Gender: Difference between revisions

From sona pona, the Toki Pona wiki
Content added Content deleted
No edit summary
No edit summary
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Needs work}}
{{Needs work}}
[[File:Alternative genderfluid flag.png|thumb|A proposed {{w|pride flag}} for {{w|gender fluidity}}. The pink, purple and blue represent {{w|femininity}}, {{w|androgyny}}, and {{w|masculinity}}, which fall under the [[semantic space]]s of [[Toki Pona]] {{tp|[[meli]]}}, {{tp|[[tonsi]]}}, and {{tp|[[mije]]}}, respectively.]]
'''{{w|Gender}}''' is a system that associates {{w|sex}} and {{w|Gender expression|modes of expression}} with the {{w|Gender role|social roles and norms}} of men, women, and {{w|Third gender|other categories}}. Many people consider themselves to have a {{w|gender identity}}, an internal sense of their gender, which may or may not correspond to their {{w|assigned sex}}.
'''{{w|Gender}}''' is a system that associates {{w|sex}} and {{w|Gender expression|modes of expression}} with the {{w|Gender role|social roles and norms}} of men, women, and {{w|Third gender|other categories}}. Many people consider themselves to have a {{w|gender identity}}, an internal sense of their gender, which may or may not correspond to their {{w|assigned sex}}.


Line 8: Line 7:


==Translation==
==Translation==
As with any word, there are many possible translations of gender into Toki Pona. It is preferred to [[mi ken ala toki pona e ijo la mi sona ala e ijo|think critically about what gender means to you]] and use [[Multiple sentences|as many sentences as needed]] to [[Circumlocution|describe]] the concept.
As with any word, there are many possible translations of gender into Toki Pona. It is preferred to [[mi ken ala toki pona e ijo la mi sona ala e ijo|think critically about what gender personally means]] and use [[Multiple sentences|as many sentences as needed]] to [[Circumlocution|describe]] the concept. With that said, some words and phrases have developed to describe the greater concept. Some common translations include:


With that said, with Toki Pona having words for specific genders, some words and phrases have developed to describe the greater concept, simulating the relationship between the specific number words ({{tp|[[wan]]}}, {{tp|[[tu]]}}, etc.) and the word {{tp|[[nanpa]]}}.

Semi-common translations include:
{{Example|[[kule]] [[kon]]|color (used metaphorically as "intrinsic attribute") of the soul}}
{{Example|[[kule]] [[kon]]|color (used metaphorically as "intrinsic attribute") of the soul}}
{{Example|[[nasin]]|way}}
{{Example|[[nasin]]|way}}
{{Example|[[poki]]|box (derogatory; used metaphorically as "extrinsic attribute", like English "[[wiktionary:put someone in a box|put someone in a box]]")}}
{{Example|[[poki]]|box (derogatory; used metaphorically as "extrinsic attribute". Compare English "{{wikt|put someone in a box}}")}}
{{Example|[[meli]] [[anu]] [[mije]] [[anu]] [[tonsi]]|femininity or masculinity or non-binarity}}
{{Example|[[meli]] [[anu]] [[mije]] [[anu]] [[tonsi]]|femininity or masculinity or non-binarity}}


==Widespread gender words==
==Widespread gender words==
{{Hatnote|Main articles: [[meli]], [[mije]], [[tonsi]]}}
{{Hatnote|Main articles: [[meli]], [[mije]], [[tonsi]]}}
{{nimi|meli
'''{{tp|[[meli]]}}''' describes girls, women, and {{w|femininity}}; '''{{tp|[[mije]]}}''' describes boys, men, and {{w|masculinity}}; and '''{{tp|[[tonsi]]}}''' describes {{wt|enby|enbies}} and non-binarity.
| PoS = content word

| compact = y
As these concepts overlap, the words can [[modify]] each other. For example, a masculine non-binary person may self-describe as {{tp|tonsi mije}} or {{tp|mije tonsi}}. A bigender person may self-describe using both {{tp|mije}} and {{tp|meli}}, or use {{tp|tonsi}} to describe the duality of their gender.
}}
{{nimi|mije
| PoS = content word
| compact = y
}}
{{nimi|tonsi
| sp = Tonsi - sitelen pona tan lipu pu pi toki Epelanto.png
| PoS = content word
| compact = y
}}
'''{{tp|meli}}''' describes girls, women, and {{w|femininity}}; '''{{tp|mije}}''' describes boys, men, and {{w|masculinity}}; and '''{{tp|tonsi}}''' describes {{w|nonbinary gender}} and people. As these concepts overlap, the words can [[modify]] each other. For example, a masculine non-binary person may self-describe as {{tp|tonsi mije}} or {{tp|mije tonsi}}. A bigender person may self-describe using both {{tp|mije}} and {{tp|meli}}, or use {{tp|tonsi}} to describe the duality of their gender.


