View source for Toki Pona

{{Short description|Minimalist language created by Sonja Lang}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox language
| name             = Toki Pona
| nativename       = toki pona
| image            = toki pona.svg
| imagescale       = 0.6
| imagealt         = Logo of Toki Pona. It is composed of a circle with three lines emitting from above, with an inscribed smile inside. The outlines are colored navy blue and the circle is filled in with a light yellow.
| imagecaption     = The Toki Pona logo, presenting the words {{lang|tok|toki pona}} written in [[Sitelen Pona]]
| pronunciation    = {{IPA|tok|ˈtoki ˈpona|}}
| familycolor      = constructed languages
| family           = [[Constructed language]], combining elements of the subgenres [[personal language]] and [[philosophical language]]
| creator          = Sonja Lang
| created          = 2001
| speakers         = 500–5000
| date             = 2021
| ref              = <ref name="ISO" group="†">{{Cite web |last=van der Meulen |first=Spencer |title=Request for New Language Code Element in ISO 639-3 |url=https://iso639-3.sil.org/sites/iso639-3/files/change_requests/2021/2021-043_tok.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230706140833/https://iso639-3.sil.org/sites/iso639-3/files/change_requests/2021/2021-043_tok.pdf |archive-date=2023-07-06 |access-date=2023-11-16 |collaboration=Toki Pona community}}</ref>
| setting          = Testing principles of [[minimalism]], the [[Linguistic relativity|Sapir–Whorf hypothesis]] and [[pidgin]]s
| posteriori       = [[A posteriori language]], with elements of English, [[Tok Pisin]], [[Finnish language|Finnish]], [[Georgian language|Georgian]], [[Dutch language|Dutch]], [[Acadian French]], [[Esperanto]], [[Serbo-Croatian]] and [[Chinese language|Chinese]]
| script           = {{ubl
  | [[Latin script]]
  | [[Sitelen Pona]]
  | Numerous other community-made scripts
  }}
| sign             = {{ubl
  | {{lang|tok|luka pona}} (sign language)
  | {{lang|tok|toki pona luka}} (manually-coded)
  }}
| iso3             = tok
| ietf             = tok
| notice           = IPA
| glotto           = toki1239
| glottorefname    = Toki Pona
}}
'''Toki Pona''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|t|oʊ|k|i|_|ˈ|p|oʊ|n|ə}}; {{lang|tok|toki pona}},{{efn|When writing in Toki Pona, capital letters are used only for proper names, such as the names of people.<ref name="Blahuš-2011">{{Cite journal |last=Blahuš |first=Marek |date=November 2011 |editor-last=Fiedler |editor-first=Sabine |title=Toki Pona: eine minimalistische Plansprache |trans-title=Toki Pona: A Minimalistic Planned Language |url=http://www.interlinguistik-gil.de/wb/media/beihefte/18/beiheft18.pdf#page=51 |url-status=live |journal=Interlinguistische Informationen |language=de |location=Berlin |volume=18 |pages=51–55 |issn=1432-3567 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210627181940/http://www.interlinguistik-gil.de/wb/media/beihefte/18/beiheft18.pdf#page=51 |archive-date=2021-06-27 |access-date=2019-01-08}}</ref><ref name="Rogers-2011">{{Cite book |last=Rogers |first=Steven D. |title=A Dictionary of Made-Up Languages |publisher=Adams Media |year=2011 |isbn=978-1440528170 |location=United States of America |chapter=Part I: Made-Up Languages – Toki pona}}</ref>}} {{IPA|tok|ˈtoki ˈpona|pron|audio=LL-Q36846-Lepticed7-toki pona.wav}}, translated as 'the language of good') is a [[Philosophical language|philosophical]] and [[Artistic language|artistic constructed language]] designed for its small vocabulary, simplicity, and ease of acquisition. It was created by Canadian linguist{{efn|name=linguist|Many sources describe Lang as a linguist. However, she has clarified that she is not one in the academic sense and lacks formal academic training or a university diploma in linguistics.<ref group="†">{{Cite web |last=Lang |first=Sonja |title=Toki Pona: a small world language |url=https://tokipona.org/small_world_language.html}}</ref>}} and [[hyperpolyglot]] Sonja Lang to simplify her thoughts and communication. The first drafts were published online in 2001, while the complete form was published in the 2014 book ''Toki Pona: The Language of Good'' (referred to as {{lang|tok|lipu pu}} in Toki Pona). Lang also released a supplementary dictionary, the ''Toki Pona Dictionary'' (referred to as {{lang|tok|lipu ku}}), in July 2021, [[Linguistic description|describing the language as used by its community of speakers]]. In 2024, a third book was released, a Toki Pona adaptation of ''[[The Wonderful Wizard of Oz]]'', written in [[Sitelen Pona]].

Toki Pona is an [[isolating language]] with only 14 [[phoneme]]s and an underlying feature of [[minimalism]]. It focuses on simple, near-universal concepts to maximize expression from very few words. In ''Toki Pona: The Language of Good'', Lang presents around 120 words, while the later ''Toki Pona Dictionary'' lists 137 "essential" words and a small number of less-used ones.{{Efn-la|name="wordcount"|Prior to the publication of ''Toki Pona: The Language of Good'', the language grew to 118 words.<ref name="Classic Word List Improved!" group="†">{{Cite web |title=Classic Word List (Improved!) |url=http://www.tokipona.net/tp/ClassicWordList.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181030131846/http://www.tokipona.net/tp/ClassicWordList.aspx |archive-date=2018-10-30 |access-date=2019-01-07 |website=tokipona.net}}</ref> Between then and the publication of ''Toki Pona Dictionary'', varying counts were given for the number of words in the former ({{lang|tok|nimi pu}}, {{Lit|words of the official Toki Pona book}}), ranging between 120 and 125.<ref name="Blahuš-2011" /><ref name="Morin-2015">{{Cite news |last=Morin |first=Roc |date=2015-07-15 |title=How to Say (Almost) Everything in a Hundred-Word Language |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/07/toki-pona-smallest-language/398363/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220712222757/https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/07/toki-pona-smallest-language/398363/ |archive-date=2022-07-12 |access-date=2019-08-01 |work=[[The Atlantic]]}}</ref><ref name="Roberts-2007">{{Cite news |last=Roberts |first=Siobhan |date=2007-07-09 |title=Canadian has people talking about lingo she created |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/canadian-has-people-talking-about-lingo-she-created/article20399052/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312071710/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/canadian-has-people-talking-about-lingo-she-created/article20399052/ |archive-date=2017-03-12 |access-date=2017-03-10 |work=[[The Globe and Mail]] |language=en-ca}}</ref> The ''Toki Pona Dictionary'' added 16 new "essential" words ({{lang|tok|nimi ku suli}}, {{Lit|important dictionary words}}),{{sfn|group=†|Lang|2021|pp=22–23}} and states on its back cover that there are a total of 137.{{sfn|group=†|Lang|2021|loc=back cover}} It also includes several less-used words ({{lang|tok|nimi ku pi suli ala}} or {{lang|tok|nimi ku lili}}, {{Lit|dictionary words of little importance}}).}} Its words are easy to pronounce across language backgrounds, which allows it to serve as a bridge of sorts for people of different cultures. However, it was not created as an [[international auxiliary language]]. Partly inspired by [[Taoist philosophy]], the language is designed to help users concentrate on basic things and to promote positive thinking, in accordance with the [[Linguistic relativity|Sapir–Whorf hypothesis]]. Despite the small vocabulary, speakers can understand and communicate, mainly relying on [[Context (linguistics)|context]], combinations of words, and expository sentences to express more specific meanings.

After its initial creation, a small community of speakers developed in the early 2000s. While activity mainly takes place online in [[chat room]]s, on [[social media]], and in other online groups, there have been a few organized in-person meetups.

