pi: Difference between revisions

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{{Needs work|add explanation in simpler terms without relying on linguistics terms|section}}

[[~~Modifier~~]]s, by ~~default~~, ~~apply~~ to ~~whole~~ ~~phrase~~ that ~~precedes~~ it.<ref group="lower-alpha">Some speakers{{citation needed}} analyze all modifiers as applying to the first word instead, but the distinction often doesn't matter.</ref>

In [[Toki Pona]], words modify or describe the word they come after. When several words are used in a row, each new word describes the sum of all the words that come before.<ref group="lower-alpha">Some speakers{{citation needed}} analyze all modifiers as applying to the first word instead, but the distinction often doesn't matter.</ref>

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The effect is similar to hyphenating an [[adjective]] ~~phrase~~ in English.<ref name="ku">{{cite ku|8}}</ref> For this reason, {{tp|pi}} needs to be followed by at least two [[content words]]~~: the new head and a modifier applying to it~~. The particle is not ~~need~~ if there is only one word following it.

The effect is similar to hyphenating [[adjective]]s in English.<ref name="ku">{{cite ku|8}}</ref> For this reason, {{tp|pi}} needs to be followed by at least two [[content words]]. The particle is not needed if there is only one word following it.

{{Example

|tomo telo nasa

|strange water room (the room is weird)

|strange water room (the room is watery and weird)

weird bathroom

}}

{{Example

|tomo pi telo nasa

|tomo pi telo nasa<ref>Example from jan Pije's lesson on pi.</ref>

|strange-water room (the liquid is weird)

|strange-water room (the liquid is weird and the room is described by that weird liquid)

bar, pub

|tomo pi(telo nasa)

}}

It is not possible to close a {{tp|pi}} phrase, beyond using ~~a higher-priority~~ particle or preposition or ending the sentence. Modifiers that apply to the first word ~~should~~ ~~instead~~ be moved before the {{tp|pi}} phrase:

It is not possible to close a {{tp|pi}} phrase, beyond using another particle or preposition or ending the sentence. Modifiers that apply to the first word but not to the words after {{tok|pi}} are instead moved before the {{tp|pi}} phrase:

{{Example

|jan pi pana sona ike

|teacher of ~~evil~~ ~~information~~ (literally, "~~bad~~-knowledge-giving person")

|teacher of who does a bad job of it (literally, "badly-knowledge-giving person")

|jan pi(pana sona-ike)

}}

{{Example

|jan ike pi pana sona

|bad ~~teacher~~ (literally, "bad knowledge-giving person")

|teacher who is a bad person (literally, "bad, knowledge-giving person")

|jan-ike pi(pana sona)

}}