luka
  | |
 | |
| Pronunciation | /ˈlu |
|---|---|
| Usage | 2023: Core (100% ↗︎ )2022: Core (99%) |
| Book and era | nimi pu |
| Part of speech | Number, content word |
| Codepoint | U+F192D |
| Part of a series on |
| Number systems |
nanpa (ordinal number marker)
|
| Simple system |
| Advanced system (list addends high → low) |
| Nonstandard number words |
luka is a core content word relating to the hands and arms. It can also stand for the number five.
Etymology
luka is derived from the Croatian word ruka, meaning "hand".[1]
Semantic space
Content word
The semantic space of luka includes any and all parts of human upper limbs, such as the arms, elbows, hands and fingers; similarly to how noka can refer to legs or feet. As a transitive verb, it may refer to the act of interacting with something using said limbs, such as placing one's hand, hitting, petting, among other meanings.
In non-human creatures, luka refers to organ capable of manipulation and interaction. Depending on context, a quadruped animal's limbs may be either described as luka when used to interact with something and noka when walking. This applies to paws (for most animals), claws and wings (for birds), and tentacles (for octupuses or squids).[2]
In sign language, luka refers to an individual sign and the act of signing itself. In luka pona (and when transcribing it into toki pona), the word is used as an interjection for greetings, instead of toki.
Number
As a number, the word luka stands for five, the amount of fingers on a human hand. In the early days of Toki Pona, it was the highest-value number word, before mute and ale acquired that status. This led to the creation of the idiom jo e luka mute, meaning "to be complicated", as big numbers would have many repetitions of the word luka.[3][4]
pu
In the "Official Toki Pona Dictionary" section, the book Toki Pona: The Language of Good defines luka as:
NOUN arm, hand, tactile organ
NUMBER five
ku
For Toki Pona Dictionary, respondents in ma pona pi toki pona translated these English words as luka:[5]
hand5, arm4, five4, wrist3, touch2, palm2, handful2, gesture2, tap2, reach2, elbow2
sitelen pona
The sitelen pona glyph for luka () is a simplified mitten-like hand facing upwards, with the thumb on the left. Derived glyphs include kepeken, moku, pali, and pana.
sitelen sitelen
See also
References
- ↑ "Word Origins". tokipona.org. Archived from the original on 8 August 2002.
- ↑ lipamanka. "toki pona dictionary". lipamanka.gay.
- ↑ jan Sonja (21 May 2002). "Compounds". Toki Pona Forums. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
- ↑ jan Sonja [@sonjalang]. (16 November 2022). [Message posted in the
#sona-musichannel in the ma pona pi toki pona Discord server]. Discord. Retrieved 12 October 2023. "luka was the highest number at the time, so big numbers were like luka luka luka luka luka luka luka wan[.] hence the idiom, ona li jo e luka mute, it is complicated". - ↑ Lang, Sonja. (18 July 2021). Toki Pona Dictionary. Illustrated by Vacon Sartirani. Tawhid. ISBN 978-0978292362. p. 275.
Further reading
- "luka" on lipu Linku
- "luka" on lipu Wikipesija
- "luka" on English Wiktionary