An International Language

by

DR. ESPERANTO

PART II

Complete Manual of the International Language

A. The alphabet

A a as in farK k as in key
B b as in be L l as in long
C c as in cinnamonM m as in make
� � as in chairN n as in now
D d as in dateO o as in fore
E e as in bedP p as in pay
F f as in flyR r as in rare
G g as in goS s as in see
� � as in John� � as in shine
H h as in halfT t as in tea
� � as khU u as in fool
I i as in me� � as in mount
J j as in yokeV v as in very
� � as in pleasureZ z as in zenith

PARTS OF THE SPEECH

  1. There is but one article, "la", the definite, unchangeable for all genders, numbers and cases.

  2. Substantives are formed by the addition of the suffix o to the root. The plural takes j. There are two cases, the nominative and the objective; the latter is formed from the nominative by the addition of the suffix n. All other cases are made by the use of prepositions, which are followed by the nominative form of the noun.

    CaseSingularPlural
    NominativeLa patrothe fatherLa patrojthe fathers
    GenitiveDe la patroof the fatherDe la patrojof the fathers
    DativeAl la patroto the fatherAl la patrojto the fathers
    ObjectiveLa patron the fatherLa patrojnthe fathers
    AblativeKun la patrowith the fatherKun la patrojwith the fathers

  3. Adjectives are formed by suffixing a to the root; they take the same changes for case and number as the substantives. The comparative degree is made by prefixing pli (more), the superlative by plej (most). The word "than" after a comparison, is to be translated by "ol"; thus, pli blanka ol ne�o: more white than snow.

  4. Numeral cardinal adjectives are not declinable; they are unu (1), du (2), tri (3), kvar (4), kvin (5), ses (6), sep (6), sep (7), ok (8), na� (9) and dek (10), cent (100), mil (1000). The tens and hundreds are made by the simple union of the first ten cardinals; thus, kvin-cent (500), tri-dek (30), dek-ok-cent ok-dek ok is 1888, etc.

    Ordinal numerals are formed by means of the adjective termination, a, thus, kvara: fourth.

    Multiplicative numerals take the suffix obla. Thus triobla, triple. For numerals that designate fractions on is to be added; thus kvarona, the fourth.
    Collective numerals end in op; thus, kvarope, by fours.
    Distributive numerals prefix po.
    Adverbial nouns can be formed from cardinal numerals. Thus, unuo, unity; due, secondly, kavarone, the fourth.

  5. Pronouns.
    1. The personal are:

      miI or meNiwe or us
      viyoucithou
      lihe or him�ishe�iit
      sioneselfonithey (indefinite, as in "they say").

    2. Possessive pronouns are formed by the addition of the adjective ending a; thus mi, me, miamine; vi, you: via, yours; li, he; lia, his.
      All pronouns are declined like substantives; thus, mi, I: min, me; lia, his.

  6. The verb remains unchangeable in person and number, only changing for tense; thus, mi faras, I do; ni faras, we do; la patro faras, the father does.

    The verb takes the following forms:

    1. The Present ends in as: mi faras, I do.
    2. The Past ends in is: mi faris, I did or have done.
    3. The Future ends in os: mi faros, I shall do.
    4. The Imperative ends in us: li farus, he should do.
    5. The Infinitive ends in i: fari, to do.
    6. Participles are as follows:
      1. Active form
        1. Present starts in ante: farante, doing.
        2. Past ends in int: farinta, having done.
        3. Future ends in ont: faronta, he who shall do.
      2. Passive form:
        1. Present starts in ata: farata, that which is done.
        2. Past ends in ita: farita, that which has been done.
        3. Future ends in ota: farota, that which shall be done.
      The Passive forms of the verb are composed of the verb "to be" ( est) and the present passive participle, followed by the preposition de, thus, li estas amata de �iuj, he is loved by all.

    7. Adverbs terminate in e and are compared with pli and plej, the same as adjectives. For example, mia frato kantas pli bone ol mi, my brother sings better than I.

    8. All prepositions govern the nominative case.

    GENERAL RULES

    1. Pronounce each word as it is written.
    2. Accent the syllable before the last.
    3. Compound words are formed by the union of independent ones separated by a hyphen, the principal idea being placed at the end; thus, steamship is vapor-�ipo, where vapor means steam, �ip, ship, and o is the substantive termination.
    4. Double negatives are not allowable.
    5. A word designating a place towards which action is directed takes the accusative terminations; thus, kie vi estas?, where are you?, kien vi iras?whither are you going?
    6. Every preposition has a determinate and fixed signification, but where it is needed in a phrase where a choice is not definitely indicated, the preposition je, having no set meaning is to be employed; thus �oji je tio, to rejoice over it; enujo je la patrujo, longing for one's fatherland; ridi je tio, to laugh at it, etc.

      Every language possesses this indefinite method of usage with more or less damage to the perspicuity of the meaning. Here we only use je, and indeed where no obscurity is likely to occur the accusative can be used without any preposition.

    7. "Foreign" words change only to conform to my orthography; that is, in the case of primary words. Derivative words had better be formed after my method; thus, tragedia, tragical; teatro, theatre; teatra, theatrical.
    8. The termination o of the substantive and a of the article can be elided if desired, as �iller', instead of �illero; de l' Mondo, instead of de la Mondo.

    END OF THE SECOND PART

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