monsutatesu

monsutatesu is an analysis of Toki Pona. It posits that some content words are auto-antonyms when used as verbs. The word is a tokiponization of "monsuta test"; sina monsuta e mi can be interpreted as "you scare me" or "you fear me".

Causes

Some cases of monsutatesu are from using a word in a different part of speech, then adapting that meaning back into the original part of speech.

For example, pu defines moku as a verb meaning "to eat". When used as a noun, it is interpreted as something that is eaten: "food". If this noun sense is used as a verb, it means "to be food", with the inverse relation of its definition.

Compare mi moku e ona ("I eat it"), mi moku ona ("I am its food.").

Words analyzed under monsutatesu

In the following table, E stands for the direct object of a transitive verb. Senses without E are intransitive.

nimi	Meaning		Noted by
	Subject as agent	Subject as patient or other
monsuta	to be scary; to scare E	to be afraid; to fear E	janKipo
mama	to be a parent; to nurture E	to make E a parent	jan Likipi
lawa	to be a head; to control E	to put in charge; to make E a head	A mpptp member
kalama	to play; to make E make sound	to sound; to make the sound E
moku	to consume (E)	to give fuel; to feed E
		to be fuel	jan Misali
musi	to be fun; to entertain E	to have fun; to enjoy E	jan Kekan San