==Etymology==
The name of the language has two parts: {{lang|tok|toki}} {{gloss|language}}, derived from [[Tok Pisin]] {{lang|tpi|tok}}, which itself comes from [[English language|English]] ''talk''; and {{lang|tok|pona}} {{gloss|good, simple}}, from [[Esperanto]] {{lang|eo|bona}}, from [[Latin]] {{lang|la|bonus}}.<ref name="tokiponaorg-2009a" group="†">{{Cite web |date=2009-09-28 |title=Toki Pona word origins |url=http://en.tokipona.org/wiki/Etymology_of_Toki_Pona_words |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20100308091122/http://en.tokipona.org/wiki/Etymology_of_Toki_Pona_words |archive-date=2010-03-08 |website=tokipona.org}}</ref><ref name="nimialepona-2020a" group="†">{{Cite web |date=2020-10-08 |title=nimi ale pona (2nd ed.) |url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1t-pjAgZDyKPXcCRnEdATFQOxGbQFMjZm-8EvXiQd2Po/edit?usp=sharing |access-date=2024-11-18}}</ref> The name {{lang|tok|toki pona}} therefore means 'good language', 'the language of good' and 'simple language', emphasizing that the language encourages speakers to find joy in simplicity.<ref name="Dance-2007">{{Cite web |date=2007-08-24 |title=Babel's modern architects |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-aug-24-sci-conlang24-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103134152/http://articles.latimes.com/2007/aug/24/science/sci-conlang24 |archive-date=2013-01-03 |access-date=2022-03-26 |website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>

==Purpose==
One of the language's main goals is a focus on minimalism.<ref name="Rogers-2011" /> It is designed to express maximal meaning with minimal complexity. Like a [[pidgin]], it focuses on simple concepts and elements that are near-universal among cultures.{{sfn|group=†|Lang|2014|p=9}} It has a minimal vocabulary and 14 phonemes devised to be easy to pronounce for speakers of various language backgrounds.<ref name="Morin-2015" /><ref name="Blahuš-2011" /><ref name="Roberts-2007" /><ref name="Mubin-2010">{{Cite book |last=Mubin |first=Omar |title=Advances in Natural Language Processing |last2=Bartneck |first2=Christoph |last3=Feijs |first3=Loe |year=2010 |isbn=978-3-642-14769-2 |series=Lecture Notes in Computer Science |volume=LNCS 6233/2010 |pages=250–256 |chapter=Towards the Design and Evaluation of ROILA: A Speech Recognition Friendly Artificial Language |citeseerx=10.1.1.175.6679 |doi=10.1007/978-3-642-14770-8_28 |chapter-url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/221418730 |via=ResearchGate}}</ref>

Another goal of Toki Pona is to help its speakers focus on the essentials by reducing complex concepts to basic elements.<ref name="Morin-2015" /> From these simple notions, more complex ideas can be built up by simple combining.<ref name="Rogers-2011" /> This allows the users to see the fundamental nature and effect of the ideas expressed.

On the basis of the [[Linguistic relativity|Sapir–Whorf hypothesis]], which states that a language influences the way its speakers think and behave,<ref name="Roberts-2007" /><ref name="Tomaszewski-2012">{{Cite web |last=Tomaszewski |first=Zach |date=2012-12-11 |title=A Formal Grammar for Toki Pona |url=http://www2.hawaii.edu/~chin/661F12/Projects/ztomaszewski.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191101110606/http://www2.hawaii.edu/%7Echin/661F12/Projects/ztomaszewski.pdf |archive-date=2019-11-01 |access-date=2019-09-21 |website=University of Hawai‘i}}</ref> Toki Pona was designed to induce positive thinking.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Malmkjær |first=Kirsten |title=The Routledge Linguistics Encyclopedia |publisher=[[Routledge]] |year=2010 |isbn=9780415424325 |edition=3rd |location=New York |pages=34 |chapter=Artificial languages |oclc=656296619}}</ref>

Another aim of the language is for the speakers to become aware of the present moment and pay more attention to the surroundings and the words people use.<ref name="Morin-2015" /> According to its author, it is meant to be "fun and cute".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Okrent |first=Arika |url=https://archive.org/details/inlandofinvented00okre |title=In the Land of Invented Languages |publisher=Spiegel & Grau |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-385-52788-0 |location=New York |chapter=The Klingons, the Conlangers, and the Art of Language – 26. The Secret Vice |url-access=registration}}</ref>

Although it was not intended as an international auxiliary language,<ref name="Yerrick-2002">{{Cite web |last=Yerrick |first=Damian |date=2002-10-23 |title=Toki Pona li pona ala pona? A review of Sonja Kisa's constructed language Toki Pona |url=http://www.pineight.com/tokipona/tpreview.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928014539/http://www.pineight.com/tokipona/tpreview.html |archive-date=2007-09-28 |access-date=2007-07-20 |website=Pin Eight}}</ref> a worldwide online community uses it for communication.<ref name="Morin-2015" />

==History==
Toki Pona was developed by the Canadian linguist{{efn|name=linguist}} and translator '''Sonja Lang''' (formerly Sonja Elen Kisa). Born in 1978 in [[Moncton]], [[New Brunswick]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-11-15 |title=3-60 - Toki Pona |url=http://en.tokipona.org/wiki/3-60 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20091115031837/http://en.tokipona.org/wiki/3-60 |archive-date=2009-11-15 |access-date=2022-04-27 |website=en.tokipona.org}}</ref> Lang grew up in a bilingual family; her mother spoke French, and her father spoke English. During and after her high school years, she became fluent in five languages, including [[Esperanto]]. Esperanto was the inspiration for her creation of constructed languages.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-07-18 |title=AFP 20 - Sonja Lang: Toki Pona, Conlanging, meaning of life |url=https://actualfluency.com/20-sonja-lang-toki-pona-conlanging-meaning-life/ |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=Actual Fluency |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2001, Lang was experiencing [[clinical depression|depression]] and started working on Toki Pona as a way to simplify her thoughts.<ref name="Dance-2007" /> In the same year, an early version of the language was published online, and it quickly gained popularity.<ref name="Roberts-2007" /> She was inspired by [[Hunter-gatherer|hunter-gatherers]], saying in an interview with [[The Atlantic]]: "I thought, what would it have been like to just be a person in nature, interacting with things in a primitive way?"<ref name="Morin-2015" />

{{anchor|Toki Pona: The Language of Good}}
In 2014, Lang released her first book on the language, ''Toki Pona: The Language of Good'',<ref group="†">{{Cite magazine |date=2021-02-01 |title=nanpa akesi |url=https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-akesi |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241030134952/https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-akesi/ |archive-date=2024-10-30 |access-date=2024-10-30 |magazine=lipu tenpo |page=3 |language=Toki Pona |issn=2752-4639}}</ref>{{sfn|group=†|Lang|2014|p=25}} which features 120 main words, plus 3 words presented as synonyms of these,{{sfn|group=†|Lang|2014|p=140}}{{efn|While some sources consider {{lang|tok|ale}} and {{lang|tok|ali}} separate words,<ref name="Fabbri-2018">{{Cite journal |last=Fabbri |first=Renato |date=July 2018 |title=Basic concepts and tools for the Toki Pona minimal and constructed language |journal=ACM Transactions on Asian and Low-Resource Language Information Processing |arxiv=1712.09359}}</ref> they are just variations of the same word.<ref name="tokiponaorg-2009a" group="†" /><ref name="nimialepona-2020a" group="†" /><ref name="Tomaszewski-2012" /><ref name="Yerrick-2002" />}} and provides a completed form of the language based on how Lang used the language at the time.<ref name="Thomas-2018">{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Simon |date=2018-03-27 |title=Exploring Toki Pona: do we need more than 120 words? |url=https://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2018/03/27/toki-pona-invented-language-120-words/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190511184141/https://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2018/03/27/toki-pona-invented-language-120-words/ |archive-date=2019-05-11 |access-date=2019-02-03 |website=Oxford Dictionaries}}</ref>{{sfn|group=†|Lang|2014|p=7}} In 2016, the book was also published in French.<ref name="Fabbri-2018" />

In 2015, YouTuber jan Misali uploaded a series titled ''12 Days of {{lang|tok|sona pi toki pona}}'', which proved influential<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-11-03 |title=Results of the 2022 Toki Pona census |url=https://tokiponacensus.github.io/results2022/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241113153433/https://tokiponacensus.github.io/results2022/ |archive-date=2024-11-13 |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=Toki Pona census |language=en}}</ref> and was recommended as a learning tool by Sitelen Sitelen creator Jonathan Gabel.<ref group="†">{{Cite web |last=Gabel |first=Jonathan |year=2021 |title=toki pona |url=https://jonathangabel.com/toki-pona/about/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221002223610/https://www.jonathangabel.com/toki-pona/about/ |archive-date=2 October 2022 |access-date=7 October 2022 |website=jonathangabel.com}}</ref>

{{anchor|Toki Pona Dictionary}}
<section begin="dictionary" />
In 2021, Lang released her second book, ''Toki Pona Dictionary'',{{sfn|group=†|Lang|2021|p=2}}{{sfn|group=†|Lang|2021|p=108}} a comprehensive two-way Toki Pona–English dictionary including more than 11,000 entries detailing the use of the language as she gathered from polls conducted in the {{lang|tok|ma pona pi toki pona}} [[Discord]] server over a few months.{{sfn|group=†|Lang|2021|p=17}} The book presents the original 120 words plus 16 {{lang|tok|nimi ku suli}} ({{Lit|major dictionary words}}) as gathered from at least over 40% of respondents. It also contains 45 words given by 40% or less of respondents, referred to as {{lang|tok|nimi ku pi suli ala}} ({{Lit|minor dictionary words}}), sometimes also called {{lang|tok|nimi ku lili}}.{{sfn|group=†|Lang|2021|pp=22–23}}<ref name="Coluzzi-2022">{{Cite journal |last=Coluzzi |first=Paolo |date=3 June 2022 |title=How learning Toki Pona may help improving communication strategies in a foreign or second language |journal=Language Problems and Language Planning |publisher=John Benjamins Publishing Company |volume=46 |issue=1 |pages=78–98 |doi=10.1075/lplp.00086.col |s2cid=249350572}}</ref><ref group="†">{{Cite magazine |date=2021-08-02 |title=nanpa suno |url=https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-suno |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241030145726/https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-suno/ |archive-date=2024-10-30 |access-date=2024-10-30 |magazine=lipu tenpo |page=3 |language=Toki Pona |issn=2752-4639}}</ref><section end="dictionary" />

