tan
tan is a core preposition and content word relating to the origin, cause, or reason of something.
  | |
| Pronunciation | /tan/ |
|---|---|
| Usage | 2023: Core (99% → )2022: Core (99%) |
| Book and era | nimi pu |
| Part of speech | Preposition, content word |
| Codepoint | U+F1967 |
Etymology
The etymology of the word tan is uncertain.[1] Proposals include: Cantonese 從 (Jyutping: cung4), "to follow; from";[2] Georgian -დან -dan from; out of; since";[3] and Dutch dan "then; after that; in that case."[4]
Semantic space
The semantic space of tan includes the source, origin, cause, or reason for something,
Preposition
As a preposition, tan is translated as "because (of)", "by", and "from". Some speakers chiefly use tan as a preposition and not a content word.[citation needed]
mi tan ma [kasi alasa nasin awen telo a].mi tan ma Kanata.
I'm from Canada.
kasi suli li ken kama tan kili lilikasi suli li ken kama tan kili lili.
A big plant can come from a small fruit.
ni li tan seme?ni li tan seme?
Where is this from? (lit. this is from what?)
Why is that? (lit. this is because of what?)
mi pana e ijo pona tan ni> : mi olin e sina.mi pana e ijo pona tan ni: mi olin e sina.
I gave something nice because you're dear to me.
pu
In the "Official Toki Pona Dictionary" section, the book Toki Pona: The Language of Good defines tan as:
PREPOSITION by, from, because of
ku
For Toki Pona Dictionary, respondents in ma pona pi toki pona translated these English words as tan:
from5, reason5, because of4, by4, source4, behalf of2, basis2, origin2, motive2, cause2, purpose2, per2, since2, factor2, incentive2
sitelen pona
The sitelen pona glyph for tan represents a curved arrow pointing backwards, pointing towards the origin.
- ↑ It is not in Sonja Lang, "Word Origins" (c. 2002) https://archive.ph/i4Psx
- ↑ Moniz, C. Ryan. Nimi Ale Pona. 1st ed., 26 Jul 2019,https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/10hP3kR7mFN0E6xW3U6fZyDf7xKEEvxssM96qLq4E0ms/mobilebasic gives this origin, which is repeated in the second edition and in lipu linku. Compare https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%BE%9E#Chinese
- ↑ jan Pita Janseke, "Toki Pona Root Word Etymology Page" (2020) https://medium.com/@jansegers/toki-pona-root-word-etymology-page-f0a203954da. Compare https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=-%E1%83%93%E1%83%90%E1%83%9C
- ↑ jan Pilipe, "Re: Whence these words?" (2015) http://forums.tokipona.org/viewtopic.php?t=2430. jan Kipo thought it seemed likely. Compare https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dan#Dutch