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{{Wikipedia}}
{{Wikipedia}}
A '''preposition''' is a type of [[content word]] used to express spatial or temporal relations or to mark various {{w|semantic role}}s.<ref>{{cite web|author=jan Juli|title=nasin toki pona: how to use prepositions|url=https://github.com/kilipan/nasin-toki#how-to-use-prepositions|website=GitHub|date=2022-09-23|access-date=2023-11-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=jan Kekan San|title=Prepositions and Context|url=https://mun.la/sona/preps.html|website=mun.la|access-dare=2023-11-16}}</ref> The phrase formed by a preposition together and the {{w|complement}} that follows it is called a '''prepositional phrase'''. In [[Toki Pona]], the words that can act as prepositions are {{tp|[[kepeken]]}}, {{tp|[[lon]]}}, {{tp|[[sama]]}}, {{tp|[[tan]]}}, and {{tp|[[tawa]]}}.
A '''preposition''' is a type of [[content word]] used to express spatial or temporal relations or to mark various {{w|semantic role}}s.<ref>{{cite web|author=jan Juli|title=nasin toki pona: how to use prepositions|url=https://github.com/kilipan/nasin-toki#how-to-use-prepositions|website=GitHub|date=2022-09-23|access-date=2023-11-16}}</ref> The phrase formed by a preposition together and the {{w|complement}} that follows it is called a '''prepositional phrase'''.


==Function==
Prepositions can be difficult to grasp for multiple reasons: these words have specific meanings depending on whether they are being used as prepositions or as [[transitive verb]]s. In terms of grammar, it is often ambiguous whether a word is being used as a preposition or as a simple [[modifier]].
A prepositional phrase gives context to the predicate or subject of the sentence. They describe the location, cause, purpose, quality, or means of the action, actor, or acted-upon. [[Toki Pona]]'s prepositions are {{tp|[[kepeken]]}}, {{tp|[[lon]]}}, {{tp|[[sama]]}}, {{tp|[[tan]]}}, and {{tp|[[tawa]]}}. A prepositional phrase need not follow another verb: it can be a predicate on its own.

{{Example
|mi sitelen e ni <mark>kepeken toki lili</mark>.<ref>{{cite web|author=jan pali pi lipu kule|title=tan suli lipu li seme?|website=lipu kule|url=https://lipukule.org/post/2021/01/24/tan-suli-lipu-li-seme/|urldate=2024-01-16|date=2021-01-24}}</ref>
|I wrote this <mark>by means of few words.</mark>
|mi sitelen e ni <mark>kepeken toki lili </mark>.
}}

{{Example
|kala li weka <mark>tan poka ma</mark> li <mark>lon noka telo</mark>.<ref>{{cite web|author=Joshua Edward|title=waso suli|website=lipu sitelen mi|date=2021-04-04|url=https://rumineleon.wordpress.com/lipu-sitelen-mi-pi-toki-pona/|urldate=2024-01-16}}</ref>
|The fish went away <mark>from the shore</mark> and is <mark>in the bottom of the water.</mark>
|kala li weka <mark>tan poka ma </mark> li <mark>lon noka telo </mark>.
}}

⚫
Like [[preverb]]s, prepositions are most often [[modifier|modified]] by a limited group of [[semiparticles]].

{{Example
|jan nasin li wile pona e lawa ona <mark>lon ala</mark> poka jan.<ref>{{cite web|title=pilin utala|website=lipu sitelen mi pi toki pona|author=Joshua Edward|url=https://rumineleon.wordpress.com/lipu-sitelen-mi-pi-toki-pona/|urldate=2024-01-16}}</ref>
|A sage wanted to repair their head away from ({{lit|not next to}}) people.
|jan nasin li wile pona e lawa ona <mark>lon ala </mark> poka jan.
}}

{{Example
|mu sina li ike li <mark>sama ala</mark> mu pi mi ale.<ref>{{cite web|author=ijo tan anpa nanpa|title=mu namako|date=2023|website=utala pona|url=http://utala.pona.la/toki-en-lipu/toki-lili.html#mu-namako|urldate=2024-01-16}}</ref>
|Your moo is bad and <mark>unlike</mark> our moo.
|mu sina li ike li <mark>sama ala </mark> mu pi mi ale.
}}

All of [[Toki Pona]]'s prepositions are also [[content words]]. This can lead to ambiguities, where a sentence means two different things depending on whether the word is interpreted as a preposition or a content word.

