A.2.29: kala kule mute

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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jan Jon
Posts: 20
Joined: Tue Jun 27, 2017 3:51 pm

A.2.29: kala kule mute

Post by jan Jon »

Hi, I hope this hasn't been asked before. I couldn't find anything in the forum.

I tried to read the text A.2.29 "kala kule mute" from the book "Toki Pona, the language of good - the simple way of life".
I had quite some difficulties and I think I found out why:

Doesn't "kala kule mute" mean "many colorful fish"?
The supposed meaning "rainbow fish" should be "fish of many colors", thus "kala pi kule mute", shouldn't it?

Same thing with "kala luka mute". Doesn't this mean "many fish with arm", or maybe "fish 5 + 20". OK, that last one is pretty far fetched, but it certainly cannot mean "fish with many arms", can it?

Am I right here?
janKipo
Posts: 3064
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2009 2:20 pm

Re: A.2.29: kala kule mute

Post by janKipo »

Yes, you are right on all counts (the number case should be 'mute luka' since tp numbers go in descending order). I don't know what happened here. I expect it comes from Pije having a restricted view of 'pi', but even that doesn't help, since these cases fit within his restricted view.
I need to read all the textbooks again with a more critically. Thanks for the heads-up.
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