Stacking modifiers
Two or more modifiers in a row follow the order you already use in English (and most other languages). This page is mostly explaining things you already do.
They group to the right
The most intrinsic property sits nearest the head and combines with it first. In that big red ball: it's a first and foremost a red ball. What kind of red ball? A big one. Which big red ball? That one. Pikotika does the same, in the same order.
I want that big red ball.
Eko ri vori a nontis meka rus rotun.Languages that put adjectives before the noun are strikingly consistent about this order:
quantity → opinion → size → age → shape → color → origin → material → noun
That is why English says big red ball and not red big ball. If your language works this way (or you're already comfortable with English), do not study the list — just say what feels natural and you will be right.
Degree words attach to the adjective, not the noun
mas more, nonmas less, surmesur too, meka very and piko slightly modify the word directly after them, which is why they look like an exception but are not.
She's a happier person.
Tisomo ri mas konten omo.In the English phrase a more happy person, more modifies happy, not happy person. Pikotika works the same way.
Adverbs work the same way
Adverbs are just modifiers that act on a verb instead of a noun. Here are some examples:
| Pikotika | Literally | English |
|---|---|---|
| Tempo ri veros ire. | time RI fast go | Time goes fast. |
| Tisomo ri pona opus. | this-person RI good work | She works well. |
| Ekomen ri yunta opus. | I-group RI join work | We work together. |
| Ekomen ri kan yer komi. | I-group RI can before food | We can eat first. |
| Pam mas veros tika. | please more fast say | Please tell me sooner. |
One real ambiguity
meka is both big and very, and piko both small and slightly. So meka rus rotun could in principle be ‘a very red ball’ rather than ‘a big red ball’. In practice context and stress settle it, and if they don't, a compound (like mekarus, very red) will — see Coining new words.
Parallel modifiers take kum
Stacking is for modifiers at different levels. Two that describe the head equally are joined with kum (and), exactly as in English — sweet and sour, not sweet sour.
Try it yourself
- What does eko mas anyomeka samparivema mean?
Show answer
‘my older sister’ — I more year-big same-parent-woman. mas (more) modifies anyomeka (old), which in turn describes sister; and eko here just means my.
- Which is a ‘too-short time’: surmesur piko turan or
piko surmesur turan?
Show answer
Surmesur piko turan. The degree word comes first, because it modifies the adjective (piko) that follows it.
- Say ‘I have a black-and-white picture.’
(black is nero;
white is anka;
picture is pitur)
Show answer
Eko ri tene a nero kum anka pitur. Two colors sit in the same slot, so they are parallel rather than stacked — hence kum. English refuses to stack them either: nobody says a black white picture.