After two failed applications for an [[ISO 639-3]] code, a third request was filed in August 2021, which resulted in the ISO 639-3 code {{mono|tok}} being adopted in January 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 January 2022 |title=Change Request Documentation: 2021-043 |url=https://iso639-3.sil.org/request/2021-043 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220719145158/https://iso639-3.sil.org/request/2021-043 |archive-date=2022-07-19 |access-date=2022-08-12 |website=[[SIL International]] ISO 639-3}}</ref><ref group="†">{{Cite magazine |date=2022-03-10 |title=nanpa nimi |url=https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-nimi |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241030171419/https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-nimi/ |archive-date=2024-10-30 |access-date=2024-10-30 |magazine=lipu tenpo |page=2 |language=Toki Pona |issn=2752-4639}}</ref><ref group="†">{{Cite magazine |date=2023-02-06 |title=nanpa tu |url=https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-tu |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241031102250/https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-tu/ |archive-date=2024-10-31 |access-date=2024-10-31 |magazine=lipu tenpo |page=6 |language=Toki Pona |issn=2752-4639}}</ref>

Toki Pona was the subject of some scientific works,<ref name="Blahuš-2011" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Cerino Jiménez |first=Rigoberto |last2=Pinto Avendaño |first2=David Eduardo |last3=Vergara Limon |first3=Sergio |date=2023-06-17 |title=Pictographic Representation of the Toki Pona Language for Use in Augmentative and Alternative Communication Systems |url=https://www.cys.cic.ipn.mx/ojs/index.php/CyS/article/view/4418 |journal=Computación y Sistemas |language=es |volume=27 |issue=2 |doi=10.13053/cys-27-2-4418 |issn=2007-9737|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Baggetto |first=Pablo |title=Pattern Recognition and Image Analysis |last2=López |first2=Damián |last3=Larriba |first3=Antonio M. |date=2023 |publisher=Springer Nature Switzerland |isbn=978-3-031-36616-1 |editor-last=Pertusa |editor-first=Antonio |series=Lecture Notes in Computer Science |volume=14062 |location=Cham |pages=654–664 |language=en |chapter=Study and Automatic Translation of Toki Pona |doi=10.1007/978-3-031-36616-1_52 |editor-last2=Gallego |editor-first2=Antonio Javier |editor-last3=Sánchez |editor-first3=Joan Andreu |editor-last4=Domingues |editor-first4=Inês |chapter-url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-36616-1_52}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Coluzzi |first=Paolo |date=2024-08-08 |title=Esperanto, Klingon and Toki Pona: evaluating non-speaker perceptions of the orthographic and phonological characteristics of three popular constructed languages |url=https://doi.org/10.1080/14790718.2024.2384593 |journal=International Journal of Multilingualism |pages=1–16 |doi=10.1080/14790718.2024.2384593 |via=Taylor & Francis Online|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kitano |first=Magda |date=2024-08-01 |title=Teaching Toki Pona in Japan |url=https://jalt-publications.org/articles/29087-teaching-toki-pona-japan |journal=JALT Postconference Publication |language=en |volume=2023 |issue=1 |pages=245–252 |doi=10.37546/jaltpcp2023-27|url-access=subscription }}</ref> and it has also been used for [[artificial intelligence]] and software tools,<ref name="Fabbri-2018" /> as well as a therapeutic method for eliminating negative thinking by having patients keep track of their thoughts in the language.<ref name="Roberts-2007" /> In 2010, it was chosen for the first version of the vocabulary for the [[Robot Interaction Language|ROILA]] project. The purpose of the study was to investigate the use of an [[artificial language]] on the accuracy of [[Speech recognition|machine speech recognition]], and it was revealed that the modified vocabulary of Toki Pona significantly outperformed English.<ref name="Mubin-2010" />

In February of 2024, Lang released the book ''[[The Wonderful Wizard of Oz]] (Toki Pona edition)'', the first in a planned series of illustrated storybooks written in Sitelen Pona (referred to collectively as {{lang|tok|lipu su}}).<ref group="†">{{Cite magazine |date=2024-03-20 |title=nanpa kalama |url=https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-kalama |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241101183346/https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-kalama/ |archive-date=2024-11-01 |access-date=2024-11-01 |magazine=lipu tenpo |pages=3,6 |language=Toki Pona |issn=2752-4639}}</ref>

==Phonology and phonotactics==

===Phonemic inventory===
Toki Pona has nine [[consonant]]s ({{IPA|/p, t, k, s, m, n, l, j, w/}}) and five [[vowel]]s ({{IPA|/a, e, i, o, u/}}).<ref name="Blahuš-2011" /><ref name="Roberts-2007" /> [[Stress (linguistics)|Stress]] falls on the initial syllable of a word, and it is marked by an increase in loudness, length, or pitch.{{sfn|group=†|Lang|2014|p=13}} There are no [[diphthong]]s, [[vowel hiatus]], [[contrasting pair|contrasting]] [[vowel length]], [[consonant cluster]]s (except those starting with the [[nasal coda]]), or [[tone (linguistics)|tones]].<ref name="Blahuš-2011" /> Both its sound inventory and [[phonotactics]] are compatible with the majority of human languages, and are therefore readily accessible.<ref name="Thomas-2018" />

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Consonants
!
! [[Labial consonant|Labial]]
! [[Apical consonant|Apical]]
! [[Laminal consonant|Laminal]]
! [[Dorsal consonant|Dorsal]]
|-
! [[Nasal consonant|Nasal]]
| {{IPA link|m}}
| {{IPA link|n}}
|
|
|-
! [[Stop consonant|Stop]]
| {{IPA link|p}}
| {{IPA link|t}}
|
| {{IPA link|k}}
|-
! [[Fricative consonant|Fricative]]
|
|
| {{IPA link|s}}
|
|-
! [[Approximant consonant|Approximant]]
| 
| {{IPA link|l}}
| {{IPA link|j}}
| {{IPA link|w}}
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Vowels
!
! [[Front vowel|Front]]
! [[Back vowel|Back]]
|-
! [[Close vowel|Close]]
| {{IPA link|i}}
| {{IPA link|u}}
|-
! [[Mid vowel|Mid]]
| {{IPA link|e}}
| {{IPA link|o}}
|-
! [[Open vowel|Open]]
| {{IPA link|a}}
|
|}

===Distribution===
The statistical vowel spread is fairly typical when compared with other languages.<ref name="Blahuš-2011" /> Counting each word once, 32% of vowels are {{IPA|/a/}}, 25% are {{IPA|/i/}}, with {{IPA|/e/}} and {{IPA|/o/}} a bit over 15% each, and 10% are {{IPA|/u/}}.<ref name="Blahuš-2011" /> The usage frequency in a 10kB sample of texts was slightly more skewed: 34% {{IPA|/a/}}, 30% {{IPA|/i/}}, 15% each {{IPA|/e/}} and {{IPA|/o/}}, and 6% {{IPA|/u/}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Phoneme frequency table / Ofteco de fonemoj |url=http://bellsouthpwp.net/j/i/jimhenry1973/conlang/tokipona/tokipona.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071114085856/http://bellsouthpwp.net/j/i/jimhenry1973/conlang/tokipona/tokipona.htm |archive-date=2007-11-14 |website=lipu pi toki pona pi jan Jakopo}}</ref>

Of the syllable-initial consonants, {{IPA|/l/}} is the most common, at 20% total; {{IPA|/k, s, p/}} are over 10%, then the nasals {{IPA|/m, n/}} (not counting final n), with the least common, at little more than 5% each, being {{IPA|/t, w, j/}}. The high frequency of {{IPA|/l/}} and low frequency of {{IPA|/t/}} is somewhat unusual among the world's languages.<ref name="Blahuš-2011" />

===Phonotactics===
The first syllable of a word follows the form (C)V(N), i.e. an optional consonant, a vowel, and an optional final nasal. Subsequent syllables follow the same form, except that the leading consonant is required. Syllables can thus be CV, CVN, V, or VN.<ref name="Fabbri-2018" /> As in most languages, CV is the most common syllable type, at 75% (counting each word once).<ref name="Blahuš-2011" />

