anpa

anpa is a core content word, used as a spatial word, relating to something physically lowered, and figuratively, to the lowering of one's standing.

anpa
Pronunciation	/ˈan.pa/
Usage	2023: Core (99% → )2022: Core (99%)
Book and era	nimi pu
Part of speech	Content word
Codepoint	󱤅 U+F1905

Etymology

The word anpa is derived from Acadian French en bas, meaning "below".

Semantic space

The semantic space of anpa, when used as a spatial word, includes spaces and objects physically lowered or those below or beneath something else.

mi lon anpa supa

mi lon anpa supa.

We are under the furniture.

o anpa e luka sina

o anpa e luka sina.

Lower your hand.

Figuratively, anpa includes a lower place in a social hierarchy and submission to another entity, as in bowing or praying. This can include defeat in any sort of utala, and associated feelings like shame.

sina en mi li anpa tawa sewi

sina en mi li anpa tawa sewi.

You and I are lowly from the perspective of God.
We bow towards God.

musi sike suli la kulupu li anpa　

musi sike suli la kulupu li anpa.

At the important ball game, the team lost.

It is sometimes used to refer to south^{[citation needed]}This claim needs references to reliable sources. (Feb 2024) as downwards is the conventional direction as shown in most maps. However, this is often proscribed as it leads to ambiguity, and other words, such as seli, are more commonly used.

Difference from noka

Main article: noka vs. anpa

When used in prepositional phrases, anpa and noka may have synonymous or distinct meanings, depending on the speaker. The phrase lon anpa is more common for "at the bottom (of)".

pu

In the "Official Toki Pona Dictionary" section, the book Toki Pona: The Language of Good defines anpa as:

ADJECTIVE  bowing down, downward, humble, lowly, dependent

ku

For Toki Pona Dictionary, respondents in ma pona pi toki pona translated these English words as anpa:

down⁵81–100% of respondents, bottom⁴61–80% of respondents, lower⁴61–80% of respondents, defeat³41–60% of respondents, below³41–60% of respondents, beneath³41–60% of respondents, under²21–40% of respondents, bow²21–40% of respondents, underlying²21–40% of respondents

sitelen pona

The sitelen pona glyph for anpa (󱤅) is derived from the open box radical with a location dot placed beneath it. Compare the glyphs for other spatial words—insa, monsi, sinpin, poka, as well as the secular version of sewi.

sitelen sitelen

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Further reading

• "anpa" on lipu Linku
• "anpa" on lipu Wikipesija
• "anpa" on English Wiktionary