pilin

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pilin in sitelen pona
pilin in sitelen sitelen
Pronunciation /ˈpi.lin/
Usage 2024: Core (100% → )2023: Core (100% → )2022: Core (100%)
Book and era nimi pu
Part of speech Content word
Codepoint 󱥎 U+F194E

pilin is a core content word relating to feelings and the heart.

Etymology[edit | edit source]

The word pilin is derived from Tok Pisin pilim ("to feel"), itself from English feel and Tok Pisin -im, the transitivizing suffix, from English him, 'em; and from English feeling.[1]

Semantic space[edit | edit source]

The semantic space of pilin include feelings, as in emotions, thoughts, or sensations. It also includes the heart, either emotionally or anatomically. As a predicate, it may either be intransitive ("to feel a certain way") or transitive ("to sense something").[2]

mi pilin e kiwen

mi pilin e kiwen.

I feel/touch the rock.

pilin mi li tawa mute

pilin mi li tawa mute.[3]

My heart is beating fast.

Due to the transitiveness of the predicate sense of pilin, there have been debates on the order of modifiers in certain phrases. In pre-pu sources, the most common way to say "I feel well" is mi pilin pona, analysing it as the intransitive sense. Nowadays, some speakers often say mi pona pilin, analysing it transitively and by analogy with other phrases, such as pona lukin ("pretty") and pona kute ("nice-sounding").

jan li pilin e ni2   sona li pona

jan li pilin e ni: sona li pona.

People believe that knowledge is good.

pu[edit | edit source]

In the "Official Toki Pona Dictionary" section, the book Toki Pona: The Language of Good defines pilin as:

NOUN  heart (physical or emotional)
ADJECTIVE  feeling (an emotion, a direct experience)

ku[edit | edit source]

For Toki Pona Dictionary, respondents in ma pona pi toki pona translated these English words as pilin:[4]

feeling5, emotion5, feel5, sentiment5, mood4, emotionally4, heart4, sense4, attitude4, emotional4, opinion3, notion3, assume3, impression3, hypothesis3, perceive3, deem3, thinking2, believe2, assumption2, thought2, speculation2, conscience2, suppose2, experience2, stimulus2, reaction2, suspicion2, belief2, perception2, touch2, idea2, estimated2, consider2, outlook2, think2, mentally2

sitelen pona[edit | edit source]

The sitelen pona glyph for pilin (󱥎) is derived from the heart symbol, which is often used to represent passionate feelings, as well as to stand in for the complicated shape of the anatomical heart. Compare the glyph for olin, which is derived from two stacked hearts.

sitelen sitelen[edit | edit source]

The sitelen sitelen glyph for pilin (pilin) depicts 3 bubbles within each other, with lines "emitting" in the largest bubble. It is unknown what this glyph represents.

References[edit | edit source]

  1. "Word Origins". tokipona.org. Archived from the original on 8 August 2002.
  2. "Classic Word List (Improved!)". tokipona.net. Archived from the original on 6 June 2019. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  3. soweli nasa Alesi. (17 December 2023). "tawa musi" (in Toki Pona). telo monsuta. "pilin sina li tawa mute.".
  4. Lang, Sonja. (18 July 2021). Toki Pona Dictionary. Illustrated by Vacon Sartirani. Tawhid. ISBN 978-0978292362. pp. 323–324.

Further reading[edit | edit source]