Names: Difference between revisions
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Toki Pona is all about [[Circumlocution|describing what you're talking about in simple terms]], so the headnoun indicates the basic nature of the thing being named. In {{tp|jan Sonja}} and {{tp|ma Kanata}}, the headnouns are {{tp|jan}} and {{tp|ma}}. They tell us that {{tok|Sonja}} is a {{tp|jan}}, "person", and {{tok|Kanata}} is a {{tp|ma}}, "land", which might be just enough information to realize it refers to Canada.
Headnouns often also distinguish between multiple beings with the same name. For example, in English, "Sydney" could refer to a city, a person, a
While the most common headnoun for people is {{tp|jan}}, some people choose to use different ones for a variety of reasons. For example, a self-identified {{tp|waso}} could be:
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Names ought to be determined by the person or group that they refer to. (This is true in any language.) For example, if Canadian tokiponists broadly agreed that Canada should be tokiponized differently, people should use that tokiponization. You can also [[#Breaking the rules|break the rules]] for your name if you like.
If the referent has not determined their own name in Toki Pona, it is recommended to make an educated guess where possible, such as by using {{wp|endonym}}s and native pronunciation. For example, Toronto could become {{tp|ma Towano}} rather than {{tp|ma Tolonto}}<ref name="tpize"/>,
==Breaking the rules==
{{Nonstandard}}
As with all parts of Toki Pona, tinkerers love to exceed the boundaries of what's considered a name. Examples include:
* using non-Toki Pona sounds in an otherwise tokiponized name
▲* Intentionally using disallowed sound groups
*
▲* Not using a headnoun at all, or leaving it up to the speaker
▲* In {{tp|sitelen pona}}, using a custom "name glyph" that may or may not indicate pronunciation
==Against names==
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To some extent, even {{tok|[[jan Sonja]]}} herself argues against the use of names in the first line of her guidelines:<ref name="tpize"/>
<blockquote>
It is always better to translate the "idea" of a foreign word before attempting to create a new phonetic transcription that may not be recognizable by everyone. (Example: Jean Chrétien, Prime Minister of Canada, becomes {{tok|jan lawa pi ma Kanata}}, rather than {{tok|jan Kesijen}})
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