Toki Pona: The Language of Good: Difference between revisions

|blurb='''''[[Toki Pona: The Language of Good]]''''' ('''{{tp|[[lipu pu]]}}''') is the foundational resource of modern [[Toki Pona]]. It was written by [[Sonja Lang]], finalizing her work on Toki Pona and recording her [[Styles of Toki Pona|style of speaking the language]] at the time. The book was originally published in English in 2014, with several [[Toki Pona: The Language of Good#Editions|language editions]] since.

[[File:Toki Pona books across a table.jpg|250px|thumb|Copies of ''Toki Pona: The Language of Good'' scattered on a table]]

'''''Toki Pona: The Language of Good''''', also known as '''{{tp|lipu pu}}''' or simply '''{{tp|[[pu]]}}''',<ref>{{cite ku|6}} See [[Notes on lipu pu|Notes on {{tp|lipu pu}}]].<blockquote>Technically, the word {{tp|pu}} describes the relationship and interaction between a person ({{tp|jan pu}}) and the book ({{tp|lipu pu}}). In informal usage, a number of people use {{tp|pu}} as a name for the book itself or the variety of Toki Pona presented in it.</blockquote></ref> is the foundational resource of modern [[Toki Pona]]. It was written by [[Sonja Lang]], finalizing her work on Toki Pona and recording her [[Styles of Toki Pona|style of speaking the language]] at the time.<ref>{{cite pu|7, 62}}</ref><ref>{{cite ku|5}} See [[Notes on lipu pu|Notes on {{tp|lipu pu}}]].</ref> The book was originally published in English in 2014, with several [[#Editions|language editions]] since.

''Toki Pona: The Language of Good'' opens by presenting Toki Pona's [[philosophy]], and is mostly dedicated to lessons and exercises, with texts and dictionaries afterward. As stated in the edition notice, its [[Dictionary (pu)|main dictionary section]] is released to the public domain.

The set of Toki Pona words used in {{tp|lipu pu}} is called {{tp|[[nimi pu]]}}. They include 120 main words, with 1 pronunciation variant, and 3 words [[Synonyms#"Synonyms" in pu|presented as "synonyms"]] (but used as separate words to varying degrees before and since).

The book also features two [[writing system]]s created for the language: {{tp|[[sitelen pona]]}}, which it fully describes, and the earlier {{tp|[[sitelen sitelen]]}} by [[Jonathan Gabel]].

The {{ku|en}} has since amended {{tp|pu}}<nowiki/>'s material with the section "[[Notes on lipu pu|Notes on {{tp|lipu pu}}]]", which states that {{tp|pu}} must "be a {{w|living document}}". Later editions of {{tp|pu}} integrate these amendments in footnotes and appendices.

! Contains {{tp|[[ku]]}} material?

| Sonja Lang, [[jan Pensa|Spencer van der Meulen]] ({{tok|jan Pensa}})

* [[Sonja Lang]] ({{tok|jan Sonja}}), author and creator of Toki Pona

* Yara Hindawi, illustrator and creator of the graphics in the {{tp|[[toki pona luka]]}} chapter

* [[Jonathan Gabel]], illustrator, creator of {{tp|[[sitelen sitelen]]}}, and the calligraphy in the proverbs chapter

* Peer reviewers: Christopher Huff ({{tok|jan Kowisi}}), Matthew Chrisholm ({{tok|jan Matejo}}), Joop Kiefte ({{tok|jan Mimoku}}), Michael Everson, Aaron Chapman ({{tok|jan Alono}}), John Clifford ({{tok|jan Kipo}}), Matthew Martin ({{tok|jan Mato}}), [[jan Pije|Bryant J. Knight]] ({{tok|jan Pije}}), Robert Warnke ({{tok|jan Lope}}), Sam Brenner ({{tok|jan San}}), Kobi Kai Calev ({{tok|jan Ka}}), Nizar Habash ({{tok|jan Nisa}}), and Paul Swift ({{tok|jan Po}})

Reception to ''Toki Pona: The Language of Good'' has been mostly positive. The book is widely and continually recommended as one of the best [[learning resource]]s.

Most criticism pertains to the book's [[style of Toki Pona]] diverging from [[community]] usage, which has since been amended in a [[Notes on lipu pu|freely released section]] of the following book, {{ku|en}}. [[Tokiponist]] {{tok|jan Kipo}} (John Clifford) cited {{tok|jan Sonja}}'s lack of presence in the community at the time, and criticized the addition of "fairly useless words", inclusion of "duplicate word[s]", and lack of focus on "clarify[ing] problematic points", predicting that the book "is bound to be taken as official rather than idiosyncratic".<ref>{{cite web|url=//amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q6HW5A6Q94IQ|title=Customer Review|author=Clifford, John E.|username=|date=August 21, 2014|website=Amazon|publisher=|access-date=2024-04-06|quote=}}</ref>

{{Main|pu|{{tp|pu}}}}

The word {{tp|pu}} is defined as "interacting with the official Toki Pona book". This generally refers to [[nimi pu|words]] and [[Styles of Toki Pona|ways of speaking]] that are featured in the book ''Toki Pona: The Language of Good''.

* ''[[Toki Pona Dictionary]]''

* {{tp|[[lipu su]]}}

[[Category:pu| ]]