wan
Pronunciation | /wan/ |
---|---|
Usage | 2023: Core (100% → )2022: Core (100%) |
Book and era | nimi pu |
Part of speech | Number, content word |
Codepoint | U+F1973 |
Part of a series on |
Number systems |
nanpa (ordinal number marker)
|
Simple system |
Advanced system (list addends high → low) |
Nonstandard number words |
wan is a core number word for the number one, and a content word relating to that number.
Etymology
The word wan is derived from English one.[1]
Function and semantic space
As a modifier, the number wan marks singularity, i.e. it indicates that the head it modifies is a single thing. As a head, it may be used to mean a unit, a single thing or object, or the abstract concept of the number one.
toki pona la nimi wan li jo e kon sulitoki pona la nimi wan li jo e kon suli.[2]
In Toki Pona, a single word has a broad meaning.
wan may be used to describe several different concepts, including unity, individuality, uniqueness, or the state of being alone, among others. Notably, if something consists of multiple smaller individual things (e.g. a clock consisting of mechanical parts), wan may be used to describe either an individual part (a single cog) or the larger whole (the entire clock), depending on context. It can refer to both physical unity and social or conceptual unity.
kon li kama wan la ona li kama kon antekon li kama wan la ona li kama kon ante.[3]
When the gas fuses (lit. becomes one) it becomes another gas.
mi tu li awen wanmi tu li awen wan.[4]
The both of us will stay united/together.
mi wile ala wan tasomi wile ala wan taso.[5]
I don't want to be alone (lit. only one).
As a transitive verb, wan can be used for uniting or combining multiple things into a bigger whole.
ona li ken wan e sona lili mute li ken sona e ijo suli tan sona niona li ken wan e sona lili mute li ken sona e ijo suli tan sona ni.[6]
They can combine many small pieces of knowledge, and can understand something big from this knowledge.
pu
In the "Official Toki Pona Dictionary" section, the book Toki Pona: The Language of Good defines wan as:
ADJECTIVE unique, united
NUMBER one
ku
For Toki Pona Dictionary, respondents in ma pona pi toki pona translated these English words as wan:[7]
one5, bind2 , solo2 , whole2 , integration2 , integrate2 , component2 , alone2 , together2 , segment2 , mix2 , particular2 , independent2 , portion2 , slice2 , primary2 , combination2 , part2, united5 , unity5 , combined4 , unite4 , single4 , unit3 , blend3 , combine3 , union3
sitelen pona
The sitelen pona glyph for wan () is derived from the Western Arabic numeral "1".
sitelen sitelen
The sitelen sitelen word glyph for wan (wan) is composed of a three-knobbed shape with a single knob inside. Compare the word glyph for tu (tu). The origin of the glyph is unknown, but the knob shape inside might represent a kind of tally mark.
It can be rotated to face any direction, but it is usually written with the knobs facing away from the word(s) it modifies (facing right in left to right direction, and facing down in top to bottom direction).
Like with any monosyllabic word, it may also optionally be written with a syllable glyph (WAN).
References
- ↑ "Word Origins". tokipona.org. Archived from the original on 8 August 2002.
- ↑ jan Nalu. (14 May 2024). "musi Og en nimi pi mute lili" (in Toki Pona). lipu tenpo. No. jaki. ISSN 2752-4639.
- ↑ jan Kekan San. (15 August 2023). "jan mun" (in Toki Pona). utala musi pi ma pona. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
- ↑ kala Asi. (12 August 2023). "tawa pi pakala wile". kala Asi [@kala_asi]. YouTube. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ↑ jan Pensa. (15 August 2023). "mi en waso Kaka en monsuta pi ma kasi" (in Toki Pona). utala musi pi ma pona. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
- ↑ jan Tepo. (8 November 2021). "ma pi lipu Tun". ma pona pi toki pona [@maponapitokipona]. YouTube. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
- ↑ Lang, Sonja. (18 July 2021). Toki Pona Dictionary. Illustrated by Vacon Sartirani. Tawhid. ISBN 978-0978292362. p. 384.
Further reading
- "wan" on lipu Linku
- "wan" on lipu Wikipesija
- "wan" on English Wiktionary