utala

From sona pona, the Toki Pona wiki
utala in sitelen pona
utala in sitelen sitelen
Pronunciation /ˈu.ta.la/
Usage 2024: Core (100% → )2023: Core (100% ↗︎ )2022: Core (99%)
Book and era nimi pu
Part of speech Content word
Codepoint 󱥱 U+F1971

utala is a core content word relating to conflicts and contests.

Etymology[edit | edit source]

The word utala is derived from Serbo-Croatian ùdarati ("to hit, to strike").[1]

Semantic space[edit | edit source]

The semantic space of utala covers conflict in various senses.

Violence[edit | edit source]

A prototypical example of utala is a physical attack or fight involving multiple participants or parties. It could range from a slap, to a car crash,[2] to a war. According to Toki Pona Dictionary, utala is a common way to express acts of violence, with other translations incorporating pakala ("break, damage, harm") and wawa ("force").[3] When used as a verb in this sense, utala can refer to attacking or striking, or participating in a battle.

tenpo unpa la soweli mije li utala 

tenpo unpa la soweli mije li utala.

In the breeding season, the male animals fight.

ni li toki utala 

ni li toki utala.

That is violent speech.
Them's fighting words.

Competition[edit | edit source]

Abstract uses of utala are often completely nonviolent, however. The word utala can cover all kinds of competitions. For example, the event named utala musi pi ma pona is an art and literature contest. utala can be used as an alternative to musi to describe competitive games and sports.

utala li ante ala

utala li ante ala.

War never changes.
The disputes are no different.

kulupu poka en kulupu kama li utala lon supa lete

kulupu poka en kulupu kama li utala lon supa lete.

The home team and visiting team will compete on the ice rink.

Struggle[edit | edit source]

utala can extend further to any kind of struggle or challenge, including internal conflicts and endeavors to accomplish something. Experiencing any difficulty can be described as utala.

mi utala e mi

mi utala e mi.

I'm struggling against myself.

Some speakers always interpret utala as a struggle between multiple parties. From this perspective, utala can externalize an internal conflict. Trying to do or succeed at something difficult can be described as a struggle between the trier and the difficult thing, and can imply a level or lack of skill at it.

pu[edit | edit source]

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

VERB  to battle, challenge, compete against, struggle against

ku[edit | edit source]

For Toki Pona Dictionary, respondents in ma pona pi toki pona translated these English words as utala:[4]

battle5, fight5, fighting5, combat5, conflict5, contend5, assault5, attack5, versus4, compete4, violent4, challenge4, hit4, violence4, struggle3, war3, contest3, oppose3, dispute3, competitive2, tackle2, competition2, aggressive2, resist2, beat2, opposed2, punch2, hostile2, confront2, riot2, opposition2, against2, strike2

lipamanka's semantic spaces dictionary[edit | edit source]

In lipamanka's semantic spaces dictionary, the entry for utala reads:[5]

The semantic space of utala contains conflicts, contests, and battles. When utala is used, it’s talking about some sort of struggle or competition between two or more parties, or something being framed that way. So it could be a battle between two rival armies, but it could also be a battle between me and myself if I’m framing it that way. utala is often targeted, closer to “attack” than “battle.” Anything can be an utala if it is being framed as a struggle or attack of some sort that involves two parties. Playing a musical instrument could be an utala for a beginner player. Taking a test is a very fun thing to call an utala, because the test-taker is fighting the test.

sitelen pona[edit | edit source]

The sitelen pona glyph for utala (󱥱) possibly represents two crossed swords.

sitelen sitelen[edit | edit source]

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References[edit | edit source]

  1. "Word Origins". tokipona.org. Archived from the original on 8 August 2002.
  2. Roc Morin. (15 July 2015). "How to Say Everything in a Hundred-Word Language". The Atlantic. ""What is a car?" Lang mused recently via phone from her home in Toronto. "You might say that a car is a space that's used for movement," she proposed. "That would be tomo tawa. If you're struck by a car though, it might be a hard object that's hitting me. That's kiwen utala."".
  3. Lang, Sonja. (18 July 2021). Toki Pona Dictionary. Illustrated by Vacon Sartirani. Tawhid. ISBN 978-0978292362. p. 189.
  4. Lang, Sonja. (18 July 2021). Toki Pona Dictionary. Illustrated by Vacon Sartirani. Tawhid. ISBN 978-0978292362. p. 382.
  5. lipamanka. "toki pona dictionary". lipamanka.gay.

Further reading[edit | edit source]