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'''''pi''''' is a [[Particles|particle]] used for grouping [[Modifiers|modifiers]] together. |
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{{Other license|ask|it was copied from ''[[ma pona pi toki pona]]''}} |
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pi is a particle in toki pona. |
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By default, each modifier applies to the whole phrase before it<ref>Some analyze them as all applying to the first word instead, but the distinction often doesn't matter.</ref>: |
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It allows you to have modifiers be affected by other modifiers. |
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:;jan pona |
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::good person |
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:;jan pona mute |
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::many good people |
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pi |
''pi'' marks the next word as a new head, which takes its own modifiers: |
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;jan pi pona mute |
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By default, when you have a string of content words, the way they modify each other is from left to right. |
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:very good person |
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''pi'' needs to be followed by at least two [[Content words|content words]]: the new head and a modifier applying to it. If there would only be one word after it, you don't need the ''pi''. |
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<blockquote>tomo telo nasa = (tomo telo) nasa = strange (water-room) (may be strange restroom)</blockquote> |
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There is no way to "close" a ''pi'' phrase. Instead, modifiers that apply to the first word should be moved before the ''pi'': |
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But when you use pi, you can change the order of the parentheses a little bit |
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:;jan pi pana sona |
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<blockquote>tomo pi telo nasa = tomo (telo nasa) = (strange water) room </blockquote> |
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::knowledge-giving person (teacher) |
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:;jan ike pi pana sona |
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::knowledge-giving bad person (bad teacher) |
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<references/> |
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Strange water is usually alcohol, so this usually means bar. |
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== Multiple ''pi'' == |
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If there is only one word that comes after the pi, the pi should not be there, because it is not regrouping anything. |
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After all, if pi meant of, the language of good would be toki pi pona, not toki pona. |
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While not defined in ''[[pu]]'', some speakers do use multiple ''pi'' in a single phrase. However, this carries a risk of ambiguity as to whether the second ''pi'' is contained within the first or not: |
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==Examples== |
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poki kasi kule - (poki kasi) kule : a colorful vase |
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poki pi kasi kule - poki (kasi kule) : a flower vase |
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:;lipu pi sona mute pi toki Inli |
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jan pona mute - (jan pona) mute : lots of good people |
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::English much-knowledge book (is the book in English or is the knowledge about English?) |
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jan pi pona mute - jan (pona mute) : a very good person |
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Using a single word between the ''pi'' does prevent the ambiguity, as a non-nested layout would contain an invalid single-word ''pi'' phrase. However, if you feel the need to stack this many modifiers, you might be better off rephrasing the phrase into a sentence: |
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lipu mi tu - (lipu mi) tu : both of my books |
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lipu pi mi tu - lipu (mi tu) : the book of both of us |
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:;kiwen pi soweli pi kute suli |
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akesi jan Kakamu - (akesi jan) Kakamu : the man-lizard Kakamu (a new superhero!) |
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::big-eared animal rock |
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akesi pi jan Kakamu - akesi (jan Kakamu) : Kakamu's lizard (not so exciting...) |
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:;kiwen ni li sama soweli pi kute suli |
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::this rock is like a big-eared animal |
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:;soweli pi kute suli li lawa e kiwen ni |
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::a big-eared animal rules over this rock |
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== ''pi'' and "of" == |
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Some dictionaries define ''pi'' as the English word "of". This can be misleading, as not all instances of "of" translate into ''pi'': |
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:;toki <del>pi</del> pona |
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::language of good |
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It may be more helpful to think of every modifier as having an implied "of" before it: |
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:;kala utala suli |
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::fish of fighting of bigness |
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sometimes the meaning is basically same with and without pi: |
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insa uta mi - (insa uta) mi : my inside of the mouth |
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insa pi uta mi - insa (uta mi) : the inside of my mouth |
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[[Category:Particles]] |
[[Category:Particles]] |