The following sequences are not allowed: * {{IPA|/wu, wo, ji, ti, wun, won, jin, tin/}}, nor may a syllable's final nasal occur before {{IPA|/m/}} or {{IPA|/n/}} in the same word.<ref name="Blahuš-2011" /><ref name="Fabbri-2018" />

Proper nouns are usually converted into Toki Pona proper adjectives using a set of guidelines. The native, or even colloquial, pronunciation is used as the basis for the subsequent sound conversion. Thus, English becomes {{lang|tok|Inli}} and John becomes {{lang|tok|San}}.<ref group="†">{{Cite web |last=Lang |first=Sonja |editor-last=Knight |editor-first=Bryant |title=Phonetic conversion of proper names |url=http://tokipona.net/tp/janpije/tpize.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200217125604/http://tokipona.net/tp/janpije/tpize.php |archive-date=2020-02-17 |access-date=2019-01-15 |website=lipu pi jan Pije}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Valid syllables in Toki Pona
! scope="col" |
! scope="col" | -a
! scope="col" | -an
! scope="col" | -e
! scope="col" | -en
! scope="col" | -i
! scope="col" | -in
! scope="col" | -o
! scope="col" | -on
! scope="col" | -u
! scope="col" | -un
|-
! scope="row" | ∅-
| a
| an
| e
| en
| i
| in
| o
| on
| u
| un
|-
! scope="row" | p-
| pa
| pan
| pe
| pen
| pi
| pin
| po
| pon
| pu
| pun
|-
! scope="row" | t-
| ta
| tan
| te
| ten
| colspan="2" {{N/A}}
| to
| ton
| tu
| tun
|-
! scope="row" | k-
| ka
| kan
| ke
| ken
| ki
| kin
| ko
| kon
| ku
| kun
|-
! scope="row" | m-
| ma
| man
| me
| men
| mi
| min
| mo
| mon
| mu
| mun
|-
! scope="row" | n-
| na
| nan
| ne
| nen
| ni
| nin
| no
| non
| nu
| nun
|-
! scope="row" | s-
| sa
| san
| se
| sen
| si
| sin
| so
| son
| su
| sun
|-
! scope="row" | l-
| la
| lan
| le
| len
| li
| lin
| lo
| lon
| lu
| lun
|-
! scope="row" | w-
| wa
| wan
| we
| wen
| wi
| win
| colspan="4" {{N/A}}
|-
! scope="row" | j-
| ja
| jan
| je
| jen
| colspan="2" {{N/A}}
| jo
| jon
| ju
| jun
|}

===Allophony===
Because of its small phoneme inventory, Toki Pona allows for extensive [[Allophone|allophonic]] variation. For example, {{IPA|/p t k/}} may be pronounced {{IPA|[b d ɡ]}} as well as {{IPA|[p t k]}}, {{IPA|/s/}} as {{IPA|[z]}} or {{IPA|[ʃ]}} as well as {{IPA|[s]}}, {{IPA|/l/}} as {{IPA|[ɾ]}} as well as {{IPA|[l]}}, and vowels may be either long or short.<ref name="Blahuš-2011" />

Furthermore, while written as ''n'', the nasal at the end of a syllable can be pronounced as any nasal stop, and it is normally assimilated to the following consonant.<ref name="Blahuš-2011" />

==Writing systems==
[[File:AEI Chart.png|thumb|Latin alphabet chart for Toki Pona]]

Using the [[Latin alphabet]], fourteen letters—''a'', ''e'', ''i'', ''j'', ''k'', ''l'', ''m'', ''n'', ''o'', ''p'', ''s'', ''t'', ''u'', ''w''—are used to write the language. They have the same values as in the [[International Phonetic Alphabet]]:<ref name="Blahuš-2011" /> ''j'' sounds like English ''y'' (as in many [[Germanic languages|Germanic]] and [[Slavic languages]]) and the vowels are like those of [[Spanish phonology|Spanish]], [[Modern Greek phonology|Modern Greek]], or [[Modern Hebrew phonology|Modern Hebrew]]. Capital initials are used to mark [[proper name]]s, while common words are always written with lowercase letters, even when they start a sentence.<ref name="Blahuš-2011" /><ref name="Rogers-2011" />

Besides the Latin alphabet, which is the most common way of writing the language, many alternative writing systems have been developed for and adapted to Toki Pona.<ref name="Blahuš-2011" /> Most successful and widespread are two [[Logogram|logographic]] writing systems, [[Sitelen Pona]] and Sitelen Sitelen. Both were included in the book ''Toki Pona: The Language of Good''.{{sfn|group=†|Lang|2014|p=96}}

===Sitelen Pona===
{{Main|Sitelen Pona}}

[[File:Toki pona sitelen pona.png|alt=Table, 10 items high by 12 items wide, containing hand drawn characters, each with a word using Latin characters under it.|thumb|Sitelen Pona hieroglyphs from ''Toki Pona: The Language of Good'' by Sonja Lang]]

[[File:Toki Pona sitelen pona examples.png|thumb|Modified symbols in Sitelen Pona]]

The Sitelen Pona ({{Lit|good/simple writing/drawing}})<ref name="Coluzzi-2022" /> writing system was devised as an alternative writing system by Lang herself, and first published in her book ''Toki Pona: The Language of Good'' in 2014.{{sfn|group=†|Lang|2014|p=96}} In it each word is represented by its own symbol. It has been described as "a hieroglyphic-like script that makes use of squiggles and other childlike shapes".<ref name="Smith Journal-2019">{{Cite news |date=2019-06-03 |title=Toki Pona – The language of good |url=https://www.pressreader.com/australia/smith-journal/20190603/282660393885733 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020080915/https://www.pressreader.com/australia/smith-journal/20190603/282660393885733 |archive-date=2019-10-20 |access-date=2019-10-20 |work=[[Smith Journal]] |location=Melbourne, Australia}}</ref>

Symbols representing a single [[adjective]] may be written inside or above the symbol for the preceding word that they modify.{{sfn|group=†|Lang|2014|p=119}} The symbol of the language [[File:Toki pona - sitelen pona in Sonja Lang's handwriting.svg|20px]] is written in Sitelen Pona,<ref name="Smith Journal-2019" /> with the symbol [[File:Pona - sitelen pona in Sonja Lang's handwriting.svg|20px]] ({{lang|tok|pona}}) written inside the symbol [[File:Toki - sitelen pona in Sonja Lang's handwriting.svg|20px]] ({{lang|tok|toki}}).

===Sitelen Sitelen<span class="anchor" id="Sitelen sitelen"></span><span class="anchor" id="sitelen sitelen"></span>===
[[File:Sitelen nimi ale.png|alt=sitelen sitelen dictionary|thumb|The word symbols and punctuation of Sitelen Sitelen]]

Sitelen Sitelen ({{Lit|drawn writing}}), originally known as {{lang|tok|sitelen suwi}} ({{Lit|cute writing}}),<ref name="gabel-2019a" group="†">{{Cite web |last=Gabel |first=Jonathan |date=2019-10-20 |title=Lesson 1: Welcome |url=https://jonathangabel.com/toki-pona/lesson-1/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020145800/https://jonathangabel.com/toki-pona/lesson-1/ |archive-date=2019-10-20 |access-date=2019-10-20 |website=Jonathan Gabel}}</ref> is a writing system created by Jonathan Gabel. This more elaborate non-linear system uses two separate methods to form words: logograms representing words and an [[alphasyllabary]] for writing the syllables (especially for proper names). The complex artful designs of the glyphs are chosen to help people who use this writing system to slow down and explore how not only the language but also the method of communication can influence their thinking.{{sfn|group=†|Lang|2014|p=66}}<ref name="gabel-2019a" group="†" />

Sitelen Sitelen's overall aesthetics are inspired by [[West Coast of the United States|US west-coast]] [[underground comix|comix]] artists such as [[Jim Woodring]] and [[East Coast of the United States|US east-coast]] [[graffiti]] artists such as [[Kenny Scharf]]. The designs of many individual characters are inspired by characters and principles from various other writing systems, including [[Egyptian hieroglyphs]], [[Linear B]], [[Chinese characters]], [[Maya script]], [[Mi'kmaw hieroglyphs]], [[Dongba symbols]], as well as early [[Pagan]] and [[Christian]] signs and symbols.<ref group="†">{{Cite web |last=Gabel |first=Jonathan |year=2021 |title=sitelen sitelen acknowledgements and etymology |url=https://jonathangabel.com/toki-pona/acknowledgements/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220125111515/https://jonathangabel.com/toki-pona/acknowledgements/ |archive-date=2022-01-25 |access-date=2021-10-22 |website=Jonathan Gabel}}</ref>

