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[[Toki Pona]]'s '''{{wp|phonotactics}}''', or rules for putting sounds together, are well defined. Unlike its [[phonology]], knowing the phonotactics is not needed to speak the language orally. It is most useful for creating [[name]]s and ''[[nimisin]]''.
[[Toki Pona]]'s '''{{wp|phonotactics}}''', or rules for putting sounds together, are well defined. Unlike its [[phonology]], knowing the phonotactics is not needed to speak the language orally. It is most useful for creating [[name]]s and {{tp|[[nimisin]]}}.


An *asterisk marks a sequence that is not allowed phonotactically.
An *asterisk marks a sequence that is not allowed phonotactically.
Line 6: Line 6:
In its "Proper Names" lesson, {{pu}} lists the phonotactic rules in the following order.
In its "Proper Names" lesson, {{pu}} lists the phonotactic rules in the following order.


# '''(C)V(''n'') syllable structure''': "Each syllable consists of a consonant plus a vowel, plus an optional ''n''."
# '''(C)V({{tp|n}}) syllable structure''': "Each syllable consists of a consonant plus a vowel, plus an optional {{tp|n}}."
# '''Null onset is word-initial only''': "The first syllable of a word does not need to begin with a consonant."
# '''Null onset is word-initial only''': "The first syllable of a word does not need to begin with a consonant."
#: As a corollary, every syllable after the first <em>does</em> need to begin with a consonant, thus is CV(''n''). There are no adjacent vowels or {{wp|diphthong}}s. The sequence ''ana'' is syllabified as ''a''&#x2027;''na'' (2 morae), not ''an''&#x2027;''a'' (3 morae).
#: As a corollary, every syllable after the first <em>does</em> need to begin with a consonant, thus is CV({{tp|n}}). There are no adjacent vowels or {{wp|diphthong}}s. The sequence {{tp|ana}} is syllabified as {{tp|a&#x2027;na}} (2 morae), not {{tp|an&#x2027;a}} (3 morae).
# '''No ''*ti''''': "The syllables [''*'']''ti'' and [''*'']''tin'' become ''si'' and ''sin''."
# '''No {{tp|*ti}}''': "The syllables {{tp|[*]ti}} and {{tp|[*]tin}} become {{tp|si}} and {{tp|sin}}."
#: This rule concerns [[#Palatalization|palatalization]].
#: This rule concerns [[#Palatalization|palatalization]].
# '''No ''*wo'' or ''*wu''''': "The consonant ''w'' cannot appear before ''o'' or ''u''."
# '''No {{tp|*wo}} or {{tp|*wu}}''': "The consonant {{tp|w}} cannot appear before {{tp|o}} or {{tp|u}}."
# '''No ''*ji''''': "The consonant ''j'' cannot appear before ''i''."
# '''No {{tp|*ji}}''': "The consonant {{tp|j}} cannot appear before {{tp|i}}."
#: These two rules cover the same thing. ''*wo'', ''*wu'', and ''*ji'' are disallowed because the semivowel in the onset, /w/ or /j/, can be hard to distinguish from the vowel. The syllables would sound too close to ''o'', ''u'', and ''i'', respectively.
#: These two rules cover the same thing. {{tp|*wo}}, {{tp|*wu}}, and {{tp|*ji}} are disallowed because the semivowel in the onset, {{tp|w}} or {{tp|j}}, can be hard to distinguish from the vowel. The syllables would sound too close to {{tp|o}}, {{tp|u}}, and {{tp|i}}, respectively.


At least one other rule is often noted:
At least one other rule is often noted:


* '''No adjacent nasals.'''
* '''No adjacent nasals.'''
*: In sequences like ''*anna'' and ''*anma'', the first syllable's coda ''-n'' would {{wp|Assimilation (phonology)|assimilate}} to the second syllable's onset nasal: respectively ''ana'' and ''ama''.<ref>Assimilation of coda ''-n'' is also responsible for words like ''anpa'' sometimes being pronounced like [ampa], and words like ''enko'' (an obscure ''nimisin'') being pronounced like [eŋko].<br />As a result, coda ''-n'' is sometimes defined as [m ~ n ~ ŋ], unlike onset ''n-'' which is strictly [n].</ref>
*: In sequences like {{tp|*anna}} and {{tp|*anma}}, the first syllable's coda {{tp|-n}} would {{wp|Assimilation (phonology)|assimilate}} to the second syllable's onset nasal: respectively {{tp|ana}} and {{tp|ama}}.<ref>Assimilation of coda {{tp|-n}} is also responsible for words like {{tp|anpa}} sometimes being pronounced like {{IPA|[ampa]}}, and words like {{tp|enko}} (an obscure {{tp|nimisin}}) being pronounced like {{IPA|[eŋko]}}.<br />As a result, coda {{tp|-n}} is sometimes defined as {{IPA|[m ~ n ~ ŋ]}}, unlike onset {{tp|n-}} which is strictly {{IPA|[n]}}.</ref>


==Palatalization==
==Palatalization==
''*ti'' is disallowed because of {{wp|Palatalization (sound change)|palatalization}}, a common sound shift that has occurred in many languages. An English example is the suffix ''-tion'', as in ''motion''. The /ti/ has been palatalized to /ʃ/, so it sounds like ''-sion'' as in ''mission''. For the same reason, ''*ti'' is changed to ''si''.
{{tp|*ti}} is disallowed because of {{wp|Palatalization (sound change)|palatalization}}, a common sound shift that has occurred in many languages. An English example is the suffix "-tion", as in "motion". The {{IPA|/ti/}} has been palatalized to {{IPA|/ʃ/}}, so it sounds like "-sion" as in "mission". For the same reason, {{tp|*ti}} is changed to {{tp|si}}.


