sitelen pona: Difference between revisions

'''''sitelen pona''''', or more commonly, '''''sitelen pana''''' is a logographic writing system for Toki Pona created by [[Sonja Lang]], the original creator of the language. The system was described in her 2001 book [[Toki Pona: The Language of Good]]. In this system, each individual word is depicted by its own symbol (except the names), typically written in left to right in horizontal lines, the lines being read starting with the top line.

[[File:Toki Pona sitelen pona examples.png|thumb|Examples of combined glyphs mistakes: ''pilin ike'' (wrong size), ''telo lete'' (wrong placing), ''kala lili'' (wrong form for ‘kala’, form #6 is used instead), ''toki pona'' (wrongly written)]]

The glyph of a head word may be combined with the glyph of one modifier. The modifier can either go on top of the head or inside of the head. There are at least 7 forms of the word glyph while using combining glyphs. You need to use the correct form of the word each time or else it will be considered gibberish.

=== Short combinations ===

While not universal, it's very common to use a "shortened" or "short" form of the word "pi", where "pi" is written as a long vertical line.

Recently, some people shorten other characters as well.

[[Proper adjectives]] are shown with characters inside a cartouche, inspired by Egyptian hieroglyphs. Within a cartouche, it’s written with the Latin writing script.

[[File:jan sonja.png|thumb|Example of a common mistake. Meant to say ''jan Sonja li pali e toki ni. ona li sitelen e lipu pu.''. The writer tried to say ''jan Sonja'' but the writer accidentally wrote ''Bug-yellowness and a feet fetish person with round balls''. Also they used the form #6, #+5, and #3 on ''lipu toki pona'' which is a foolish mistake.]]

==Strict Glyphs==

Many characters in sitelen pona are static and supposed to be drawn the same way every time.

*'''jaki''': always with 5 turns and overlapping lines at (5, 2); (-2, 6); and (7,-2) coordinates. Otherwise, it could be mistaken for '''fakju''', a general word for profanities and a special exception to the (C)V(N) syllable structure.

*'''ko''': always with 4 wobbles at (5, *2); (7, -3); (-2, 7) ; and (-4, -4) coordinates.

*'''linja, kon, telo, pakala, mun''': cannot be mirrored or they could be confused with '''teke, soki, faka, diki, kamin, sekisi and saki.'''

*'''soweli''': the exact amount of legs is exactly 4. Otherwise it can be mistaken for '''kami''', the word for quantum particles.