Preverb marking: Difference between revisions

'''Preverb marking''' is an experimental {{tp|nasin}} for ''{{tp|[[toki pona]]''}} that allows speakers to explicitly separate the [[Preverb|preverbs]] of a sentence from the main [[predicate]], often using a {{tp|nimisin}}. This makes preverbs a grammatical position rather than a lexical class, allowing for the usage of all [[Content words|content wordsword]]s as descriptors for a main state or process.

''{{tp|ta''}} and ''{{tp|ni''}} are established options for a preverb-marking particle in ''toki pona''. Both work the same in practice, but one might be preferred to another in a given ''{{tp|nasin''}} based off of disambiguation or intuitiveness. Similarly to ''{{tp|[[e]]''}}, ''ta''the andmeaning ''ni''resulting varyfrom inuse theirof meaning{{tp|ta}} and {{tp|ni}} varies depending on the type of word included in the preverb phrase.

For ''<em>transitive words''</em> (such as ''{{tp|alasa''}}, where the object is the ''<em>patient''</em> of the predicate), preverb phrases affect the main predicate by treating a preverb as a layer over the main predicate:<blockquote>mi utala ta toki e ni. → mi utala e ni: mi toki e ni. → ''I resist saying that.''</blockquote>For ''intransitive words'' (such as ''ken'', where the object is made to be or do the predicate), the preverb phrase affects the main predicate by specifying the preverb word:<blockquote>jan mute li nasin ni tawa tomo pali. → jan mute li nasin ni: [jan mute li] tawa tomo pali. → ''Many people have a habit/duty of going to work.''</blockquote>Similarly to traditional preverbs, the order of words in a preverb phrase can greatly impact the meaning of the final message by changing the ordering of levels. Additionally, ''ala'' retains its usage of negating preverbs in a preverb phrase.