==Grammar==
Toki Pona's [[word order]] is [[subject–verb–object]].<ref name="Tomaszewski-2012" /> The particle {{lang|tok|li}} introduces [[Predicate (grammar)|predicate]]s, and the particle {{lang|tok|e}} introduces [[direct object]]s.<ref name="LCS-2019">{{Cite web |title=3. Toki Pona Text – Grammar and Vocabulary |url=https://conlang.org/language-creation-conference/lcc6/lcc6-relay/3-toki-pona-text/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190126061134/https://conlang.org/language-creation-conference/lcc6/lcc6-relay/3-toki-pona-text/ |archive-date=2019-01-26 |access-date=2019-01-25 |website=Language Creation Society}}</ref> Toki Pona is [[head-initial]]: a noun or verb is followed by its [[Grammatical modifier|modifiers]].<ref name="LCS-2019" />

Some words are [[grammatical particle]]s, while the others are [[content word]]s with [[Lexical semantics|lexical]] meanings. The content words do not fall into well defined [[part of speech|parts of speech]]; they may be used as nouns, verbs, modifiers, or [[interjection]]s.<ref name="Blahuš-2011" /><ref name="Tomaszewski-2012" /> A content word's position in a sentence determines its role, allowing the limited number of words to serve many purposes.<ref name="Fabbri-2018" /> Thus, the word {{lang|tok|moku}} means "to eat" in the verb position, but means "food" (that which is eaten) in the noun position, and might mean "edible" (of or relating to eating) as an adjective.<ref name="Tomaszewski-2012" />

Toki Pona has more complicated sentence structures as well. [[Prepositional phrase]]s follow the [[Object (grammar)|objects]]. The particle {{lang|tok|la}} ends a phrase or [[clause]] that comes before the [[Subject (grammar)|subject]] to add additional context.<ref name="Fabbri-2018" />

===Sentence structures===
A sentence may be an interjection, statement, wish/command, or question.<ref name="Tomaszewski-2012" />

For example, interjections such as {{lang|tok|a}}, {{lang|tok|ala}}, {{lang|tok|ike}}, {{lang|tok|jaki}}, {{lang|tok|mu}}, {{lang|tok|pakala}}, {{lang|tok|pona}}, {{lang|tok|toki}}, etc. can stand alone as a sentence.<ref name="Tomaszewski-2012" />

Statements follow the normal structure of ''subject-predicate'' with an optional {{lang|tok|la}} phrase at the beginning. The word {{lang|tok|li}} precedes the predicate unless the subject is {{lang|tok|mi}} or {{lang|tok|sina}}.<ref name="Fabbri-2018" /> The [[Marker (linguistics)|marker]] {{lang|tok|e}} comes before direct objects. More {{lang|tok|li}} and {{lang|tok|e}} markers can present more predicates and direct objects respectively. [[Vocative case|Vocative]] phrases come before the main sentence and are marked with {{lang|tok|o}} at the end of the phrase, after the addressee.<ref name="Tomaszewski-2012" /><ref name="Fabbri-2018" />

In commands, the word {{lang|tok|o}} comes before a verb to express a second-person command. It can also replace {{lang|tok|li}}, or come after the subjects {{lang|tok|mi}} or {{lang|tok|sina}}, to express wishes.{{sfn|group=†|Lang|2014|p=34}}

There are two ways to form [[yes–no question]]s in Toki Pona. One method is to use the [[A-not-A]] construction, "verb {{lang|tok|ala}} verb", in which {{lang|tok|ala}} comes in between a duplicated verb, auxiliary verb, or other [[Predicate (grammar)#Semantic predication|predicates]].<ref name="Tomaszewski-2012" /> Another way is to put the [[question tag]] {{lang|tok|anu seme?}} ({{Lit|or what?}}) after the phrase being inquired about.{{sfn|group=†|Lang|2014|p=28}} Just putting a [[question mark]] at the end of a sentence does not form a question grammatically.

[[Non-polar question]]s are formed by replacing the unknown information with the [[interrogative word]] {{lang|tok|seme}}.<ref name="Fabbri-2018" />

===Pronouns===
Toki Pona has four basic pronouns: {{lang|tok|mi}} (first person), {{lang|tok|sina}} (second person), {{lang|tok|ona}} (third person), and {{lang|tok|ni}} (demonstrative). Number and [[Grammatical gender|gender]] are not specified by default, but they can be specified with additional modifiers to the pronouns.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Martin |first=Matthew |date=2007-09-11 |title=Toki Pona: Pronouns unleashed |url=http://www.suburbandestiny.com/?p=239 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190420220524/http://www.suburbandestiny.com/?p=239 |archive-date=2019-04-20 |access-date=2019-01-25 |website=My Suburban Destiny}}</ref>

===Nouns===
[[File:Sijelo_jan.svg|right|thumb|Noun phrases express concepts beyond Toki Pona's basic vocabulary. Each Sitelen Pona symbol in the above image represents one word.]]
With such a small vocabulary, Toki Pona relies heavily on [[noun phrase]]s, where a noun is modified by a following word, to make more complex meanings. A typical example is combining {{lang|tok|jan}} (''person'') with {{lang|tok|utala}} (''fight'') to make {{lang|tok|jan utala}} (''fighter, soldier, warrior''). {{See below|{{section link||Modifiers}}}}

Nouns do not [[Declension|decline]] according to number. {{lang|tok|jan}} can mean ''person, people, humanity, somebody'' depending on context.<ref name="Blahuš-2011" />

Toki Pona does not use isolated proper nouns; instead, they must modify a preceding noun. For this reason, they may be called "proper adjectives" or simply "proper words" instead of "proper nouns". For example, names of people and places are used as modifiers of the common word for "person" and "place", e.g. {{lang|tok|ma Kanata}} ({{Lit|Canada land}}) or {{lang|tok|jan Lisa}} ({{Lit|Lisa person}}).<ref name="Blahuš-2011" />

===Modifiers===
[[Phrase]]s in Toki Pona are [[head-initial]]; modifiers always come after the word that they modify.<ref name="Tomaszewski-2012" /> Therefore, {{lang|tok|soweli utala}} ({{Lit|animal of fighting}}), can be a ''fighting animal'', whereas {{lang|tok|utala soweli}} ({{Lit|fighting of animal}}), can mean ''animal war''.<ref name="Blahuš-2011" />

When a second modifier is added to a phrase, for example {{lang|tok|jan pona mute}}, it modifies all that comes before it, so {{lang|tok|jan pona mute}} might mean ''many good people'', with both {{lang|tok|pona}} (''good'') and {{lang|tok|mute}} (''many'') modifying {{lang|tok|jan}} (''person''). The particle {{lang|tok|pi}} is placed before two or more modifiers to group them into another phrase that functions as a unit to modify the head: In {{lang|tok|jan pi pona mute}}, {{lang|tok|pona mute}} as a unit means ''much goodness'', to together mean ''very good person''. {{lang|tok|mute}} modifies {{lang|tok|pona}}, and {{lang|tok|pona mute}} as a whole modifies {{lang|tok|jan}}.<ref name="Blahuš-2011" /><ref name="Fabbri-2018" />

[[Demonstrative]]s, numerals, and [[possessive]] pronouns come after the head like other modifiers.<ref name="Blahuš-2011" />

===Verbs===
Toki Pona does not inflect verbs according to person, tense, mood, or voice, as the language features no [[inflection]] whatsoever. Person is indicated by the subject of the verb; time is indicated through context or by a temporal adverb in the sentence.<ref name="Blahuš-2011" />

Prepositions can be used in the predicate in place of a regular verb.<ref name="LCS-2019" />

==Vocabulary==
{{See also|List of Toki Pona words}}
Toki Pona has around 120 to 137 words.{{Efn-la|name="wordcount"}} Each is [[Polysemy|polysemous]], and covers a range of similar concepts,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sinyashchik |first=Anna |date=2018-01-03 |script-title=ru:Коротко и ясно. Как искусственный язык учит фокусироваться на главном |trans-title=Briefly and Clearly. How an Artificial Language Teaches to Focus on What's Important |url=https://focus.ua/ukraine/388398/ |url-status=live |journal=Фокус (Focus) |language=ru |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212132257/https://focus.ua/ukraine/388398/ |archive-date=2019-02-12 |access-date=2019-02-10}}</ref><ref name="Tomaszewski-2012" /> so {{lang|tok|suli}} not only means ''big'' or ''long'', but also ''important''.<ref name="Blahuš-2011" /> Their use relies heavily on context. To express more complex thoughts, the words can be combined. For example, {{lang|tok|jan pona}} can mean ''friend'', although it translates to ''good person'',<ref name="Dance-2007" /> and {{lang|tok|telo nasa}} ({{Lit|strange liquid}}), could be understood to mean ''alcohol'' or ''alcoholic beverage'' depending on the context. The verb ''to teach'' can be expressed by {{lang|tok|pana e sona}} ({{Lit|give knowledge}}).<ref name="Blahuš-2011" /> Essentially identical concepts can be described by different words as the choice relies on the speaker's perception and experience.<ref name="Thomas-2018" />

===Colors===
[[File:Color mixture.svg|alt=|thumb|167x167px|Many colors can be expressed by using [[subtractive colors]].]]

