

Pst, you got that on your clipboard somewhere?

Took a minute of digging, but here's the whole chunk (spoiler warning I guess?):

“Bardan, I have a question I can only ask of you.”
He turned and smiled. “I’ll answer if I can.”
“How do I tell Darman in Mandalorian that I love him?”
She [Etain] waited for Jusik to express some shock or disapproval. He blinked a few times, focusing on a nonexistent spot a few meters ahead. “I don’t think he’s completely fluent in Mando’a. The Nulls are, though.”
“I don’t want to declare my love for Ordo, thanks.”
“Okay. Try… ni kar’tayli gar darasuum.”
She repeated it under her breath a few times. “Got it.”
“It’s the same word as ‘to know,’ ‘to hold in the heart,’ kar’taylir. But you add darasuum, forever, and it becomes something rather different.”
“That tells me a great deal about the Mandalorian view of relationships.”
“They believe that complete knowledge of someone is the key to loving them. They don’t like surprises and hidden facets. Warriors tend not to.”
“Pragmatic people.”
“A pity we Jedi weren’t better friends with them, then. We could enjoy being pragmatic together.”
“You haven’t lectured me on attachment. Thank you.”

-Karen Travis, Republic Commando: Triple Zero pages 365-366

Oh, that passage. Yeah, I understand the heaviness of Kar'tayli gar Darasuum, and Bardan does say "try," which makes me think there's a lesser way of saying love. The 'to know' word I'll let pass since it seems that they stick the knowledge part onto the phrase. Maybe something like pel'kar'tir, you know?

The phrase jatne emuurir means "to prefer," while guuror means "to be fond of." Either one could be used to indicate a lesser version of "to love."

I've done my own contemplating on the topic of the various levels of like and dislike: https://sites.google.com/view/hibirarma ... ke-dislike

ParjaiTracyn wrote: ↑

29 Apr 2023 02:39

The phrase jatne emuurir means "to prefer," while guuror means "to be fond of." Either one could be used to indicate a lesser version of "to love."

I've done my own contemplating on the topic of the various levels of like and dislike: https://sites.google.com/view/hibirarma ... ke-dislike

They indicate preference and affection better than actual love.

On a practical basis I've used guur with my wife, Kar'tayli does have a bit too much formality for a quick comment imo

Vlet Hansen wrote: ↑

30 Apr 2023 01:18

On a practical basis I've used guur with my wife, Kar'tayli does have a bit too much formality for a quick comment imo

Alright. Guuror it is then.

Wait, is Guur a different word here or did you shorten Gurror incorrectly? Because if it's the latter, I don't think 'fond of' is quite 'love.'

guuror [GOO-rohr] like, be fond of (of a person or creature)

I'm not seeing a gurror, vod

Yeah, it's admittedly different in intensity, I suppose, but not in the base emotion being expressed. And let's be honest, in common usage IRL, people use "love" incredibly casually in a lot of contexts

Shush, pretend you never saw that nonexistent mistake.

I feel like the Mandalorians would have specificity with that (which means us too) and use words very specifically.

Taljair te Mir'ad seems to have come up with "Cyar" a while back.

Ah, right. And that does fit rather well, though I can foresee the aruetiise laughing at someone cya-ing someone else (a rangir ti val)

I like it

Rangir ti val bal'ban.