len

len
Pronunciation	/len/
Usage	2023: Core (99% → )2022: Core (99%)
Book and era	nimi pu
Part of speech	Content word
Codepoint	󱤥 U+F1925

len is a core content word relating to clothing, fabrics, and cover.

Etymology

The word len is derived from Acadian French linge ("clothing"), pronounced /lɛ̃ʒ/ in jan Sonja's idiolect.

Semantic space

Usage of len to mean "to cover" in an earthquake preparedness poster

The semantic space of len includes clothing and fabrics. By extension, it refers to covering, layers to privacy, and hiding. Other pieces of body adornment, such as jewelry, are not considered part of the semantic space of len by all speakers.

pu

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

NOUN  cloth, clothing, fabric, textile; cover, layer of privacy

ku

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

clothing⁵81–100% of respondents, cloth⁵81–100% of respondents, clothes⁵81–100% of respondents, fabric⁵81–100% of respondents, outfit⁴61–80% of respondents, privacy⁴61–80% of respondents, cover⁴61–80% of respondents, dress³41–60% of respondents, jacket³41–60% of respondents, wear³41–60% of respondents, shirt³41–60% of respondents, t-shirt²21–40% of respondents, hide²21–40% of respondents, blanket²21–40% of respondents, cotton²21–40% of respondents, private²21–40% of respondents, wrap²21–40% of respondents, costume²21–40% of respondents, silk²21–40% of respondents, suit (n)²21–40% of respondents, hidden²21–40% of respondents, underwear²21–40% of respondents, canvas²21–40% of respondents, coverage²21–40% of respondents, flag²21–40% of respondents

sitelen pona

The sitelen pona glyph for len (󱤥) represents a piece of fabric with a frayed or tasseled edge.

sitelen sitelen

The sitelen sitelen word glyph for len (lenlen) may depict one or two pieces of fabric with a running stitch.

Like with any monosyllabic word, the word len may also optionally be written with a syllable glyph (LENLEN).

Further reading

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