Toki Pona has five words for colors: {{lang|tok|pimeja}} (black), {{lang|tok|walo}} (white), {{lang|tok|loje}} (red), {{lang|tok|jelo}} (yellow), and {{lang|tok|laso}} ([[Blue–green distinction in language|blue and green]]). Although the simplified conceptualization of colors tends to exclude a number of colors that are commonly expressed in Western languages, speakers sometimes may combine these five words to make more specific descriptions of certain colors. For instance, "purple" may be represented by combining {{lang|tok|laso}} and {{lang|tok|loje}}. The phrase {{lang|tok|laso loje}} means "a reddish shade of blue" and {{lang|tok|loje laso}} means "a bluish shade of red".<ref name="Blahuš-2011" />

===Numbers===
Toki Pona has words for one ({{lang|tok|wan}}), two ({{lang|tok|tu}}), and many ({{lang|tok|mute}}). In addition, {{lang|tok|ala}} can mean ''zero'' (its main meaning being ''no, none''), and {{lang|tok|ale}} ({{Lit|all}}) can express an infinite or immense amount.<ref name="Blahuš-2011" />

The simplest number system uses these five words to express any amount necessary. For numbers larger than two, speakers would use {{lang|tok|mute}} which means ''many''.<ref name="Blahuš-2011" />

A more complex system expresses larger numbers additively by using phrases such as {{lang|tok|tu wan}} for three, {{lang|tok|tu tu}} for four, and so on. This feature purposely makes it impractical to communicate large numbers.<ref name="Yerrick-2002" /> This system, described in Lang's book, also uses {{lang|tok|luka}} ({{Lit|hand}}) to signify five, {{lang|tok|mute}} ({{Lit|many}}) to signify twenty, and {{lang|tok|ale}} ({{Lit|all}}) to signify hundred. For example, using this structure {{lang|tok|ale tu}} would mean 102 and {{lang|tok|mute mute mute luka luka luka tu wan}} would signify 78.<ref group="†">{{Cite web |title=Numbers |url=http://tokipona.net/tp/Numbers.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128112058/http://tokipona.net/tp/numbers.aspx |archive-date=2020-01-28 |access-date=2019-01-26 |website=tokipona.net}}</ref>

===Words history===
[[File:BodyTokiPona.jpg|thumb|right|Body parts in Toki Pona. The words {{lang|tok|oko}}, {{lang|tok|uta}}, {{lang|tok|lawa}}, {{lang|tok|luka}}, and {{lang|tok|noka}} have Slavic, particularly [[Serbo-Croatian]] roots: {{lang|sh|oko}}, {{lang|sh|usta}}, {{lang|sh|glava}}, {{lang|sh|ruka}}, and {{lang|sh|noga}}.]]
Some words have obsolete [[synonym]]s. For example, {{lang|tok|nena}} replaced {{lang|tok|kapa}} (protuberance) early in the language's development for unknown reasons.<ref name="knight-2017a" group="†">{{Cite web |last=Knight |first=Bryant |date=2017-08-31 |title=Extinct words |url=http://tokipona.net/tp/janpije/extinctwords.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200217124810/http://tokipona.net/tp/janpije/extinctwords.php |archive-date=2020-02-17 |access-date=2019-01-13 |website=lipu pi jan Pije}}</ref><ref name="nimialepona-2020a" group="†" /> Later, the pronoun {{lang|tok|ona}} replaced {{lang|tok|iki}} (''he, she, it, they''), which was sometimes confused with {{lang|tok|ike}} (''bad'').<ref group="†">{{Cite magazine |date=2023-02-06 |title=nanpa tu |url=https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-tu |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241031102250/https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-tu/ |archive-date=2024-10-31 |access-date=2024-10-31 |magazine=lipu tenpo |page=2 |language=Toki Pona |issn=2752-4639}}</ref> Similarly, {{lang|tok|ali}} was added as an alternative to {{lang|tok|ale}} (''all'') to avoid confusion with {{lang|tok|ala}} (''no, not'') among people who [[vowel reduction|reduce]] unstressed vowels, though both forms are still used.<ref name="Yerrick-2002" />

Originally, {{lang|tok|oko}} meant ''eye'' and {{lang|tok|lukin}} was used as a verb ''to see''. In ''Toki Pona: The Language of Good'', the meanings were merged into {{lang|tok|lukin}}, {{lang|tok|oko}} being the alternative.{{sfn|group=†|Lang|2014|p=134}}<ref name="Fabbri-2018" />

Words that were simply removed from the lexicon include {{lang|tok|leko}} (''block, stairs''), {{lang|tok|monsuta}} (''monster, fear''), {{lang|tok|majuna}} (''old''), {{lang|tok|kipisi}} (''cut''), and {{lang|tok|pata}} (''sibling'').<ref name="knight-2017a" group="†" /><ref name="nimialepona-2020a" group="†" /> These words were considered outdated because they were not included in the official book.<ref name="knight-2017a" group="†" /> However, {{lang|tok|oko}}, {{lang|tok|leko}}, {{lang|tok|monsuta}}, and {{lang|tok|kipisi}} retained enough usage in the community that they were re-included in the lexicon as {{lang|tok|nimi ku suli}} in ''Toki Pona Dictionary''.{{sfn|group=†|Lang|2021|p=22}}

Besides {{lang|tok|nena}} and {{lang|tok|ona}}, which replaced existing words, a few words were added to the original 118: {{lang|tok|pan}} (''grain, bread, pasta, rice''), {{lang|tok|esun}} (''market, shop, trade''), {{lang|tok|alasa}} (''hunt, gather''), and {{lang|tok|namako}} (''extra, additional, spice''), another word for {{lang|tok|sin}} (''new, fresh'').<ref name="Classic Word List Improved!" group="†" />

===Provenance===
[[File:Toki Pona etymologies.png|thumb|Origin of the Toki Pona words by language. Obsolete words are not included.|333x333px]]

Most Toki Pona words come from English, [[Tok Pisin]], [[Finnish language|Finnish]], [[Georgian language|Georgian]], [[Dutch language|Dutch]], [[Acadian French]], [[Esperanto]], and [[Serbo-Croatian]], with a few from [[Chinese language|Chinese]] ([[Standard Chinese|Mandarin]] and [[Cantonese]]).<ref name="tokiponaorg-2009a" group="†" /><ref name="nimialepona-2020a" group="†" /><ref name="Rogers-2011" />

Many of these derivations are transparent. For example, {{lang|tok|toki}} (''speech, language'') is similar to Tok Pisin {{lang|tpi|tok}} and its English source ''talk'', while {{lang|tok|pona}} (''good, positive''), from Esperanto {{lang|eo|bona}}, reflects generic [[Romance languages|Romance]] {{lang|fr|bon}}, {{lang|it|buona}}, English ''bonus'', etc. However, the changes in pronunciation required by the simple phonetic system often make the origins of other words more difficult to see. The word {{lang|tok|lape}} (''sleep, rest''), for example, comes from Dutch {{lang|nl|slapen}} and is cognate with English ''sleep''; {{Lang|tok|kijetesantakalu}} (any animal from the superfamily [[Musteloidea]]) from Finnish {{lang|fi|kierteishäntäkarhu}}; {{lang|tok|kepeken}} (''use'') is somewhat distorted from Dutch {{lang|nl|gebruiken}}, and {{lang|tok|akesi}} from {{lang|nl|hagedis}} (''lizard'') is scarcely recognizable. (Because ''*ti'' is an illegal syllable in Toki Pona, Dutch ''di'' becomes ''si.'')<ref name="tokiponaorg-2009a" group="†" /><ref name="nimialepona-2020a" group="†" />

Although only 14 words (12%) are listed as derived from English, a large number of the Tok Pisin, Esperanto, and other words are transparently cognate with English, raising the English-friendly portion of the vocabulary to about 30%. The portions of the lexicon from other languages are 15% Tok Pisin, 14% Finnish, 14% Esperanto, 12% Serbo-Croatian, 10% Acadian French, 9% Dutch, 8% Georgian, 5% Mandarin, 3% Cantonese; one word each from [[Welsh language|Welsh]], [[Tongan language|Tongan]] (an English borrowing) and [[Twi|Akan]], four [[sound symbolism|phonesthetic]] words (two which are found in English, one from [[Japanese language|Japanese]], and one which was made up); and one other made-up word (the grammatical particle {{lang|tok|e}}).<ref name="tokiponaorg-2009a" group="†" />

===Signed Toki Pona and {{lang|tok|luka pona}}===
[[File:Toki pona signs.png|alt=|thumb|220x220px|Hand shapes of Signed Toki Pona and Luka Pona]]

