Content words
Content words are the main type of word in Toki Pona, contrasted with particles. They are a class of words that are flexibly used as the head (primary word of a phrase) and modifier of a content phrase. A content phrase itself may be used as a predicate of a sentence. Specific content words also have preposition, preverb, or name senses.
By the books[edit | edit source]
Toki Pona: The Language of Good[edit | edit source]
In the dictionary section of the book Toki Pona: The Language of Good, content words are each defined as nouns, verbs, or adjectives. Other senses of these words can be derived from these definitions. For example, for a content word defined as a verb, possible noun senses include "something that is verbed" and "the act of verbing". This is supplemented by the analysis of using any content word as a transitive verb. For example, A li B e C means "A causes C to be B".
Toki Pona Dictionary[edit | edit source]
The Toki Pona Dictionary, in the section "Notes on lipu pu", mentions the content word analysis saying "it may be more appropriate or accurate".[1] A specific analysis that the book recommends is one by kala kala on Reddit.[2]
Phrases[edit | edit source]
A phrase is a run of content words, starting with a head and optionally continuing with modifiers.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Lang, Sonja (2021). "Notes on lipu pu". Toki Pona Dicionary. Illustrated by Vacon Sartirani. Tawhid.
- ↑ kala kala (u/pisceyo). (8 October 2019). "Toki Pona Analysis: Parts of Speech". Reddit.