monsutatesu: Difference between revisions

'''{{tp|monsutatesu}}''' is an analysis of [[Toki Pona]], which posistsposits that some [[content word]]s when used as verbs are {{wp|auto-antonym}}s, that is, they have two different meanings of which one is the reverse of another. The word is derived from the Toki Pona word {{tp|[[monsuta]]}}, as it was the first to be analysed as such, and the English word "test". The sentence "{{tp|sina monsuta e mi}}" can be interpreted both as "you scare me" or "you fear me".

Some cases of {{tp|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 {{tp|[[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 {{tp|mi moku [[e]] ona}} ("I eat it") and {{tp|mi moku ona}} ("I am its food").

re: what's {{tok|monsutatesu}}<br/>

{{tok|mi mama e ona}} means what?<br/>

| {{tok|jan Kipo}}<ref>{{tok|janKipo}} (4 October 2010). [//forums.tokipona.org/viewtopic.php?p=9294&sid=9f93ae0f9a42d83f4309ded52c9b269e#p9294 Re: {{tok|monsuta moli}}]. ''Toki Pona Forums''.<blockquote>Does '{{tok|monsuta}}' as vt mean "be afraid of", as here, or "frighten"? The latter seems more reasonable somehow.</blockquote></ref><ref name="tonyu2019">{{tok|kala pona Tonyu}} (29 January 2021). [//lipukule.org/post/2021/01/29/monsutatesu "{{tok|monsutatesu}}"]. {{tp|[[lipu kule]]}}.</ref>