Lexicalization: Difference between revisions

''[[{{pu]]''}} presents a car as an example against lexicalization. To a passenger, a car might be ''tomo tawa'' ("moving room")<ref group="note">Ironically, ''tomo tawa'' [[Common lexicalizations|has become semi-lexicalized]] anyway.</ref>. To its driver, it might be ''ilo tawa'' ("going tool"). To a pedestrian that the car hit, it might be ''kiwen tawa'' ("moving hard-thing") or ''kiwen utala''<ref>Roc Morin. "[//theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/07/toki-pona-smallest-language/398363 How to Say Everything in a Hundred-Word Language.]" ''The Atlantic''. 15 July 2015. "‘What is a car?’ Lang mused recently via phone from her home in Toronto. / ‘You might say that a car is a space that's used for movement,’ she proposed. ‘That would be ''tomo tawa''. If you’re struck by a car though, it might be a hard object that’s hitting me. That’s ''kiwen utala''.’"</ref> ("hitting hard-thing"). Beyond these examples, a parked car might not be ''tawa'' at all, but ''awen'' ("staying"). You can refer to a car by any phrase as long as you've established the appropriate context.