epiku

From sona pona, the Toki Pona wiki
Caution: The subject of this article is just for fun. It might not be meant or appropriate for serious use.
epiku in sitelen pona
epiku in sitelen sitelen
Pronunciation /ˈe.pi.ku/
Usage 2024: Uncommon (50% ↘︎ )2023: Uncommon4, Common6 (53% ↗︎ )2022: Uncommon (44%)
Book and era nimi ku suli (post-pu)
Part of speech Content word
Codepoint 󱦃 U+F1983

epiku is an uncommon joke word and nimi ku suli meaning "epic".

Etymology[edit | edit source]

The word epiku is derived from French épique (/epik/, "epic"). According to the Toki Pona Dictionary, the person who coined this word is unknown.[1] However, Linku credits jan Jan and jan Peche coining it in 2019.

Semantic space[edit | edit source]

The semantic space of epiku includes epicness, coolness, and awesomeness. It is equivalent in meaning to pona a.

Extensions[edit | edit source]

There have been attempts to use epiku to mean epic as in "awe-inspiring, grand in scale". This may not be widely understood due to the word's facetious, informal connotation.

ku[edit | edit source]

For Toki Pona Dictionary, respondents in ma pona pi toki pona translated these English words as epiku:[2]

epic3, awesome2, amazing2

sitelen pona[edit | edit source]

The most commonly used sitelen pona glyph for epiku (󱦃) is derived[by whom? when?] from the glyph for pona, with emitters above.

A previously popular glyph for epiku depicts an arrow pointing upwards (epiku), and is now often considered obsolete. It was included in the linja sike font,[citation needed] and subsequently in version 4.9 of linja pona.[3] Nowadays this glyph is often proscribed, because it looks identical to a directional variant of ni, and may cause confusion if used to write epiku. However, it is still used by some groups of speakers, both inside and outside of ma pona pi toki pona.[4]

Uniquely in the font linja lipamanka and linja suwi, the glyph for epiku (epiku) is a depiction of the Awesome Face meme, also known as the Epic Smiley.[5] This glyph appears to be used humorously or disparagingly.

sitelen sitelen[edit | edit source]

The sitelen sitelen word glyph for epiku is based on an upside-down pona glyph (pona) made to resemble a phonetic k container (K). It contains a spiky element taken from wawa (wawa), a phonetic radical for e (E), and a smiling line from musi (musi). It was designed by lon Jawin, jan Pensa, and jan Saki.[6]

Related words[edit | edit source]

awesome[edit | edit source]

Pronunciation /ˈa.we.so.me/
Usage 2024: N/ACaution: This word has not been surveyed for. Most speakers likely don't understand it.
Book and era No book
Part of speech Content word
Under construction: This section is empty. You can help us by adding to it.

kulijo[edit | edit source]

Pronunciation /ˈku.li.jo//j/ sounds like English Y, as in "fjord" or "hallelujah".
Usage 2024: Obscure (8% ↗︎ )Caution: Most speakers don't understand this word.2023: Obscure (7% ↗︎ )2022: Obscure (6%)
Book and era nimi ku lili (post-pu)
Part of speech Content word

kulijo is an obscure joke word and nimi ku lili similar to epiku, used to casually express appreciation or acknowledgement, similarly to—and derived from—English coolio. It was coined in 2020 by jan pakala in the ma pona pi toki pona community, originally deemed a typo of likujo, and it was spread by kala pona Tonyu.[7]

ale li kulijo 

ale li kulijo.

Everything is coolio.

