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'''{{tp|pi}}''' is a [[particle]] used for grouping [[modifier]]s together. The resulting phrase that follows it is called a '''{{tp|pi}} phrase''', by analogy to [[preposition]]al phrases. |
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== How it works == |
== How it works == |
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By default, each modifier applies to the whole phrase before it<ref>Some analyze |
By default, each modifier applies to the whole phrase before it<ref group="lower-alpha">Some speakers analyze all modifiers as applying to the first word instead, but the distinction often doesn't matter.</ref>: |
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{{Example|jan pona|good person}} |
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{{Example|jan pona mute|many good people}} |
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:;''jan pona'' |
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{{Example|jan <mark>pi pona mute</mark>|<mark>very good</mark> person}} |
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::good person |
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:;''jan pona mute'' |
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::many good people |
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:;''jan <u>pi pona mute</u>'' |
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::<u>very good</u> person |
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The effect can be similar to hyphenating an [[adjective]] phrase in English: |
The effect can be similar to hyphenating an [[adjective]] phrase in English: |
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:;''tomo telo nasa'' |
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:;''tomo <u>pi telo nasa</u>'' |
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:;''jan pi pana sona'' |
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:;''jan ike pi pana sona'' |
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===Notes=== |
===Notes=== |
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<references /> |
<references group="lower-alpha" /> |
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== Multiple |
== Multiple {{tp|pi}} == |
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While not defined in |
While not defined in {{tp|[[pu]]}}, some speakers do use multiple {{tp|pi}} in a single phrase. However, this carries a risk of ambiguity as to whether the second {{tp|pi}} is contained within the first or not: |
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:;''lipu pi sona mute pi toki Inli'' |
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The possible structures are: |
The possible structures are: |
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;Flat |
;Flat {{tp|pi}} |
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: |
:{{tp|1=<span style="background:#7f7f7f1f;border:1px solid currentColor;display:inline-block;margin:0.5em;padding:0.5em;">lipu <span style="background:#7f7f7f1f;border:1px solid currentColor;display:inline-block;margin:0.5em;padding:0.5em;">pi sona <span style="background:#7f7f7f1f;display:inline-block;">mute</span></span> <span style="background:#7f7f7f1f;border:1px solid currentColor;display:inline-block;margin:0.5em;padding:0.5em;">pi toki <span style="background:#7f7f7f1f;display:inline-block;">Inli</span></span></span>}} |
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;Nested |
;Nested {{tp|pi}} |
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: |
:{{tp|1=<span style="background:#7f7f7f1f;border:1px solid currentColor;display:inline-block;margin:0.5em;padding:0.5em;">lipu <span style="background:#7f7f7f1f;border:1px solid currentColor;display:inline-block;margin:0.5em;padding:0.5em;">pi sona <span style="background:#7f7f7f1f;display:inline-block;">mute</span> <span style="background:#7f7f7f1f;border:1px solid currentColor;display:inline-block;margin:0.5em;padding:0.5em;">pi toki <span style="background:#7f7f7f1f;display:inline-block;">Inli</span></span></span></span>}} |
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jan Lope argues that, like |
{{tok|jan Lope}} argues that, like {{tp|[[li]]}} and {{tp|[[e]]}}, both {{tp|pi}} phrases apply equally to the first noun in the phrase, rather than nesting.<ref>[//htmlpreview.github.io/?https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jan-Lope/Toki_Pona_lessons_English/gh-pages/toki-pona-lessons_en/index.html#3127] {{tok|jan Lope}}, "Are multiple {{tp|pi}} phrases possible?</ref> As an example, he gives: |
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<blockquote> |
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::The English rock band is good. |
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</blockquote> |
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The ambiguity is whether it's an English band that plays some sort of music, or a band from somewhere that plays English music. There is no consensus on this matter, and in practice both interpretations are possible. In fact, many speakers <em>want</em> it to be ambiguous so that clearer phrasing is used instead. |
The ambiguity is whether it's an English band that plays some sort of music, or a band from somewhere that plays English music. There is no consensus on this matter, and in practice both interpretations are possible. In fact, many speakers <em>want</em> it to be ambiguous so that clearer phrasing is used instead. |
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Using a single word between the |
Using a single word between the {{tp|pi}} does prevent the ambiguity, as the flat structure would contain an invalid single-word {{tp|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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::big-eared animal rock |
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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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:;''toki <del>pi</del> pona'' |
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It may be more helpful to think of every modifier as having an implied "of" before it: |
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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=== Possession === |
=== Possession === |
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A related misconception is that |
