mute

mute
Pronunciation	/ˈmu.te/
Usage	2024: Core (100% → )2023: Core (100% → )2022: Core (100%)
Book and era	nimi pu
Part of speech	Content word
Codepoint	󱤼 U+F193C

mute is a core content word relating to large amounts or intensity.

Etymology

The word mute is derived from Esperanto multe ("a lot"), itself from Latin multus ("much, many"). It is cognate with English much, multi, multiple and multitude.

Semantic space

The semantic space of mute, when used as a modifier, includes large quantities or amounts of objects or substances and a large degree of intensity or extent. Where suli refers to size, mute refers to quantity.

waso mute li lon

waso mute li lon.

There are a lot of birds here.

With that said, when used as an intensifier, mute is often interchangeable with suli and a.

sina pona mute

sina pona mute.

You're so good! / You're great!

mute can also refer to quantities in general.

mi wile e kili pi (mute lili)

mi wile e kili pi mute lili.

I want a few fruits. (lit.literal translation 'I want fruits of little quantity')

Number

The usage of mute as a number varies between number systems. In the simple system, mute stands in for any number greater than two (tu); at least three. In the advanced system, mute is exactly twenty.

pu

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

ADJECTIVE  many, a lot, more, much, several, very
NOUN  quantity

ku

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

plenty⁵81–100% of respondents, multiple⁵81–100% of respondents, many⁵81–100% of respondents, much⁵81–100% of respondents, very⁵81–100% of respondents, lots⁵81–100% of respondents, several⁵81–100% of respondents, numerous⁴61–80% of respondents, various⁴61–80% of respondents, most⁴61–80% of respondents, quantity⁴61–80% of respondents, twenty³41–60% of respondents, fifty³41–60% of respondents, thousand³41–60% of respondents, nine³41–60% of respondents, majority³41–60% of respondents, incredibly³41–60% of respondents, million³41–60% of respondents, fifteen²21–40% of respondents, dozen²21–40% of respondents, amount²21–40% of respondents, twelve²21–40% of respondents, eight²21–40% of respondents, countless²21–40% of respondents, hundred²21–40% of respondents, billion²21–40% of respondents, greatly²21–40% of respondents, frequent²21–40% of respondents, mostly²21–40% of respondents, highly²21–40% of respondents, excessive²21–40% of respondents, exceed²21–40% of respondents, six²21–40% of respondents, trillion²21–40% of respondents, quite²21–40% of respondents, deeply²21–40% of respondents, thirty²21–40% of respondents, dose²21–40% of respondents, particularly²21–40% of respondents, increasingly²21–40% of respondents, ten²21–40% of respondents, extremely²21–40% of respondents

sitelen pona

The sitelen pona glyph for mute (󱤼) is three vertical lines. Like the glyph for tu (tutu), it is probably derived from tally marks (𝍷𝍷𝍷) or one or multiple systems based on them, such as counting rods (𝍢), Roman numerals (Ⅲ, ⅲ), or Brahmi (𑁔) or Chinese numerals (三).

An experimental alternative glyph for mute, specifically for the sense of "twenty" (mute2mute2), is composed of four glyphs for luka (lukaluka), with the left two mirrored to represent two pairs of hands. jan Sonja used this glyph on ma pona pi toki pona and went on to use it in su alongside nasin nanpa pona.

sitelen sitelen

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Further reading

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