{{Example
|mi pana e tomo <mark>tawa</mark> sina.<ref>{{cite web|author=Nikita Ayzikovsky|website=Toki Pona Forums|url=http://forums.tokipona.org/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=32#p68|urldate=2024-01-16|date=2002-05-28|title=every day words}}</ref>
|I give you a house. ({{tp|tawa}} is a preposition.) <br>I brought your car. ({{tp|tawa}} is a content word.)
⚫
|mi pana e tomo <mark>tawa </mark> sina.
}}


==Prepositions vs. transitive verbs==
==Prepositions vs. transitive verbs==
{{Needs work||section}}
{{Needs work|Potentially move to [[kepeken e]]?}}
[[File:tawae.png|300px|thumb|Difference between the phrases {{tp|mi tawa tomo}} and {{tp|mi tawa e tomo}}.]]
[[File:tawae.png|300px|thumb|Difference between the phrases {{tp|mi tawa tomo}} and {{tp|mi tawa e tomo}}.]]


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}}
}}


{{Example
==Modifiers==
|tan ma tomo Pape la jan sewi Jawe li tawa e jan tawa ma mute.
⚫
Like [[preverb]]s, prepositions are most often [[modifier|modified]] by a limited group of [[semiparticles]].
|from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.<ref>[https://archive.ph/yuYp1/]Religious Texts translated by Sonja Lang</ref>
|tan ma tomo [palisa anpa pakala esun] la jan sewi [jo ale wile e] li tawa e jan tawa ma mute.
}}

==Expanded syntax==
{{Start section|Nonstandard}}
Generally, prepositional phrases can come after the direct object, stand directly after the verb if there is no direct object, or be a predicate all their own.<ref>{{cite web|author=jan Kekan San|title=Prepositions and Context|url=https://mun.la/sona/preps.html|website=mun.la|access-dare=2023-11-16}}</ref> Occasionally they appear before a direct object,


{{Example
{{Example
|jan Puta li pana <mark>tawa mi</mark> e mi. ona li pana <mark>tawa mi</mark> e jan Sitata.<ref>Hermann Hesse (tr. jan Kala), ''jan Sitata'' (2022), https://wikisource.org/wiki/Jan_Sitata/lipu_nanpa_wan/jan_Kotama</ref>
|ona li tawa [[ala]] telo.
|He has given me Siddhartha, myself.<ref>Hermann Hesse, ''Siddhartha'' (1922) https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2499</ref>
|They don't go to the water.
|jan [P U T A] li pana <mark>tawa mi </mark> e mi · ona li pana <mark>tawa mi </mark> e jan [S I T A T A]
|ona li tawa [[ala|ala ]]<nowiki />telo
}}
}}


==Ambiguity==
Because prepositions are not marked with any [[particle]] in standard Toki Pona, they are a bit ambiguous. For example, in {{tp|ona li tawa telo}}, {{tp|tawa telo}} can be taken as a prepositional phrase ("toward water"), or a noun phrase ("the going of water"; "fluid motion") if {{tp|telo}} is taken as a modifier.


as a modifier,
==Word order==
{{Needs work|Explain the reasoning behind this style|section}}
Some speakers limit prepositions to the end of a sentence, while some apply it freely.


{{Example
Example of a free preposition placement:{{Example
|waso <mark>lon</mark> telo li pilin musi.
|waso <mark>lon telo</mark> li pilin musi.
|The ducklings <mark>in</mark> the pond are having fun.
|The ducklings <mark>in the pond</mark> are having fun.
|waso <mark>lon telo </mark> li pilin musi
|
}}
}}However, this could also mean:{{Example

|The existing water ducklings are having fun.

|
or in a pi phrase.
|
|from=en}}
⚫
==Transitive prepositional phrases==
Some speakers allow an entire prepositional phrase to be used as a [[transitive verb]] followed by {{tp|[[e]]}}.


This can be thought of in the same way as a normal transitive verb. In the sentence {{tp|<var>A</var> li <var>prep</var> <var>B</var> e <var>C</var>}}, the subject <var>A</var> causes the direct object <var>C</var> to become <var>C</var> <var>prep</var> <var>B</var>.
{{Example
{{Example
|mi toki tawa ilo <mark>pi lon poka mi</mark>.<ref>{{cite web|author=jan Kepe|title=Nasi|date=2023|website=utala pona|url=http://utala.pona.la/toki-en-lipu/lipu-suli/nasi.html}}</ref>
⚫
|ona li <mark>tawa telo</mark> e waso.
|I spoke to the tool that was next to me.
|It <mark>moves</mark> birds <mark>to the liquid</mark>.<br />They <mark>sent</mark> a bird <mark>to the water</mark>.
|ona li <mark>tawa telo </mark>e waso
|mi toki tawa ilo <mark>pi(lon poka mi) </mark>
}}
}}
{{End section}}

