inta
| Pronunciation | /ˈin |
|---|---|
| Usage | 2023: Not notable (0%) Most speakers don't understand this word.
|
| Book and era | No book |
| Part of speech | Semiparticle |
inta is a marginal semiparticle roughly meaning "at least" or "definitely", and "actually".
Etymology[edit | edit source]
The word inta is derived from Portuguese ainda, used to indicate something that has yet to change ("still, yet, someday, only~just") or meaning "at least", "even", or "besides". inta was coined by ilo Powa in 2022.
Function[edit | edit source]
inta is coordinate in usage with kin and taso.
As a modifier, inta specifies a minimum level of information that the speaker has about a situation. It indicates definite knowledge of the head or phrase before, but uncertainty about other things that could fill its place in the sentence.[1]
sina toki tawa ona inta.[1]
You talk to at least them.
sina inta li toki tawa ona.[1]
You, at minimum, talk to them (but I have no idea whether anyone else does).
In standard Toki Pona, one way to express this is by stating the parenthesized part of the translation explicitly:
sina toki tawa ona. taso mi sona ala e ni: jan ante li toki anu (li) toki ala.
You talk to them. But I don't know this: other people talk or don't talk.
sina en jan ante ken li toki tawa ona.
You and possible other people talk to them.
Sentence-initial use[edit | edit source]
As a conjunction, inta roughly means "actually", or perhaps the conjunctive sense of "that is, …". It introduces an amendment or clarification,[1] specifying more accurate or precise information than previously given.
mi toki tawa kulupu sin. inta, mi toki tawa ijo wan a pi kulupu sin, a a a.[1]
I talked to a new group (of people). Actually, I talked to a person in the new group, haha.
In standard Toki Pona, lon la ("in truth,") can be used for roughly the same meaning.
According to Linku, inta can also mean "still, yet, even", much like the word it was derived from.
References[edit | edit source]
Further reading[edit | edit source]
- "inta" on lipu Linku