toki pona enhanced
toki pona enhanced (aka TPE) is a dialect of toki pona that employs advances in the science of Lojban applied to the syntax of toki pona.
Basic sentence structure
Main TPE words are verbs like
- "soweli" = to be an animal (e.g. a dog or a cat)
- "moku" = to eat (something)
soweli li moku
A mouse eats.
The verb before the particle "li" becomes a noun. The verb after "li" remains a verb.
TPE also have words that act only as nouns. Those are pronouns:
- "mi" = I
- "sina" = you
Thus they don't require "li" to separate them from the forthcoming verb:
mi moku
I eat.
Topic and comment
A more common sentence have two parts: topic and comment separated with the particle "la":
soweli li moku la ona li kepeken e ijo
When a mouse eats it uses a fork. (literally)
A mouse eats using a fork (actual meaning)
- "ona" = he, she, they, it
- "kepeken" = to use (something)
Topic is before "la", comment is after "la".
"la" is used to express prepositions. In this case the preposition "with" is rephrased in TPE with the verb "kepeken".
"la" can also be used to express conditions like "if" and "when". This sentence can also be translated as "If a mouse eats it uses a fork."
Anaphora
soweli li moku la ona li kepeken e ijo
When a mouse eats it uses a fork. (literally)
A mouse eats using a fork (actual meaning)
Anaphoric verb "ona" refers to the previous noun known from context. In this isolated example it definitely refers to the noun "soweli" since there are no other nouns before "ona".
Two nouns of a verb
Verb can have more than one noun:
mi moku e ijo
I eat something.
I eat food.
- "moku" = to eat (something)
The second noun is put after the verb and separated with the particle "e".
Compound verbs
- "toki" = to talk, say (something)
- "pona" = to be good, to repair (something)
- "toki pona" = to talk in a good way
toki pona li moku
A good talker eats.
Stringing verbs together makes the second, third etc. verbs modify the first verb. Thus we get adjectives that unlike English is put afterwards: literally in TPE we say "talker, the good, eats."
Pronouns can also modify verbs:
- "soweli" = to be an animal (e.g. cat)
- "soweli mi" = to be my animal
ni li soweli mi
This is my cat.
- "ni" = this
ona li soweli sina
It is your cat.
Negation
mi moku ala
I don't eat.
- "ala" = to be false, not
To negate a verb you put "ala" after it thus getting a compound verb.
Questions
The question verb "seme" is used for asking content questions:
seme li moku
Who eats?
Sentences with questions usually have a raising intonation.
sina moku ala moku
Do you eat?
moku
I do.
moku ala
I don't.
To ask yes/no questions repeat the verb twice with the word "ala" inside. To answer yes repeat that verb. To answer no repeat the verb with ala after it.
Separating sentences
Sentences are separated by lowering the intonation till the end of the sentence and putting an at least short pause after them.
Question sentences are separated by raising the intonation till the end of the sentence and putting an at least short pause after them.
In writing sentence are separated by a dot placed at the end of them.
Linking sentences together
mi moku. en la mi tawa
- "tawa" = to go, to move (to some place)
- "en" = and
If you want to show that two sentences express the same idea use "en la" to connect them.
mi moku. sin la kon li seli
- "seli" = to be hot, to burn (something)
- "sin" = to be new
If you change the subject of what you are talking about start the next sentence with "sin la" to show it belongs to a new subject. In books "sin la" is also used to separate paragraphs.
Metaphorical usage of prepositions
The verb to say actually requires three nouns:
I say this to you.
- "toki" = to say (something)
"toki" specifies only the first two nouns. In such cases metaphors are used. In english to is used. TPE is similar in this regard. It uses "tawa":
mi tawa sina la mi toki e ni.
When I am towards you, I say this. (literally)
I say this to you.
- tawa = to go to (some place), to be oriented towards (something or someone)
Differences from toki pona
In toki pona language "moku" can mean both "to eat" and "food". in TPE this is avoided. You say
mi moku e ijo. ona li pona
I eat something. It (i.e. food) is good.