Signed Toki Pona, or {{lang|tok|toki pona luka}}, is a [[Manually coded language|manually coded form]] of Toki Pona. Each word and letter has its own [[Sign language|sign]], which is distinguished by the [[handshape]], [[Location (sign language)|location of the hand on the body]], [[Orientation (sign language)|palm or finger orientation]], and the usage of one or both hands. Most signs are performed with the right hand at the required location. A few signs, however, are performed with both hands in a symmetrical way. To form a sentence, each of the signs is performed using the grammar and word order of Toki Pona.{{sfn|group=†|Lang|2014|p=134}}

A more naturalistic constructed sign language called {{lang|tok|luka pona}} also exists, and is more widely used in the Toki Pona community than {{lang|tok|toki pona luka}}. It is a separate language with its own grammar, but has a vocabulary that generally parallels Toki Pona. {{lang|tok|luka pona}}'s signs have increased [[Iconicity#Sign languages|iconicity]] as compared to {{lang|tok|toki pona luka}}, and many signs are loan-words from natural sign languages. Its grammar is [[subject-object-verb]], and, like natural sign languages, it makes use of [[Classifier constructions in sign languages|classifier constructions]] and [[signing space]].<ref group="†">{{Cite web |title=luka pona li seme? |url=https://lukapona.blogspot.com/2021/04/luka-pona-li-seme.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515170532/https://lukapona.blogspot.com/2021/04/luka-pona-li-seme.html |archive-date=2021-05-15 |access-date=2022-01-01 |website=lukapona.blogspot.com |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref group=†>{{Cite magazine |date=2021-02-01 |title=nanpa akesi |url=https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-akesi |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241030134952/https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-akesi/ |archive-date=2024-10-30 |access-date=2024-10-30 |magazine=lipu tenpo |page=4 |language=Toki Pona |issn=2752-4639}}</ref> In ''Toki Pona Dictionary'', Sonja Lang recommends learning {{lang|tok|luka pona}} instead of {{lang|tok|toki pona luka}}.{{sfn|group=†|Lang|2021|p=11}}

==Community==
The language is fairly well known among [[Esperanto|Esperantists]], who often offer courses and conversation groups at their meetups.<ref name="Blahuš-2011" /> In 2007, Lang said that at least 100 people speak Toki Pona fluently and estimated that a few hundred have a basic knowledge of the language.<ref name="Roberts-2007" /><ref name="Marsh-2007">{{Cite news |last=Marsh |first=Stefanie |date=2007-09-06 |title=Now you're really speaking my language |work=[[The Times]] |location=London, England |page=2}}</ref> One-hour courses of Toki Pona were taught on various occasions by the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] during their [[Independent Activities Period]].<ref name="Roberts-2007" />

The language is used mainly online on social media, in forums, and other online groups.<ref name="Marsh-2007" /> Users of the language are spread out across multiple platforms. A [[Yahoo! Groups|''Yahoo!'' group]] existed from about 2002 to 2009, when it moved to a forum on a [[phpBB]] site.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Martin |first=Matthew |date=2018-03-11 |title=Conlang SE |url=http://fakelinguist.wakayos.com/?p=861 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191112190751/http://fakelinguist.wakayos.com/?p=861 |archive-date=2019-11-12 |access-date=2019-10-20 |website=Fake languages by a fake linguist}}</ref><ref group="†">{{Cite web |date=2019-10-20 |title=tokipona Toki Pona |url=http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tokipona/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130430061813/http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tokipona/ |archive-date=2013-04-30 |access-date=2019-10-20 |website=Yahoo! Groups}}</ref> For a short time there was a [[Wikipedia]] written in Toki Pona (called {{lang|tok|lipu Wikipesija}}). It was closed in 2005<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=van Steenbergen |first=Jan |year=2018 |title=A new era in the history of language invention. |url=https://www.linguapax.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Linguapax_Review_2018_revisio%CC%81MC-complet-1.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220424225844/https://www.linguapax.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Linguapax_Review_2018_revisio%CC%81MC-complet-1.pdf |archive-date=2022-04-24 |access-date=2020-07-09 |magazine=Linguapax Review |page=154 |volume=6 |quote=In the past, there have been Wikipedia editions in Toki Pona and Klingon as well, but both were closed and deleted in 2005.}}</ref> and moved to [[Wikia|Wikia/Fandom]], and then moved from Fandom to an independent website on 23 April 2021.<ref group="†">{{Cite web |date=23 April 2021 |title=lipu open |url=https://wikipesija.org/wiki/lipu_open |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220720193229/https://wikipesija.org/wiki/lipu_open |archive-date=20 July 2022 |access-date=10 May 2021 |website=Wikipesija}}</ref><ref group="†">{{Cite magazine |date=2021-06-02 |title=nanpa pan |url=https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-pan |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241030133355/https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-pan/ |archive-date=2024-10-30 |access-date=2024-10-30 |magazine=lipu tenpo |page=2 |language=Toki Pona |issn=2752-4639}}</ref><ref group="†">{{Cite magazine |date=2023-11-01 |title=nanpa sin |url=https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-sin |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241031121249/https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-sin/ |archive-date=2024-10-31 |access-date=2024-10-31 |magazine=lipu tenpo |page=5 |language=Toki Pona |issn=2752-4639}}</ref>

The largest groups exist on [[Facebook]], [[Discord]], and [[Reddit]]. Two large groups exist on Facebook: one designated for conversation in Toki Pona and English, and the other for conversation in only Toki Pona.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Knežević |first=Nenad |year=2018 |title=Constructed languages in the whirlwind of the digital revolution |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328135114 |journal=Језик, књижевност и технологија (Jezik, književnost i tehnologija) / Language, Literature and Technology: Proceedings from the Sixth International Conference at the Faculty of Foreign Languages, 19–20 May 2017 |publisher=Алфа БК универзитет (Alfa BK univerzitet) |pages=16 |isbn=978-86-6461-023-0 |via=ResearchGate}}</ref> The former of the two is the more popular.

[[Memrise]] has user-created materials for learning Toki Pona.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bramley |first=Ellie Violet |date=8 January 2015 |title=What happened when I tried to learn Toki Pona in 48 hours using memes |url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/jan/08/toki-pona-invented-language-memrise |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231115224633/https://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/jan/08/toki-pona-invented-language-memrise |archive-date=15 November 2023 |access-date=25 March 2024 |work=The Guardian |location=London |quote=Only around 100 people in the world understand this language. This is Toki Pona, created in 2001 by Sonja Lang, a Toronto-based linguist, and I’m one of a group of 17 who recently took on a challenge to learn it in 48 hours. [...] To attempt it, we gathered in the East London warehouse that is the head office of Memrise, an online platform for language-learning.}}</ref>

In-person meetups have been organized by the community, including in [[Vienna]],<ref group="†">{{Cite magazine |date=2022-10-17 |title=nanpa kulupu |url=https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-kulupu |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241031105845/https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-kulupu/ |archive-date=2024-10-31 |access-date=2024-10-31 |magazine=lipu tenpo |page=2 |language=Toki Pona |issn=2752-4639}}</ref> [[Maastricht]],<ref group="†">{{Cite magazine |date=2023-08-24 |title=nanpa ma |url=https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-ma |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241031110302/https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-ma/ |archive-date=2024-10-31 |access-date=2024-10-31 |magazine=lipu tenpo |page=2 |language=Toki Pona |issn=2752-4639}}</ref> [[Berlin]],<ref group="†">{{Cite magazine |date=2024-09-07 |title=nanpa lawa |url=https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-lawa |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241101185415/https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-lawa/ |archive-date=2024-11-01 |access-date=2024-11-01 |magazine=lipu tenpo |page=3 |language=Toki Pona |issn=2752-4639}}</ref> and [[Amsterdam]].<ref group="†">{{Cite magazine |date=2025-02-28 |title=nanpa kala |url=https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-kala |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250304143138/https://liputenpo.org/lipu/nanpa-kala/ |archive-date=2025-03-04 |access-date=2025-03-04 |magazine=lipu tenpo |page=3 |language=Toki Pona |issn=2752-4639}}</ref>

==Literature==
{{wikisourceWiki|toki pona}}

[[File:Logo of lipu tenpo.png|thumb|upright=0.5|left|Logo of the first registered zine in Toki Pona]]

There are a few published books and many other works in Toki Pona. Most of the published works are language-learning books for beginners like {{lang|tok|akesi seli lili}} and {{lang|tok|meli olin moli}}. Many other works are translations of original literature in other languages.<ref name="ISO" group="†" />

Starting in 2020, a group has been working on and publishing a [[zine]] in Toki Pona called {{lang|tok|lipu tenpo}} ({{Lit|book of time}}), and it is officially registered as a zine in the United Kingdom.<ref group="†">{{Cite web |date=1 February 2021 |title=jan pali |url=https://liputenpo.org/about/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220508172852/https://liputenpo.org/about/ |archive-date=8 May 2022 |access-date=10 May 2021 |website=lipu tenpo |publisher=kulupu pi lipu tenpo}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=ISSN 2752-4639 (Online) |url=https://portal.issn.org/resource/ISSN/2752-4639 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230125115641/https://portal.issn.org/resource/ISSN/2752-4639 |archive-date=2023-01-25 |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=portal.issn.org}}</ref><ref name="ISO" group="†" />

