lawa

lawa
Pronunciation	/ˈla.wa/ 🔊 🔊
Usage	2023: Core (99% → )2022: Core (99%)
Book and era	nimi pu
Part of speech	Content word
Codepoint	󱤤 U+F1924

lawa is a core content word relating to the head and mind, and to parts controlling the whole.

Etymology

The word lawa is derived from Serbo-Croatian глава / glava, meaning "head".

Semantic space

The semantic space of lawa includes the head and the abstract concept of the mind. When used figuratively, lawa refers to a part which controls the whole, as well the act or instance of controlling. Compare the other senses of the English word head, as in head of the department or to head a project.

jan lawa li wawa

jan lawa li wawa.

The leader is powerful.

lawa mi li lawa e mi

lawa mi li lawa e mi.

My head controls me.

According to the monsutatesu, the word lawa when used as a transitive verb can have two opposite definitions: "to control (something)" and "to put (something) in charge". This was first noted by ike Pike before 2021.

pu

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

NOUN  head, mind
VERB  to control, direct, guide, lead, own, plan, regulate, rule

ku

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

govern⁵81–100% of respondents, head⁵81–100% of respondents, authority⁴61–80% of respondents, control⁴61–80% of respondents, ruling⁴61–80% of respondents, regulatory⁴61–80% of respondents, leading⁴61–80% of respondents, manage⁴61–80% of respondents, administrative⁴61–80% of respondents, leadership⁴61–80% of respondents, rule³41–60% of respondents, law³41–60% of respondents, lead³41–60% of respondents, management³41–60% of respondents, legal³41–60% of respondents, enforce³41–60% of respondents, oversee³41–60% of respondents, judicial³41–60% of respondents, mind³41–60% of respondents, conduct³41–60% of respondents, official³41–60% of respondents, regulate³41–60% of respondents, brain³41–60% of respondents, policy³41–60% of respondents, administer³41–60% of respondents, regulation²21–40% of respondents, executive²21–40% of respondents, cognitive²21–40% of respondents, guide²21–40% of respondents, drive²21–40% of respondents, mandate²21–40% of respondents, ownership²21–40% of respondents, administration²21–40% of respondents, government²21–40% of respondents, command²21–40% of respondents, dominate²21–40% of respondents, psychological²21–40% of respondents, institutional²21–40% of respondents, legislation²21–40% of respondents, jurisdiction²21–40% of respondents, main²21–40% of respondents, regime²21–40% of respondents

sitelen pona

The sitelen pona glyph for lawa (󱤤) depicts a head wearing a cap, usually drawn with the brim facing the right.

sitelen sitelen

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Further reading

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