pi: Difference between revisions
no edit summary
(→top: marking ma pona quotes) |
No edit summary |
||
Line 1:
'''''pi''''' is a [[Particles|particle]] used for grouping [[Modifiers|modifiers]] together.
== How it works ==▼
By default, each modifier applies to the whole phrase before it<ref>Some analyze them as all applying to the first word instead, but the distinction often doesn't matter.</ref>:
:;jan pona
▲==How it works==
::good person
:;jan pona mute
::many good people
''pi''
;jan pi pona mute
:very good person
''pi'' needs to be followed by at least two [[Content words|content words]]: the new head and a modifier applying to it. If there would only be one word after it, you don't need the ''pi''.
There is no way to "close" a ''pi'' phrase. Instead, modifiers that apply to the first word should be moved before the ''pi'':
:;jan pi pana sona
::knowledge-giving person (teacher)
:;jan ike pi pana sona
::knowledge-giving bad person (bad teacher)
<references/>
== Multiple ''pi'' ==
While not defined in ''[[pu]]'', some speakers do use multiple ''pi'' in a single phrase. However, this carries a risk of ambiguity as to whether the second ''pi'' is contained within the first or not:
:;lipu pi sona mute pi toki Inli
::English much-knowledge book (is the book in English or is the knowledge about English?)
Using a single word between the ''pi'' does prevent the ambiguity, as a non-nested layout would contain an invalid single-word ''pi'' phrase. However, if you feel the need to stack this many modifiers, you might be better off rephrasing the phrase into a sentence:
:;kiwen pi soweli pi kute suli
::big-eared animal rock
:;kiwen ni li sama soweli pi kute suli
::this rock is like a big-eared animal
:;soweli pi kute suli li lawa e kiwen ni
::a big-eared animal rules over this rock
== ''pi'' and "of" ==
Some dictionaries define ''pi'' as the English word "of". This can be misleading, as not all instances of "of" translate into ''pi'':
:;toki <del>pi</del> pona
::language of good
It may be more helpful to think of every modifier as having an implied "of" before it:
:;kala utala suli
::fish of fighting of bigness
[[Category:Particles]]
|