Page:The Esperanto Teacher.pdf/107

It is often convenient to form compound words, as poŝtkarto, forpeli, ĉiuminute, stacidomo, senmove, telertuketo. When this is done, the word expressing the principal idea is placed last.

Generally it is sufficient to use the root of the qualifying word, but if the sound or sense requires it, the whole word is taken, as unutaga means “of one day”; unuataga, “of the first day.”

In English the sense often depends entirely on the order of the words, e.g., the sentence “John saw George” would mean something quite different if reversed — “George saw John.” But in Esperanto, thanks to the accusative n, the endings a and e for participles, and the pronoun si, the order of words may be varied without altering the sense. “Georgon vidis Johano” means exactly the same as “Johano vidis Georgon.”

But though the meaning can in most cases be understood whatever the order of the words, it is best to adopt the simplest arrangement, and to follow the natural course of thought, which is, first, that about which we think, then that which we think about it. English students may frame their sentences exactly as they would in their own language. In Esperanto, as in English, the arrangement is sometimes altered, either for emphasis, as Laŭdata estu Dio! Praised be God!; or to please the ear, as Oni min admiras, instead of Oni admiras min, People admire me.

Note.—Care must be taken in placing the word “ne.” Its usual place is before the verb, when it