ni
ni is a core content word meaning "this" or "that".
  | |
| Pronunciation | /ni/ |
|---|---|
| Usage | 2023: Core (100% → )2022: Core (100%) |
| Book and era | nimi pu |
| Part of speech | Content word |
| Codepoint | U+F1941 |
Etymology
The word ni is derived from Cantonese 呢 (Jyutping: ni1), meaning "this".[1]
Semantic space
ni is a demonstrative pronoun, analogous to English this, that, these, and those. In the predicate, ni refers to a specificed action, meaning "to do this".
ni li lonni li lon.
That's true.
pu
In the "Official Toki Pona Dictionary" section, the book Toki Pona: The Language of Good defines ni as:
ADJECTIVE that, this
ku
For Toki Pona Dictionary, respondents in ma pona pi toki pona translated these English words as ni:[2]
this5, that5, these5, those4, particular2, specifically2, there2
Linking ni
ni can be used to link multiple sentences. The effect can be similar to the word "that", as used to start a relative clause. This is one of the main tools to describe ideas that are too complex to fit in a single sentence.
In sitelen Lasina, the sentence with ni typically ends in a colon. In sitelen pona, the glyph for a linking ni is often rotated to point at the other sentence.
mi sona e ni2 sina sona e ni2 mi sonami sona e ni: sina sona e ni: mi sona.
I know that you know that I know.
However, the ni does not need to be next to the other sentence for this to work.
kili ni2li pona wan li sike-lili mute li loje anu pimejakili ni li pona: wan li sike lili mute, li loje anu pimeja.
These fruits are good: Each one is many small round things, and is red or black.
ona vs. ni
sitelen pona
The sitelen pona glyph for ni () is an arrow, pointing down by default. When used as a modifier in a stacked glyph, it points at the head word underneath. The glyph for ni may be turned to point in other directions, toward the words it is referencing.
soweli li toki e ni
ni3 li nasa asoweli li toki e ni
ni li nasa a[3]The animal said: "this is silly!"
References
- ↑ "Word Origins". tokipona.org. Archived from the original on 8 August 2002.
- ↑ Lang, Sonja. (18 July 2021). Toki Pona Dictionary. Illustrated by Vacon Sartirani. Tawhid. ISBN 978-0978292362. pp. 302–303.
- ↑ lipamanka. (11 May 2023). "waso". LIPUmanka.
Further reading
- "ni" on lipu Linku
- "ni" on lipu Wikipesija
- "ni" on English Wiktionary