Conversion

From Toki Pona

Calvin: I like to verb words. Hobbes: What? Calvin: I take nouns and adjectives and use them as verbs.

— Calvin and Hobbes

Contents 1 What is conversion? 1.1 Example 2 The different conversions 2.1 Modifier → noun 2.2 Modifier → transitive verb 2.3 Noun → modifier 2.4 Noun → transitive verb 2.5 Transitive verb → noun 2.6 Anything → interjection

What is conversion?

In English, we often convert nouns to verbs. For example, usually water is a noun, a "wet liquid thing". If you make it a verb, for example to water a plant, its meaning changes slightly. The new verb means "to pour water on".

The same thing is true in Toki Pona. You can convert words from one part of speech to another: use nouns as verbs, modifiers as nouns, and so on. The word's meaning changes in predictable ways.

Example

In Toki Pona, when you use a noun as a transitive verb, it can mean "to use ___ on". Let's try this with the noun seli.

seli (noun) a cooking source seli li loje. The cooking source is red.

→

seli (transitive verb) to use a cooking source on; to cook jan Sulu li seli e kasi. Mr. Sulu cooks arugula.

The different conversions

Modifier → noun

1. the state, situation or general phenomenon of being ___; -ness

Modifier → transitive verb

1. to cause to be ___, to make ___
   • loje red → to make red, to redden
   • nasa crazy → to make crazy

Noun → modifier

1. in relation to ___
   • mama mama parent's parent, grandparent
2. associated with ___
   • tomo mi my house
3. having the appearance, characteristics or properties of ___
   • moku telo water-like food; soup

Noun → transitive verb

1. to use ___ on; to apply ___ to
   • telo water → to use water on; to wash

Transitive verb → noun

1. something that you ___
   • moku to eat → food
   • sona to know → knowledge
   • toki to say → speech
2. the act of ___ing
   • toki to communicate → communication
3. a system used for ___ing
   • toki to communicate → language

Anything → interjection

1. a short, sudden or emotional expression of ___; how...! what a ...!