⚫
==Transitive prepositional phrases==
{{Start section|Nonstandard}}
Some speakers allow an entire prepositional phrase to be used as a [[transitive]] verb. The prepositional phrase then applies to the [[direct object]] introduced by {{tp|[[e]]}}, instead of the [[subject]].<ref>{{cite web |url=//mun.la/sona/trans-preps |title=Transitive Prepositional Phrases |author={{tok|[[jan Kekan San]]}} |date= |website={{tok|mun.la}} |access-date=2024-05-20}}</ref> See [[kepeken e]] for more information.

{{Example
{{Example
|kasi li <mark>lon ma ale</mark> e kon pona.
|kasi li <mark>lon ma ale</mark> e kon pona.
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|kasi li <mark>lon ma ale </mark>e kon pona
|kasi li <mark>lon ma ale </mark>e kon pona
}}
}}

{{Example
|mi <mark>tawa tomo pali nanpa luka tu tu pi kulupu Nokasi</mark> e sina.<ref>jan Kepe, ''Nasi'' (utala pona: 2023) http://utala.pona.la/toki-en-lipu/lipu-suli/nasi.html.</ref>
|I will take you to Nokasi Corp. office number nine.
|mi <mark>tawa tomo pali nanpa luka tu tu pi kulupu [N O K A S I] </mark> e sina.
}}
{{End section}}


==Table of prepositions==
==Table of prepositions==
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|using
|using
|to use
|to use
|style="background:#ececec;"| (''controversial'') see {{tp|[[kepeken e]]}}''
|{{partial|align=left|(''controversial'') see {{tp|[[kepeken e]]}}}}
|to make <span style="opacity:0.5;"><var>B</var></span> use <span style="opacity:0.5;"><var>A</var></span>
|to make <span style="opacity:0.5;"><var>B</var></span> use <span style="opacity:0.5;"><var>A</var></span>
|-
|-
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|from
|from
|to be/come from
|to be/come from
|(''rare'') to blame
|{{partial|align=left|(''rare'') to attribute to}}
|to make <span style="opacity:0.5;"><var>B</var></span> be/come from <span style="opacity:0.5;"><var>A</var></span>
|to make <span style="opacity:0.5;"><var>B</var></span> be/come from <span style="opacity:0.5;"><var>A</var></span>
|-
|-

Latest revision as of 19:03, 20 May 2024

English Wikipedia has an article on
Prepositions.

A preposition is a type of content word used to express spatial or temporal relations or to mark various semantic roles.[1] The phrase formed by a preposition together and the complement that follows it is called a prepositional phrase.

Function[edit | edit source]

A prepositional phrase gives context to the predicate or subject of the sentence. They describe the location, cause, purpose, quality, or means of the action, actor, or acted-upon. Toki Pona's prepositions are kepeken, lon, sama, tan, and tawa. A prepositional phrase need not follow another verb: it can be a predicate on its own.

mi sitelen e ni kepeken toki lili .

mi sitelen e ni kepeken toki lili.[2]

I wrote this by means of few words.

kala li weka tan poka ma li lon noka telo .

kala li weka tan poka ma li lon noka telo.[3]

The fish went away from the shore and is in the bottom of the water.

Like preverbs, prepositions are most often modified by a limited group of semiparticles.

jan nasin li wile pona e lawa ona lon ala poka jan.

jan nasin li wile pona e lawa ona lon ala poka jan.[4]

A sage wanted to repair their head away from (lit. 'not next to') people.

mu sina li ike li sama ala mu pi mi ale.

mu sina li ike li sama ala mu pi mi ale.[5]

Your moo is bad and unlike our moo.

All of Toki Pona's prepositions are also content words. This can lead to ambiguities, where a sentence means two different things depending on whether the word is interpreted as a preposition or a content word.

mi pana e tomo tawa sina.

mi pana e tomo tawa sina.[6]

I give you a house. (tawa is a preposition.)
I brought your car. (tawa is a content word.)

Prepositions vs. transitive verbs[edit | edit source]

Under construction This article needs work:

Potentially move to kepeken e?

If you know about this topic, you can help us by editing it. (See all)
Difference between the phrases mi tawa tomo and mi tawa e tomo.