==Dictionary=={| class="wikitable" |- | a, kin | [interjection] (emphasis, emotion or confirmation) |- | akesi | [VERB] is a non-cute animal (e.g. reptile, amphibian) |- | ala | [VERB] is false, is not, is zero |- | alasa | [VERB] to hunt, forage |- | ale, ali | [verb] to represent all of them or each of them; is in abundance, is countless, bountiful, plentiful |- | anpa | [verb] to bow down, to be downwards, to be humble, low, dependent |- | ante | [verb] is different, altered, changed; other |- | anu | [VERB] to present either option; or |- | awen | [verb] is enduring, kept, protected, safe, waiting, staying |- | awen | [PRE-VERB] to continue to |- | e | [PARTICLE] (before the second noun of a verb) |- | en | [VERB] is a union, is connected; and |- | esun | [VERB] is a market, shop, fair, bazaar, business transaction |- | ijo | [verb] is a thing, phenomenon, object, matter |- | ike | [verb] is bad, non-essential, irrelevant |- | ilo | [verb] is a tool, implement, machine, device |- | insa | [verb] is a center, content, the inside, is between, is an internal organ, stomach |- | jaki | [verb] is disgusting, obscene, sickly, toxic, unclean, unsanitary |- | jan | [verb] is a human being, person, somebody |- | jelo | [verb] is yellow, yellowish |- | jo | [VERB] to have, carry, contain, hold |- | kala | [verb] is a fish, marine animal, sea creature |- | kalama | [VERB] to produce a sound; recite; utter aloud |- | kama | [verb] to arrive, come, is in future |- | kama | [PRE-VERB] to become, manage to, succeed in |- | kasi | [verb] is a plant, vegetation, herb, leaf |- | ken | [PRE-VERB] to be able to, be allowed to, can, may |- | ken | [verb] to be possible |- | kepeken | [verb] to use; with, by means of |- | kili | [verb] is a fruit, vegetable, mushroom |- | kiwen | [verb] is a rock, stone, metal, hard object |- | ko | [verb] is a clay, clinging form, dough, semi-solid, paste, powder |- | kon | [verb] is an air, to breath, is the essence, spirit, is a hidden reality, unseen agent |- | kule | [verb] is colorful, pigmented, painted |- | kulupu | [verb] is a community, company, group, nation, society, tribe |- | kute | [verb] is an ear, to hear, listen, to pay attention to, obey |- | la | [PARTICLE] (between the topic and comment) |- | lape | [verb] to sleep, to rest |- | laso | [verb] is blue, green |- | lawa | [verb] is a head, to represent a mind |- | lawa | [VERB] to control, direct, guide, lead, own, plan, regulate, rule |- | len | [verb] is a cloth, clothing, fabric, textile, cover, layer of privacy |- | lete | [verb] is cold, cool, uncooked, raw |- | li | [PARTICLE] between any first noun except mi alone or sina alone and its verb; also used to introduce a new verb for the same first noun |- | lili | [verb] is little, small, short, to represent a small number; few, a bit, young |- | linja | [verb] is long and flexible thing, is a line, cord, hair, rope, thread, yarn |- | lipu | [verb] is a flat object, book, document, card, paper, record, website |- | loje | [verb] is red, reddish |- | lon | [verb] is located at, is present at, is real, true, existing |- | luka | [verb] arm, hand, tactile organ |- | luka | [NUMBER] five |- | oko, lukin | [VERB] to look at, see, examine, observe, read, watch, is an eye |- | lukin | [PRE-VERB] to seek, look for, try to |- | lupa | [verb] is a door, hole, orifice, window |- | ma | [verb] is an earth, land, outdoors, world, country, territory, soil |- | mama | [verb] is a parent, ancestor, creator, originator, caretakes, sustainer |- | mani | [verb] is some money, cash, savings, wealth, large domesticated animal |- | meli | [verb] is a woman, female, feminine person, wife |- | mi | [pronoun] I; me, we, us |- | mije | [verb] is a man, male, masculine person, husband |- | moku | [VERB] to eat, drink, consume, swallow, ingest |- | moli | [verb] is dead, to die |- | monsi | [verb] is back, behind, rear |- | mu | [interjection] (animal noise or communication) |- | mun | [verb] is a moon, night sky object, star |- | musi | [verb] is artistic, entertaining, frivolous, playful, recreational |- | mute | [verb] to represent a large