Because /k/ can also be palatalized<ref>This is why the letter C, originally /k/, now has soft and hard sounds.</ref>, many languages merge [ki ti si]. There are no ''ki''&ndash;''si'' minimal pairs in the 120 ''[[nimi pu]]'', and among all [[ijo Linku#Word usage surveys|commonly used words]], only ''kin'' can be mistaken for ''sin''.
Because {{IPA|/k/}} can also be palatalized<ref>This is why the letter C, originally {{IPA|/k/}}, now has soft and hard sounds.</ref>, many languages merge {{IPA|[ki ti si]}}. There are no {{tp|ki&ndash;si}} minimal pairs in the 120 {{tp|[[nimi pu]]}}, and among all [[ijo Linku#Word usage surveys|commonly used words]], only {{tp|kin}} can be mistaken for {{tp|sin}}.


==''wuwojiti''==
=={{tp|wuwojiti}}==
<div style="float:right;">
<div style="float:right;">
{|class="wikitable"
{|class="wikitable"
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!colspan="2"|Alternatives
!colspan="2"|Alternatives
|-
|-
!''*wu''(''n'')
!{{tp|*wu(n)}}
|''u''(''n'') ^
|{{tp|u(n)}} ^
|rowspan="2"|''wa''(''n'')
|rowspan="2"|{{tp|wa(n)}}
|-
|-
!''*wo''(''n'')
!{{tp|*wo(n)}}
|''o''(''n'') ^
|{{tp|o(n)}} ^
|-
|-
!''*ji''(''n'')
!{{tp|*ji(n)}}
|''i''(''n'') ^
|{{tp|i(n)}} ^
|''je''(''n'')
|{{tp|je(n)}}
|-
|-
!''*ti''(''n'')
!{{tp|*ti(n)}}
|''si''(''n'')
|{{tp|si(n)}}
|''te''(''n'')
|{{tp|te(n)}}
|}
|}
<center>^ <small>Word-initially</small></center>
<center>^ <small>Word-initially</small></center>
</div>
</div>
'''''wuwojiti''''' is a mnemonic for the disallowed syllables in [[Toki Pona]] phonotactics: ''*wu'', ''*wo'', ''*ji'', ''*ti'', and their equivalents with coda ''-n''. Some less common ''nimisin'' flout this rule, often as a joke.
'''{{tp|wuwojiti}}''' is a mnemonic for the disallowed syllables in [[Toki Pona]] phonotactics: {{tp|*wu}}, {{tp|*wo}}, {{tp|*ji}}, {{tp|*ti}}, and their equivalents with coda {{tp|-n}}. Some less common {{tp|nimisin}} flout this rule, often as a joke.
<br style="clear:both;" />
<br style="clear:both;" />


==Notes==
==Notes==
<references />
<references />
{{General}}

Revision as of 02:32, 10 August 2023

Toki Pona's phonotactics, or rules for putting sounds together, are well defined. Unlike its phonology, knowing the phonotactics is not needed to speak the language orally. It is most useful for creating names and nimisin.

An *asterisk marks a sequence that is not allowed phonotactically.

Rules

In its "Proper Names" lesson, pu lists the phonotactic rules in the following order.

  1. (C)V(n) syllable structure: "Each syllable consists of a consonant plus a vowel, plus an optional n."
  2. Null onset is word-initial only: "The first syllable of a word does not need to begin with a consonant."
    As a corollary, every syllable after the first does need to begin with a consonant, thus is CV(n). There are no adjacent vowels or diphthongs. The sequence ana is syllabified as a‧na (2 morae), not an‧a (3 morae).
  3. No *ti: "The syllables [*]ti and [*]tin become si and sin."
    This rule concerns palatalization.
  4. No *wo or *wu: "The consonant w cannot appear before o or u."
  5. No *ji: "The consonant j cannot appear before i."
    These two rules cover the same thing. *wo, *wu, and *ji are disallowed because the semivowel in the onset, w or j, can be hard to distinguish from the vowel. The syllables would sound too close to o, u, and i, respectively.

At least one other rule is often noted:

  • No adjacent nasals.
    In sequences like *anna and *anma, the first syllable's coda -n would assimilate to the second syllable's onset nasal: respectively ana and ama.[1]

Palatalization

*ti is disallowed because of palatalization, a common sound shift that has occurred in many languages. An English example is the suffix "-tion", as in "motion". The /ti/ has been palatalized to /ʃ/, so it sounds like "-sion" as in "mission". For the same reason, *ti is changed to si.

Because /k/ can also be palatalized[2], many languages merge [ki ti si]. There are no ki–si minimal pairs in the 120 nimi pu, and among all commonly used words, only kin can be mistaken for sin.

wuwojiti

Disallowed
syllable 		Alternatives
*wu(n) u(n) ^ wa(n)
*wo(n) o(n) ^
*ji(n) i(n) ^ je(n)
*ti(n) si(n) te(n)
^ Word-initially

wuwojiti is a mnemonic for the disallowed syllables in Toki Pona phonotactics: *wu, *wo, *ji, *ti, and their equivalents with coda -n. Some less common nimisin flout this rule, often as a joke.

Notes

  1. ↑ Assimilation of coda -n is also responsible for words like anpa sometimes being pronounced like [ampa], and words like enko (an obscure nimisin) being pronounced like [eŋko].
    As a result, coda -n is sometimes defined as [m ~ n ~ ŋ], unlike onset n- which is strictly [n].
  2. ↑ This is why the letter C, originally /k/, now has soft and hard sounds.
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