In the sentence A li B e C, the subject A causes the direct object C to become C B.

So, in the sentence ona li tawa e telo, the subject ona causes the telo ("water") to become telo tawa ("going water"); the sentence translates as "They move the water".

In ona li tawa telo, the word tawa instead acts as a preposition. Given that tawa telo is a prepositional phrase meaning "toward water", this sentence translates as "They go to the water".

For another example:

kasi li lon ma ale

kasi li lon ma ale.

Plants exist at all of the land.
Plants are everywhere.

kasi li lon e ma ale

kasi li lon e ma ale.

Plants cause all the land to exist.
Plants created the Earth.

tan ma tomo [palisa anpa pakala esun] la jan sewi [jo ale wile e] li tawa e jan tawa ma mute.

tan ma tomo Pape la jan sewi Jawe li tawa e jan tawa ma mute.

from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.[7]

Expanded syntax[edit | edit source]

Caution: The subject of this section is nonstandard and will not be understood by most speakers.
If you are a learner, this information will not help you speak the language. It is recommended to familiarize yourself with the standard style, and to be informed and selective about which nonstandard styles you adopt.

Generally, prepositional phrases can come after the direct object, stand directly after the verb if there is no direct object, or be a predicate all their own.[8] Occasionally they appear before a direct object,

jan [P U T A] li pana tawa mi e mi · ona li pana tawa mi e jan [S I T A T A]

jan Puta li pana tawa mi e mi. ona li pana tawa mi e jan Sitata.[10]

He has given me Siddhartha, myself.[9]


as a modifier,

waso lon telo li pilin musi

waso lon telo li pilin musi.

The ducklings in the pond are having fun.


or in a pi phrase.

mi toki tawa ilo pi(lon poka mi)

mi toki tawa ilo pi lon poka mi.[11]

I spoke to the tool that was next to me.

Transitive prepositional phrases[edit | edit source]

Caution: The subject of this section is nonstandard and will not be understood by most speakers.
If you are a learner, this information will not help you speak the language. It is recommended to familiarize yourself with the standard style, and to be informed and selective about which nonstandard styles you adopt.

Some speakers allow an entire prepositional phrase to be used as a transitive verb. The prepositional phrase then applies to the direct object introduced by e, instead of the subject.[12] See kepeken e for more information.

kasi li lon ma ale e kon pona

kasi li lon ma ale e kon pona.

Plants cause good air to exist at all of the land.

mi tawa tomo pali nanpa luka tu tu pi kulupu [N O K A S I] e sina.

mi tawa tomo pali nanpa luka tu tu pi kulupu Nokasi e sina.[13]

I will take you to Nokasi Corp. office number nine.

Table of prepositions[edit | edit source]

Word Sense
Preposition
prep ijo 		Intransitive preposition
li prep ijo 		Transitive verb
li prep e ijo 		Transitive preposition
li prep A e B
kepeken using to use (controversial) see kepeken e to make B use A
lon at/in/on to exist at/in/on to create to make B be at/in/on A
sama like to be like to make alike to liken B to A
tan from to be/come from (rare) to attribute to to make B be/come from A
tawa toward to go to to move to move B to A

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ jan Juli. (23 September 2022). "nasin toki pona: how to use prepositions". GitHub. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  2. ↑ jan pali pi lipu kule. (24 January 2021). "tan suli lipu li seme?". lipu kule.
  3. ↑ Joshua Edward. (4 April 2021). "waso suli". lipu sitelen mi.
  4. ↑ Joshua Edward. "pilin utala". lipu sitelen mi pi toki pona.
  5. ↑ ijo tan anpa nanpa. (2 July 2023). "mu namako". utala pona.
  6. ↑ Nikita Ayzikovsky. (28 May 2002). "every day words". Toki Pona Forums.
  7. ↑ [1]Religious Texts translated by Sonja Lang
  8. ↑ jan Kekan San. "Prepositions and Context". mun.la.
  9. ↑ Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha (1922) https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2499
  10. ↑ Hermann Hesse (tr. jan Kala), jan Sitata (2022), https://wikisource.org/wiki/Jan_Sitata/lipu_nanpa_wan/jan_Kotama
  11. ↑ jan Kepe. (2 July 2023). "Nasi". utala pona.
  12. ↑ jan Kekan San. "Transitive Prepositional Phrases". mun.la. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  13. ↑ jan Kepe, Nasi (utala pona: 2023) http://utala.pona.la/toki-en-lipu/lipu-suli/nasi.html.
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