number; many, a lot, more, several, very |- | nanpa | [PARTICLE] _-th (ordinal number) |- | nanpa | [verb] is a number, to represent some quantity |- | nasa | [verb] is unusual, strange, foolish, crazy, drunk, intoxicated |- | nasin | [verb] is a way, custom, doctrine, method, path, road |- | nena | [verb] is a bump, button, hill, mountain, nose, protuberance |- | ni | [verb] is that, this |- | nimi | [verb] is a name, word |- | noka | [verb] is a foot, leg, organ of locomotion; bottom, lower part |- | o | [interjection] hey! O! (vocative or imperative marker) |- | olin | [VERB] to love, have compassion for, respect, show affection to |- | ona | [verb] is he, she, it, they |- | open | [VERB] to begin, start, open, turn on (something) |- | pakala | [verb] is botched, broken, damaged, harmed, messed up |- | pali | [VERB] to do, take action on, work on, build, make, prepare (something) |- | palisa | [verb] is a long hard thing, branch, rod, stick |- | pan | [verb] is a cereal, grain; barley, corn, oat, rice, wheat; bread, pasta |- | pana | [VERB] to give, send, emit, provide, put, release (something) |- | pi | [PARTICLE] of |- | pilin | [verb] is a heart (physical or emotional), to feel (something; an emotion, a direct experience) |- | pimeja | [verb] is black, dark, unlit |- | pini | [verb] is in past, is completed, ended, finished |- | pipi | [verb] is a bug, insect, ant, spider |- | poka | [verb] is a hip, side, to be next to, nearby |- | poki | [verb] is a container, bag, bowl, cup, cupboard, drawer, vessel |- | pona | [verb] to repair (something), is good, positive, useful, friendly, peaceful, simple |- | pu | [verb] to interact with the official Toki Pona book |- | sama | [verb] is the same, similar, is a sibling, peer, fellow; each other |- | seli | [verb] is a fire, is a cooking element, chemical reaction, heat source |- | selo | [verb] is an outer form, outer layer, bark, peel, shell, skin, boundary |- | seme | [verb] is what? is which? |- | sewi | [verb] is an area above, highest part, something elevated, is awe-inspiring, divine, sacred, supernatural |- | sijelo | [verb] is a body (of person or animal), physical state, torso |- | sike | [verb] is round or circular thing, ball, circle, cycle, sphere, wheel, one year long |- | sin | [verb] is new, fresh, additional, another, extra |- | namako | [verb] is special, gist, new fresh, woman as a special thing, to have umami taste |- | sina | [PRONOUN] you |- | sinpin | [verb] is a face, foremost, front, wall |- | sitelen | [verb] to write, draw (something), is an image, picture, representation, symbol, mark |- | sona | [VERB] to know, be skilled in, be wise about, have information on (something) |- | sona | [PRE-VERB] to know how to |- | soweli | [verb] is an animal, beast, land mammal |- | suli | [verb] is big, heavy, large, tall, important; adult |- | suno | [verb] is the sun, light, bright, is a glow, radiance, shine, light source |- | supa | [verb] is a horizontal surface, thing to put or rest something on |- | suwi | [verb] is sweet, fragrant; cute, innocent, adorable |- | tan | [verb] to be the reason or source |- | taso | [verb] to contradict; but, however, only |- | tawa | [verb] to go to, to move, to be oriented towards |- | telo | [verb] is a water, liquid, fluid, wet substance, beverage |- | tenpo | [verb] is the time, duration, moment, occasion, period, situation |- | toki | [VERB] to communicate, say, speak, say, talk, use language, think |- | tomo | [verb] is an indoor space, building, home, house, room |- | tu | [NUMBER] two |- | unpa | [VERB] to have sexual or marital relations with |- | uta | [verb] is a mouth, lips, oral cavity, jaw |- | utala | [VERB] to battle, challenge, compete against, struggle against |- | walo | [verb] is white, whitish, light-colored, pale |- | wan | [verb] to unite (something), is unique, united |- | wan | [NUMBER] one |- | waso | [verb] is a bird, flying creature, winged animal |- | wawa | [verb] is strong, powerful, confident, sure, energetic, intense |- | weka | [verb] is absent, away, ignored |- | wile | [PRE-VERB] must, need, require, should, want, wish |}