Profanity: Difference between revisions

'''Profanity''' is the use of offensive or obscene words for a variety of purposes, often to express strong emotions, as a grammatical intensifier, or to express informality. While Toki Pona does not have any defined profanity, many words in Toki Pona are sometimes translated to other languages as profanity, and ''[[nimi sin]]'' for profanity exists.{{citation needed|do notable ones actually exist?}}

* {{tp|ike}} -— when something generally bad happens

* {{tp|jaki}} -— when something displeasant happens

* {{tp|pakala}} -— when something doesn't go as planned or breaks

* {{tp|a}} -— as a general reaction to anything

* {{tp|mu}} -— to voice an unwordy response out of frustration

* {{tp|kala}} -— for when your hovercraft is filled with too many eels

== Profanity in official Toki Pona books ==

=== ''{{tp|jaki'' }}===

In ''[[Toki Pona Dictionary|lipu ku]]'', "''{{tp|jaki''"}} is translated as "crap" with a frequency score of three (41-6041–60% of participants), and as "shit" and "bullshit" with a frequency of 2 (21- 4021–40% of participants)<ref name=":0ku">[[jan Sonja|Lang, Sonja]] (2021). . Illustrated by [[Vacon Sartirani]]. ''Tawhid''. <nowiki>ISBN 978-0978292362</nowiki>.</ref>

=== ''{{tp|pakala'' }}===

In ''[[Toki Pona Dictionary|lipu ku]]'', "''{{tp|pakala''"}} is translated as "damn", "goddamn", and "heck" with a frequency score of four (61-8061–80% of participants), as "fuck" and "fucking" with a frequency of 3 (41- 6041–60% of participants), and as "crap" with a frequency of 2 (21-4021–40%).<ref name=":0ku" />

=== {{tp|unpa }}===

In ''[[Toki Pona Dictionary|lipu ku]]'', "{{tp|unpa''"}} is translated as "fucking" with a frequency of 3 (41- 6041–60% of participants), and "fuck" with a frequency of 2 (21-40%).<ref name=":0ku" /> Because "fucking" and "fuck" are being used to mean sexual relations and not as swears, some may argue these uses are not profanity. In addition, {{tp|unpa}} is not seen as a taboo word compared to how {{lang|en|''fuck}}'' is taboo over {{lang|en|sex}}.