According to an informal poll in 2023 by waso Keli, kulijo is often deemed more intense than epiku by the majority of speakers who use this word, however it is less intense for most of those who do not.[8]

A proposed sitelen pona glyph for kulijo (kulijo) is derived from the glyph for lete (lete) with emitters, calquing the informal sense of English cool.

poku[edit | edit source]

Pronunciation /ˈpo.ku/
Usage 2024: N/ACaution: This word has not been surveyed for. Most speakers likely don't understand it.
Book and era No book
Part of speech Content word

poku is a joke word relating to excitement and hype. It is derived from the English word pogU, and was coined by kili peemlueq in 2020.[9]

potesu[edit | edit source]

Pronunciation /ˈpo.te.su/
Usage 2024: N/ACaution: This word has not been surveyed for. Most speakers likely don't understand it.2022: Obscure (0%)
Book and era No book
Part of speech Content word
Under construction: This section is empty. You can help us by adding to it.

sikomo[edit | edit source]

Pronunciation /ˈsi.ko.mo/
Usage 2024: N/ACaution: This word has not been surveyed for. Most speakers likely don't understand it.2023: Obscure (2% ↗︎ )2022: Obscure (1%)
Book and era No book (post-pu)
Part of speech Content word

sikomo is an obscure post-pu nimi sin similar to epiku, meaning "on a higher tier/plane, enlighten(ed), epic; to an exceedingly great extent". It is a reference to the Travis Scott song "Sicko Mode", and was coined by jan Lija and jan Wesu in 2019.

A proposed sitelen pona glyph for sikomo (sikomo) consists of the upper halves of two concentric circles. It is possibly meant to symbolize a higher plane, or perhaps meant to depict a rainbow, referencing the rainbow colors on the cover art of the Sicko Mode single.

It was designed by nimi Elemenopi in July 2020.[10][11]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. Lang, Sonja. (18 July 2021). Toki Pona Dictionary. Illustrated by Vacon Sartirani. Tawhid. ISBN 978-0978292362. p. 24.
  2. Lang, Sonja. (18 July 2021). Toki Pona Dictionary. Illustrated by Vacon Sartirani. Tawhid. ISBN 978-0978292362. p. 205.
  3. James Flear (jan Same). "linja pona". musi lili. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  4. waso Keli [@kelly.hi]. (23 October 2023). Message in #sona-kulupu. ma pona pi toki pona. Discord. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
    Do you use the word epiku and which sitelen pona glyph do you use for it?
    Option Votes
    I use the word epiku and use the pona-with-emitters glyph 21
    I use the word epiku and use the directional-ni glyph 7
    I don't use the word epiku and use the pona-with-emitters glyph 43
    I don't use the word epiku and use the directional-ni glyph 2
  5. "Awesome Face / Epic Smiley". Know Your Meme. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  6. Gabel, Jonathan. (5 September 2021). "Designing glyphs - sitelen suwi pi nimi ku suli". jonathangabel.com. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  7. jan pakala. (7 August 2020). Message in #toki-pona. ma pona pi toki pona. Discord. Retrieved 28 December 2023.}}
  8. waso Keli [@kelly.hi]. (21 October 2023). Message in #sona-kulupu. ma pona pi toki pona. Discord. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
    Do you use the word kulijo and, to you, what does the word mean?
    Option Votes
    I use the word kulijo and it means "very good" 9
    I use the word kulijo and it means "a little good" 3
    I don't use the word kulijo and it means "very good" 18
    I don't use the word kulijo and it means "a little good" 52
  9. kili peemlueq [@kilipeemlueq]. (16 May 2020). Message in #toki-ale. ma pona pi toki pona. Discord. "poku
    n. excitement, hype
    v. excite, hype
    adj. exciting, hypable, hyped
    from Twitch "pogU"".
  10. nimi Elemenopi [u/ElemenopiTheSequel]. (26 July 2020). "I made a sitelen pona glyph for every non-pu word in the "nimi ale pona" dictionary". r/tokipona. Reddit. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  11. nimi Elemenopi [u/ElemenopiTheSequel]. (15 August 2020). "Here are the official glyphs for the 1b words in the NA". r/OffThePu. Reddit. Retrieved 15 August 2024. "[Key: black] = original, made by me".

Further reading[edit | edit source]