Page:The Esperanto Teacher.pdf/34
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does not depend on the arrangement — “Johano vizitis Georgon” and “Georgon vizitis Johano” mean exactly the same thing, that John visited George, then n at the end of "Georgon” showing that “Georgon” is not the subject. There is no want of clearness about the following (Esperanto) sentences, absurd as they are in English: —
La patron mordis la hundo.
The father bit the dog.
La infanon gratis la kato.
The child scratched the cat.
La birdojn pafis Johano.
The birds shot John.
La musojn kaptis la knabo.
The mice caught the boy.
La kokidon manĝis la onklo.
The chicken ate the uncle.
La bildon pentris la pentristo.
The picture painted the painter.
La fiŝojn vendis la fiŝisto.
The fish sold the fisherman.
In these sentences the subjects are at once seen to be hundo, kato, Johano, knabo, onklo, pentristo, fiŝisto for the final n in patron, infanon, birdojn, musojn, kokidon, bildon, fisojn, distinguishes these words from the subject.
This use of n renders clear sentences that are not clear in English. “John loves Mary more than George” may mean “more than John loves George,” or “more than George loves Mary.” In Esperanto it is quite clear. “Johano amas Marion, pli ol Georgo” means “more than George loves Mary,” because “Georgo” is the subject of the second (elliptical) sentence, but “Johano amas Marion pli ol Georgon”