meli
  | |
| Pronunciation | /ˈme |
|---|---|
| Usage | 2023: Common4, Widespread6 (82% ↘︎ )2022: Widespread (89%) |
| Book and era | nimi pu |
| Part of speech | Content word |
| Codepoint | U+F1933 |
meli is a common content word relating to femininity.
Etymology
The word meli is derived from Tok Pisin meri, meaning "woman, wife", itself from the feminine English name Mary.[1]
Semantic space
The semantic space of meli includes femininity and feminine people, such as woman and girls, be them cisgender or transgender. It may refer to one's wife, as in meli mi.
Speakers adherent to gendern't philosophy reject using the word meli by virtue of avoiding gender word altogether.
pu
In the "Official Toki Pona Dictionary" section, the book Toki Pona: The Language of Good defines meli as:
NOUN woman, female, feminine person; wife
ku
For Toki Pona Dictionary, respondents in ma pona pi toki pona translated these English words as meli:
female5, lady4, woman4, girl3, wife2, cisgender woman2, transgender woman2, ma’am2
sitelen pona
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The sitelen pona glyph for meli represents a person with long hair or wearing a hijab. An alternate glyph variant is derived from the planetery gender symbol for Venus.
sitelen sitelen
The sitelen sitelen glyph for meli is derived from the Early Pagan and Christian symbol for woman.[2][3]
References
- ↑ "Word Origins". tokipona.org. Archived from the original on 8 August 2002.
- ↑ Gabel, Jonathan (2012). "sitelen sitelen acknowledgements and etymology". Retrieved 16 November 2023.
- ↑ Koch, Rudolph (1955). The Book of Signs. Dover Books. ISBN 978-7-240-01716-6.