kala
  | |
| Pronunciation | /ˈka |
|---|---|
| Usage | 2023: Core (99% → )2022: Core (99%) |
| Book and era | nimi pu |
| Part of speech | Content word |
| Codepoint | U+F1914 |
| Part of a series on |
| Core words |
| Widespread words |
| Nonstandard animal words |
kala is a core content word relating to aquatic animals.
Etymology[edit | edit source]
The word kala is derived from Finnish kala ("fish").[1]
Semantic space[edit | edit source]
The semantic space of kala includes aquatic and semiaquatic animals, including fish and all other creatures that tend to swim.[2]
mi alasa e kalami alasa e kala.
We went fishing.
Some speakers humorously extend kala to refer to anything that is in the water at a given moment. For example, someone bathing or showering can be described as kala,[2] and leaving to do so may prompt the interjection kala pona ("enjoy your swim"). By extension, kala may be used as a verb meaning "to swim". waso has a similar humorous use to refer to anything airborne.
pu[edit | edit source]
In the "Official Toki Pona Dictionary" section, the book Toki Pona: The Language of Good defines kala as:
NOUN fish, marine animal, sea creature
ku[edit | edit source]
For Toki Pona Dictionary, respondents in ma pona pi toki pona translated these English words as kala:[3]
fish5, sea creature5, salmon4
sitelen pona[edit | edit source]
The sitelen pona glyph for kala () represents a fish. It is written in one stroke as a self-intersecting loop. It is typically drawn facing right, but is permissible in either direction. The shape is comparable to the Greek letter alpha, or an ichthys (which instead usually consists of 2 arcs).
The glyph is sometimes drawn with two eye dots inside (kala) to make it consistent with other animal words (akesi, pipi, soweli, kijetesantakalu, and waso). According to lipamanka, this variant is a multiple invention.[4]
sitelen sitelen[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "Word Origins". tokipona.org. Archived from the original on 8 August 2002.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 lipamanka. "toki pona dictionary". lipamanka.gay.
- ↑ Lang, Sonja. (18 July 2021). Toki Pona Dictionary. Illustrated by Vacon Sartirani. Tawhid. ISBN 978-0978292362. p. 235.
- ↑ lipamanka [@lipamanka]. (21 June 2024). Message in
#unicode. ma pi nasin sitelen. Discord. Retrieved 25 June 2024. "kala (eyes) - this one was also coined separately several times".
Further reading[edit | edit source]
- "kala" on lipu Linku
- "kala" on lipu Wikipesija
- "kala" on English Wiktionary