taso

taso
Pronunciation	/ˈta.so/ 🔊 🔊
Usage	2023: Core (99% → )2022: Core (99%)
Book and era	nimi pu
Part of speech	Semiparticle, content word
Codepoint	󱥨 U+F1968

taso is a core semiparticle meaning "only".

Etymology

The word taso is derived from Tok Pisin tasol, meaning "only, but", from English that's all.

Semantic space

The semantic space of taso relates to the idea of being alone in a category or qualification, or filtering options to the stated one. It is very similar to the English word "only".

ona taso li kama

ona taso li kama.

Only they have arrived.

mi wile musi taso　

mi wile musi taso.

I only want to have fun.

pu

In the "Official Toki Pona Dictionary" section, the book Toki Pona: The Language of Good defines taso as:

PARTICLE  but, however
ADJECTIVE  only

ku

For Toki Pona Dictionary, respondents in ma pona pi toki pona translated these English words as taso:

only⁵81–100% of respondents, but⁵81–100% of respondents, solely⁵81–100% of respondents, however⁵81–100% of respondents, exclusively⁴61–80% of respondents, although⁴61–80% of respondents, though⁴61–80% of respondents, just⁴61–80% of respondents, exclusive⁴61–80% of respondents, despite⁴61–80% of respondents, nonetheless⁴61–80% of respondents, mere⁴61–80% of respondents, merely³41–60% of respondents, except³41–60% of respondents, yet³41–60% of respondents, sole³41–60% of respondents, nevertheless³41–60% of respondents, whereas³41–60% of respondents, regardless²21–40% of respondents, exception²21–40% of respondents

Function

Sentence-initially, the word taso is used as a particle, used to constrast a sentence. This is similar to the conjunction sense of "only", which can also be translated as "but" or "however".

mi wile lape 　 taso mi ken ala

mi wile lape. taso, mi ken ala.

I want to sleep, but I can't.

In the Latin script, the particle taso may be followed by a comma to distinguish it from its content word sense.

sitelen pona

The sitelen pona glyph for taso (󱥨) is shaped like a "left tack" or reversed turnstile symbol, a vertical line with a horizontal line extending left from the middle. The horizontal line is generally shorter, though the extent varies. In pu, the horizontal line is about a quarter as long; in fonts, it often ranges to over half as long as the vertical, likely established by linja pona.

The origin of the glyph is unknown. It is notably similar to the symbol for "but, except" in Blissymbols, which represents the halting of a free flow of speech. The glyph could possibly be an alteration of the Latin letter T.

sitelen sitelen

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Further reading

• "taso" on lipu Linku
• "taso" on lipu Wikipesija
• "taso" on English Wiktionary