ESPERANTO.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 228, 26 September 1929, Page 26

ESPERANTO.

ITS CONSTRUCTION AND GRAMMAR. SIXTEEN UNVARYING RULES. As a first of a series of lessons to give people an insight into the knowledge of Esperanto, the auxiliary language, we will commence with the rules of the grammar. There are only sixteen rules and they never vary. (1) There is no indefinite article. There is only a definite article "La" alike for all sexes, cases and numbers. (2) Substantives hare the termination "o." To form the plural add the termination "j." There are only two cases nominative and accusative, the latter is obtained from the nominative by the addition of the termination "n." (3) The adjective ends in "a." Case and number as with the substantive or noun. A comparative is made by means of the word "Pli," the superlative by "Plej"; with "Pli" and Plej" the word "01" is used. (4) The fundamental numerals are. unu-du-tri-kvar-kvin-ses-sep-qk-nau-uek cent-mil. For the multiple the suffix "Obi," for the fractional "On," for the collective "Op," for the distributive "Po." (5) Personal pronouns Mi-Vi-Li-Si-Gi (referring to thing or animal), Si-Ni-Vi-Ili-Oni. (6) The verb undergoes no. change with regard to person or number. Forms of the verb: Present "as," past "is," future "os," conditional "us," imperative "u," indefinite "i." (7) Adverbs end in "e." (8) All the prepositions require the nominative. (9) Every word is read as it is written. (10) The accent is always on the penulimate syllable. (11) Compound words are formed by the simple junction of the words (the chief word stands at the end). The grammatical terminations are also regarded as independent words. (12) When another negative word is present the word "Ne" is left out. (13) In order to show direction words take the termination of the accusative "n." (14) Each, preposition has a definite and constant meaning with the exception of one "Je," which is used where the English sense is hard to express. (15) The so-called foreign words, that is those which the majority of languages have taken from one source are used in Esperanto without change. (16) The final vowel of the noifn and article can be dropped and replaced by an apostrophe. For further information apply J. S. Russel, D.8.E.A., Kent's Buildings, Newmarket, or to G. E. Wheeler, D.8.E.A., C.E.