word order

Language learning: How to speak Toki Pona, translation problems, advice, memory aids, tools and methods to learn Toki Pona and other languages faster
Lingva lernado: Kiel paroli Tokiponon, tradukproblemoj, konsiloj, memoraj helpiloj, iloj kaj metodoj por pli rapide lerni Tokiponon kaj aliajn lingvojn
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hooded_crow
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2016 11:15 am

word order

Post by hooded_crow »

Greetings!

I am learning Toki Pona to help retrain my brain after suffering some cognitive loss. I am taking the online course (with audio) at memrise.com. I also have the official Toki Pona book.

Language has never been my forte and I am currently confused about word order (amongst other things.)

lipu ni li pona --> this book is good
ni li lipu sina --> this is your book

Is there a rule or guideline to specify word order? Would the following sentences be valid? If not, why not?

lipu ni li sina
ni li lipu pona

Any guidance is appreciated.

Cheers,

hooded_crow
loteni
Posts: 89
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2016 10:14 pm

Re: word order

Post by loteni »

Welcome :)

The order is complex, but generally its just the reverse of how it is done in english ; pretty little girls school ->school girls little pretty.

lipu ni li sina -- this book is you.

lipu ni li lipu sina -- this book is your book.

ni li lipu pona -- this is a good book.


As a start its easiest to just read the "noun groups" in reverse, if english is your first language.
Follower of the official dialect of toki pona as presented in the official book; Toki Pona, The Language of Good by Sonja Lang.
janKipo
Posts: 3064
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2009 2:20 pm

Re: word order

Post by janKipo »

On the grand scale, however, things are as in English: Subject li Verb (e Direct Object) (Prepositional Phrases). What is different is that this is always the order, even for questions and poetic flourishes "Is this your book?" is still "ni li lipu sina ala sina', subject li verb (somewhat complex in this case).
hooded_crow
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2016 11:15 am

Re: word order

Post by hooded_crow »

Thank you for your help. It is a little clearer now. I am hopeful that with practice it'll sink in. Until the next question....

Cheers,

hooded_crow
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