Semiparticles
Semiparticles or pseudo-particles are a part of speech which may act either as content words and particles in different circumstances. Examples include ala, kin, nanpa, and taso.
ala[edit | edit source]
The word ala is a negative particle, used to negate the phrase preceding it. It may also be used as a content word, meaning "nothingness, void". The particle may be used to negate preverbs in a way different from other modifiers.
mi wile ala tawami wile ala tawa.
I don't want to go.
mi wile tawa alami wile tawa ala.
I want to not move.
nanpa[edit | edit source]
The word nanpa is a content word meaning "number". It serves also as a particle used to form ordinals. For example, jan nanpa wan means "person number one", or "first person". It generally cannot occur as the head of a phrase, where it would be interpreted as a content word.
taso[edit | edit source]
The word taso is a content word meaning "alone". It serves as a sentence-initial particle meaning "but".
Further reading[edit | edit source]
- kala kala: Analysis of parts of speech
- nasin toki pona: pseudo-particles