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I had to laugh at this point: > Numbers are also minimal. Lang initially only had words for one (wan), two (tu), and several (mute). Many Toki Pona speakers ha
by yongjik 10y ago
I had to laugh at this point:
> Numbers are also minimal. Lang initially only had words for one (wan), two (tu), and several (mute). Many Toki Pona speakers have expanded the word luka (hand or arm) to mean five, and mute to mean 10.
Being a barely-used conlang, it already starts to behave like a real language and sprout random exceptions that non-native speakers will struggle to understand. I can picture the dialogue:
"See, luka is hand, or arm, but sometimes it's five. It makes perfect sense!"
"Okay, but when I hear luka how do I know if it is a hand or five?"
"Oh that's easy. Pick one that seems natural."
"Sure, yeah that's easy and natural to you: you speak the language. I don't!"
- dbrgn 10y agoThe entire language is (and is meant to be) ambiguous. Compared to other examples, I find the use of "luka" as meaning five quite clear.