Page 1 of 1

word order

Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2016 11:31 am
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

Re: word order

Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2016 12:09 pm
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.

Re: word order

Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2016 12:35 pm
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).

Re: word order

Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2016 5:38 pm
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