Phatic expressions and social conventions: Difference between revisions

 

[[Toki Pona]] has very few phatic expressions, and actively tries to avoid them in favor of more explicit and context-specific expressions. Because phatic phrases are automatic, not only would they be a form of [[lexicalization]], but they would ring hollow. Instead, experimentation is encouraged.

 

Toki Pona is often described as "polite by default", because it has no modes of speech that automatically relay politeness. But a better description is that it's <em>sincere</em> by default. Speakers are expected to say what they mean and mean what they say. Being direct, clear, and sincere <em>is</em> what constitutes polite speech. Toki Pona is already vague, and when that's combined with phrases that talk <em>around</em> an idea rather than describe it honestly, it can cause confusion. Indirect or euphemistic speech becomes even more unclear.

 

An interjection often used for greeting is ''toki''. This works especially well to begin a conversation. However, other phrases and sentences may work as well or better in different circumstances. Here are some examples:

 

A good conversation starter is ''sina seme?''. This works for "who are you?", "how are you?", "what are you doing?", "what have you been up to?", and more. Unlike in English, where you must reply to "how are you?" with "fine" even if you aren't fine, ''sina seme?'' is meant literally. Expect a real, detailed answer if you use it, and feel free to give one if you are asked.

 

When you are leaving a conversation, you can indicate this by describing what you are doing that will stop you from talking further. Some examples:

 

Often, others will respond to this indication with a related well-wishing&mdash;''tawa pona'', ''lape pona'', etc.&mdash;or with a general one.

 

todo

 

Often, the best way to express gratitude is by literally stating what you are thankful for. For example:

 

There are some common short phrases that can roughly correspond to "thanks". These include ''pona'', ''sina pona'', and ''pona tawa sina''. Respectively, these mean "good", "you are good", and "goodness to you" (similar to "peace be with you").

 

In English, "sorry" is used for multiple social functions. You can use it to apologize, but also to express sympathy with someone else's misfortune. Toki Pona has nothing that combines these meanings. Instead, you would express the idea more directly.

 

 

A common way is to recognize or mention your mistake, such as:

 

::Oh, my friend, I made this mistake / messed up because of this: [reason]. May goodness go to you.

 

Some errors are not as insignificant and warrant a more detailed apology. In general, a more detailed apology should tell someone

* what it is that you did wrong

Although your friend may not forgive you entirely, apologies are a good step in the right direction towards healing.

 

{{Hatnote|"{{tp|mi kama sona e toki pona}}" redirects here. For help learning Toki Pona, see [[Learning resources]].}}

{{pu|en}} includes a "Phrase Book" section with some possible expressions for quick reference.<ref>{{cite pu|124}}</ref>

<blockquote>

{|

|hello!

|-

|great, thanks, OK

|-

|peace be with you

|-

|bye (said by person leaving)

|-

|bye (said by person staying)

|-

|please, I would like

|-

|all is well, life is good, don’t worry

|-

|oh dear, oh my

|-

|good night

|-

|welcome

|-

|enjoy your meal

|-

|what's new?

|-

|how are you feeling?

|-

|ha ha ha!

|-

|I’m learning Toki Pona

|-

|you’re cool, I like you<ref group=lower-alpha>The Esperanto edition of {{tp|pu}} has a footnote that translates to <blockquote>Note from the translator: {{tp|sina pona}} is also often used to say "thank you", nowadays (in 2022) somewhat more often than just {{tp|pona}}.</blockquote></ref>

|-

|I love you

|-

|where is the washroom?

|}

</blockquote>

 

<references group=lower-alpha/>