This method is not perfect, as it makes it easy to fall back on gender words rather than describing masculine and feminine traits in more meaningful terms. Additionally, {{tp|tonsi}} has several other meanings, like gender non-conforming or transgender, which not all non-binary people identify as.
This method is not perfect, as it makes it easy to fall back on gender words rather than describing masculine and feminine traits in more meaningful terms. Additionally, {{tp|tonsi}} has several other meanings, like gender non-conforming or transgender, which not all non-binary people identify as.


==Transgender==
==Transgender==
There are typically two ways to specify that someone is transgender. The first way is the use of {{tp|[[kule]]}} with the alternative meaning, "of or relating to the LGBT+ community". The second way is using {{tp|tonsi}}, which has a less common meaning of "non-cisgender". This way is riskier, as it could suggest that someone is non-binary when they are not.
There are typically two ways to specify that someone is transgender. The first one is using the word {{tp|[[kule]]}} with the alternative meaning, "of or relating to the LGBT+ community". The second one is using {{tp|tonsi}}, which has a less common meaning of "non-cisgender". This way is riskier, as it might suggest that someone is non-binary when they are not.


==gendern't==
==gendern't==

Revision as of 16:28, 2 November 2023

Under construction This article needs work. If you know about this topic, you can help us by editing it. (See all)

Gender is a system that associates sex and modes of expression with the social roles and norms of men, women, and other categories. Many people consider themselves to have a gender identity, an internal sense of their gender, which may or may not correspond to their assigned sex.

Toki Pona mainly specifies gender with the words meli, mije, and tonsi. Content words including personal pronouns are not inflected for grammatical gender, animacy or number. There is only one third-person pronoun, ona, which can refer to any number of beings of any or no gender. The distinguishing function of gender is supplanted by other grammatical features such as headnouns.

More gendered language has been created as Toki Pona evolves. Due to the minimal impact of gender on the vocabulary, this mainly involves content words relating to queer experiences such as attraction and non-binary gender. There is debate over whether Toki Pona ought to include gendered language at all, with some speakers avoiding it, a style of speech called gendern't.

Translation

As with any word, there are many possible translations of gender into Toki Pona. It is preferred to think critically about what gender personally means and use as many sentences as needed to describe the concept. With that said, some words and phrases have developed to describe the greater concept. Some common translations include:

kule kon

color (used metaphorically as "intrinsic attribute") of the soul

nasin

way

poki

box (derogatory; used metaphorically as "extrinsic attribute". Compare English "put someone in a box")

meli anu mije anu tonsi

femininity or masculinity or non-binarity

Widespread gender words

meli in sitelen pona
meli in sitelen sitelen
Pronunciation /ˈme.li/
Usage 2023: Common4, Widespread6 (82% ↘︎ )2022: Widespread (89%)
Book and era nimi pu
Part of speech Content word
Codepoint 󱤳 U+F1933
mije in sitelen pona
mije in sitelen sitelen
Pronunciation /ˈmi.je//j/ sounds like English Y, as in "fjord" or "hallelujah".
Usage 2023: Common4, Widespread6 (82% ↘︎ )2022: Widespread (89%)
Book and era nimi pu
Part of speech Content word
Codepoint 󱤵 U+F1935
tonsi in sitelen pona
tonsi in sitelen sitelen
Pronunciation /ˈton.si/
Usage 2023: Common4, Widespread6 (83% ↘︎ )2022: Widespread (86%)
Book and era nimi ku suli (post-pu, "honorary nimi pu")
Part of speech Content word
Codepoint 󱥾 U+F197E

meli describes girls, women, and femininity; mije describes boys, men, and masculinity; and tonsi describes nonbinary gender and people. As these concepts overlap, the words can modify each other. For example, a masculine non-binary person may self-describe as tonsi mije or mije tonsi. A bigender person may self-describe using both mije and meli, or use tonsi to describe the duality of their gender.

This method is not perfect, as it makes it easy to fall back on gender words rather than describing masculine and feminine traits in more meaningful terms. Additionally, tonsi has several other meanings, like gender non-conforming or transgender, which not all non-binary people identify as.

Transgender

There are typically two ways to specify that someone is transgender. The first one is using the word kule with the alternative meaning, "of or relating to the LGBT+ community". The second one is using tonsi, which has a less common meaning of "non-cisgender". This way is riskier, as it might suggest that someone is non-binary when they are not.

gendern't

gendern't is a nasin (style of speech) that avoids the use of mije, meli, and sometimes tonsi altogether.