==Sample texts==
[[File:Sitelen sitelen contract.jpg|thumb|alt=Refer to caption|A legal contract in Sitelen Sitelen, created in 2012 by Jonathan Gabel<ref group="†">{{Cite web |title=lipu lawa pi esun kama |url=https://jonathangabel.com/2012/lipu-lawa-pi-esun-kama/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020140446/https://www.jonathangabel.com/2012/lipu-lawa-pi-esun-kama/ |archive-date=2020-10-20 |access-date=2020-08-09 |website=jonathangabel.com}}</ref>]]

==={{lang|tok|tenpo li lili}}===
An original poem about [[time]] by {{lang|tok|jan Jasun}}, which won first place in a 2023 poetry contest.<ref group="†">{{Cite web |last=jan Jasun |date=2023 |title=tenpo li lili |url=https://utala.pona.la/toki-en-lipu/toki-lili.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240516225646/https://utala.pona.la/toki-en-lipu/toki-lili.html#tenpo-li-lili |archive-date=2024-05-16 |access-date=2024-04-11 |website=utala musi pi ma pona}}</ref>

{{Poem quote|
| text  = {{lang|tok|ona li wawa li lawa li tawa
ali la ona li ken awen ala
ona li mute li suli li lon
li kama e moli
li weka e kon
tenpo
li lili
e musi e mi
e ken pali ali pi jan pali ni
tenpo li moku e tenpo mi sona
mi wile e tenpo tan wile mi pona
}}
| style = text-align: center;
}}

==={{lang|tok|jan Sitata}} (excerpt)===
<!-- [[File:Jan Sitata in sitelen pona.png|thumb|A transcription of jan Kala's translation of [[Siddhartha (novel)|Siddhartha]], written in [[Sitelen Pona|sitelen pona]].]] -->[[File:Sitelen_open_pi_lipu_Siddhartha.png|thumb|The opening lines of the novel Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse, translated by jan Kala, and written in Sitelen Pona by jan Majeka]]
The opening lines of {{lang|tok|jan Sitata}} by {{langr|tok|jan Kala}},<ref group="†">{{cite book |last=Hesse |first=Hermann |author-link=Hermann Hesse |url=https://wikisource.org/wiki/Jan_Sitata/lipu_nanpa_wan/jan_lili_pi_jan_sona_sewi |title=jan Sitata |date=2022 |translator-last=jan Kala |chapter=jan lili pi jan sona sewi}}</ref> a 2022 Toki Pona translation of the novel [[Siddhartha (novel)|Siddhartha]] by [[Hermann Hesse]], follow below. The text uses [[interpunct]]s as markers for end of the sentence.

{{Blockquote
|text={{lang|tok|jan Sitata li sama waso alasa li pona lukin li jan lili pi jan sona sewi&nbsp;· ona en jan sama Kowinta pi jan sona sewi ante li kama suli lon pimeja tomo, lon suno pi telo linja, lon poka pi tomo tawa telo, lon pimeja pi ma kasi Sawa, lon pimeja pi kasi kili&nbsp;· jan Sitata li lon telo la ona li pana sewi li telo e sijelo kepeken nasin sewi&nbsp;· suno li pimeja lili e selo walo ona&nbsp;· jan Sitata li lon ma kasi kili la kasi li pimeja e lukin ona&nbsp;· ona li musi li kute e kalama pi mama meli ona&nbsp;· ona li nasin sewi li kute e toki pi mama sona ona&nbsp;·}}
}}

Back-translation in English:

{{Blockquote
|text=Siddhartha was like a bird of prey, handsome, and the child of a religious scholar. He and his fellow Govinda, who was from another religious scholar, grew up in the shade of the house, in the sun of the river, near the boats, in the shade of the Salwald forest, in the shade of the fruit tree. When Siddhartha was in the water, he gave sacred offerings and washed himself in the holy manner. The sun tanned his pale skin. When Siddhartha was in the fruit tree grove, the trees shaded his eyes. He played, and heard the song of his mother. He followed the sacred ways, and listened to the teachings of his learned father.
}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Constructed languages}}

* [[Alphabet of human thought]]
* [[Army Slavic]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Primary sources===
{{Reflist|group=†}}

==Publications==
{{Refbegin}}
<!-- lipu pu -->
* {{cite book |last=Lang |first=Sonja |author-link=Sonja Lang |title=Toki Pona: The Language of Good |publisher=Tawhid |year=2014 |isbn=978-0978292300 |oclc=921253340}}
** {{cite book |last=Lang |first=Sonja |title=Toki Pona&nbsp;: la langue du bien |publisher=Tawhid |year=2016 |isbn=978-0978292355 |language=fr |trans-title=Toki Pona: The Language of Good}}
** {{cite book |last=Lang |first=Sonja |url=https://www.amazon.de/s?k=sprache+des+guten+toki+pona&ref=nb_sb_noss |title=Toki Pona: Die Sprache des Guten |year=2021 |isbn=979-8770755251 |publication-date=2021-12-01 |language=de |translator-last=Strake |translator-first=Julius |trans-title=Toki Pona: The Language of Good |ref=none}}
** {{cite book |last=Lang |first=Sonja |title=Tokipono: La lingvo de bono |publisher=Tawhid |year=2022 |isbn=978-0978292355 |publication-date=2022-10-01 |language=eo |translator-last=van der Meulen |translator-first=Spencer |trans-title=Toki Pona: The Language of Good}}
<!-- lipu ku -->
* {{cite book |last=Lang |first=Sonja |title=Toki Pona Dictionary |publisher=Tawhid |others=Illustrated by Vacon Sartirani |year=2021 |isbn=978-0978292362}}
<!-- lipu su -->
* {{cite book |last=Lang |first=Sonja |author-link=Sonja Lang |title=The Wonderful Wizard of Oz |date=2024 |publisher=Amazon Digital Services LLC - Kdp |isbn=978-0-9782923-7-9 |edition=Toki Pona}}
<!-- Other authors -->
* {{cite book |last=Cárdenas |first=Eliazar Parra |title=Toki pona en 76 ilustritaj lecionoj |publisher=Espero |year=2013 |isbn=978-80-89366-20-0 |location=Partizánske, Slovakia |language=eo |translator-last=Blahuš |translator-first=Marek |trans-title=Toki Pona in 76 illustrated lessons}}
* {{cite book |title=Toki Pona Stories: akesi seli lili |year=2020 |isbn=979-8637271252 |trans-title=The Little Dragon}}
* {{cite book |last=Samys |first=Ret |url=https://janketami.wordpress.com/2021/06/13/ma-pi-kulupu-tu-toki-pi-nasin-sina/2/ |title=ma pi kulupu tu |date=2021-09-06 |publisher=Holtzbrinck Publishing Group |isbn=9783754161654 |location=Berlin, Germany |language=de |trans-title=The Land of Two Peoples |access-date=2022-06-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220627001747/https://janketami.wordpress.com/2021/06/13/ma-pi-kulupu-tu-toki-pi-nasin-sina/2/ |archive-date=2022-06-27 |url-status=live}}
** {{cite book |last=Samys |first=Ret |url=https://janketami.wordpress.com/2021/06/13/ma-pi-kulupu-tu-toki-pi-nasin-sina/ |title=ma pi kulupu tu |date=2021-09-06 |publisher=Holtzbrinck Publishing Group |isbn=9783754161647 |location=Berlin, Germany |language=en |trans-title=The Land of Two Peoples |access-date=2022-06-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220627001751/https://janketami.wordpress.com/2021/06/13/ma-pi-kulupu-tu-toki-pi-nasin-sina/ |archive-date=2022-06-27 |url-status=live}}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
{{Sister project auto|q=Toki Pona proverbs}}

* {{Official website}}
* [https://jan-ne.github.io/tp/dictionary Official Toki Pona dictionary] from ''The Language of Good''
* [https://wikipesija.org/wiki/lipu_open {{lang|tok|lipu Wikipesija}}], a wiki-based encyclopedia written in Toki Pona
* [https://sona.pona.la {{lang|tok|sona pona}}], a wiki about Toki Pona
* [https://liputenpo.org {{lang|tok|lipu tenpo}}], a zine in Toki Pona

{{Constructed languages}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Toki Pona| ]]
[[Category:2001 introductions]]
[[Category:Analytic languages]]
[[Category:Artistic languages]]
[[Category:Constructed languages]]
[[Category:Constructed languages introduced in the 2000s]]
[[Category:Engineered languages]]
[[Category:Isolating languages]]
[[Category:Logographic writing systems]]
[[Category:Minimalism]]
[[Category:Taoism in popular culture]]