A related misconception is that {{tp|pi}} marks possession. In reality, adjectives can be interpreted as possessive with or without {{tp|pi}}. It is just about whether the possessor is referred to with more than one word. |
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{{Example|tomo ona|their house}} |
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:;''tomo ona'' |
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::their house |
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:;''tomo pi ona ale'' |
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:;''tomo pi ona wan'' |
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== Controversy == |
== Controversy == |
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{{tp|pi}} is controversial. To many speakers, it feels too engineered for Toki Pona's natural design, it creates more complexity and misconceptions than it is worth, and it encourages learners to [[Lexicalization|find "the phrase" for any given word]]. Avoiding {{tp|pi}} is a common {{tp|nasin}} called [[pin't]]. |
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== External resources == |
== External resources == |
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* [[pu]] Lesson 11 |
* {{tp|[[pu]]}} Lesson 11 |
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* [//lipu-sona.pona.la/9.html jan Lentan Lesson 9] |
* [//lipu-sona.pona.la/9.html {{tok|jan Lentan}} Lesson 9] |
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* [//sowelitesa.kittycat.homes/lipu-sona/6 soweli Tesa Lesson 6] |
* [//sowelitesa.kittycat.homes/lipu-sona/6 {{tok|soweli Tesa}} Lesson 6] |
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* [//jonathangabel.com/toki-pona/pi/ sitelen sitelen Descriptions and Possesives] |
* [//jonathangabel.com/toki-pona/pi/ {{tok|sitelen sitelen}} Descriptions and Possesives] |
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* [//github.com/kilipan/nasin-toki#the-particle-pi nasin toki pona] |
* [//github.com/kilipan/nasin-toki#the-particle-pi {{tok|nasin toki pona}}] |
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* [//mun.la/sona/mod-pi.html jan Kekan San Modifiers and pi] |
* [//mun.la/sona/mod-pi.html {{tok|jan Kekan San}} Modifiers and {{tok|pi}}] |
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== References == |
== References == |
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Revision as of 19:36, 6 September 2023
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| Pronunciation | /pi/ |
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| Usage | 2023: Core (99% ↗︎ )2022: Core (98%) |
| Book and era | nimi pu |
| Part of speech | Particle |
| Codepoint | U+F194D |
pi is a particle used for grouping modifiers together. The resulting phrase that follows it is called a pi phrase, by analogy to prepositional phrases.
How it works
By default, each modifier applies to the whole phrase before it[a]:
jan ponajan pona
good person
jan pona mutejan pona mute
many good people
pi marks the next word as a new head, which takes its own modifiers.
jan pi pona mutejan pi pona mute
very good person
The effect can be similar to hyphenating an adjective phrase in English:
tomo telo nasatomo telo nasa
strange water room (the room, perhaps a washroom, is weird)
tomo pi telo nasatomo pi telo nasa
strange-water room (the liquid is weird; perhaps a pub)
pi needs to be followed by at least two 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.
There is no way to "close" a pi phrase, beyond using a higher-priority particle or preposition, or ending the sentence. Instead, modifiers that apply to the first word should be moved before the pi:
jan pi pana sonajan pi pana sona
knowledge-giving person (teacher)
jan ike pi pana sonajan ike pi pana sona
knowledge-giving bad person (bad teacher)
Notes
- ↑ Some speakers analyze all modifiers as applying to the first word instead, but the distinction often doesn't matter.
Multiple pi
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:
lipu pi sona mute pi toki Inlilipu pi sona mute pi toki Inli
English much-knowledge book (is the book in English or is the knowledge about English?)
The possible structures are:
- Flat pi
- lipu pi sona mute pi toki Inli
- Nested pi
- lipu pi sona mute pi toki Inli
jan Lope argues that, like li and e, both pi phrases apply equally to the first noun in the phrase, rather than nesting.[1] As an example, he gives:
kulupu pi kalama musi pi ma Inli li ponakulupu pi kalama musi pi ma Inli li pona.
The English rock band is good.
The ambiguity is whether it's an English band that plays some sort of music, or a band from somewhere that plays English music. There is no consensus on this matter, and in practice both interpretations are possible. In fact, many speakers want it to be ambiguous so that clearer phrasing is used instead.
Using a single word between the pi does prevent the ambiguity, as the flat structure 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:
kiwen pi soweli pi kute sulikiwen pi soweli pi kute suli
big-eared animal rock
kiwen ni li sama soweli pi kute sulikiwen ni li sama soweli pi kute suli.
This rock is like a big-eared animal.
soweli pi kute suli li lawa e kiwen nisoweli pi kute suli li lawa e kiwen ni.
A big-eared animal rules over this rock.
pi is not "of"
Some dictionaries, most notably the one in pu, define pi as the English word "of". This is misleading, as most senses of "of" don't translate into pi:
tokipiponatoki
piponathe language of good
It may be more helpful to think of every modifier as having an implied "of" before it:
kala utala sulikala utala suli
fish of fighting of bigness
Possession
A related misconception is that pi marks possession. In reality, adjectives can be interpreted as possessive with or without pi. It is just about whether the possessor is referred to with more than one word.
tomo onatomo ona
their house
tomo pi ona aletomo pi ona ale
all of theirs' house
tomo pi ona wantomo pi ona wan
one of them's house
Controversy
pi is controversial. To many speakers, it feels too engineered for Toki Pona's natural design, it creates more complexity and misconceptions than it is worth, and it encourages learners to find "the phrase" for any given word. Avoiding pi is a common nasin called pin't.
External resources
- pu Lesson 11
- jan Lentan Lesson 9
- soweli Tesa Lesson 6
- sitelen sitelen Descriptions and Possesives
- nasin toki pona
- jan Kekan San Modifiers and pi