CORRESPONDENCE NOTES.

Several enquirers have written for information as to the method of dividing the words in Esperanto. No rule seems to exist. The usual custom is to divide them according to their pronunciation, and not etymologically. Take the word Krajonon for example. When split up into syllables, this reads kra-jo-non, and is pronounced krah-yoh-nohn.

F.G.R. of Nottingham is a most energetic supporter of our Cause, for, in addition to lecturing on Esperanto, he has carefully studied the vocabulary in the Text-book, comparing the two parts. As a result of this examination he has found many items which are of general interest. On page 133 Rent is given as Rento, whereas on page 154 Lui is given as meaning to rent. This is quite correct, for, in the first instance, rent is income, rent roll; in the latter case, of course, it signifies hire. "One word, one meaning," is an Esperanto maxim. The word Makleristo also presented difficulty, as the simple verb Makleri is not given. It means to do the business of a broker. Hence Makleristo is a broker.

I must thank the many friends who have kindly written pointing out Press errors in The Esperantist. While regretting that it is impossible to eliminate these altogether, a monthly errata list of the preceding Gazette is not necessary, unless the errors be of real consequence. I must, however, in justice to the authors, call attention to the following unaccountable slips in previous numbers. On page 43 the saying of Napoleon was incorrectly given as Milcentjaroj vin rigardas. It should, of course, have been Kvardek centjaroj. Also Mr. Motteau calls attention to the following errata in La Ventego. Page 21, Scene 2, line 4, should read Ĉiel’ malbonodoran peĉon vomi, and the last line but three on page 40 should read Privilegio ĉian li posedis.

While referring to the correspondence on matters connected with The Esperantist, friends are requested to always write to the Editor direct, contributors being responsible for only those items which bear their signatures. By so doing, friends will save time and trouble to themselves and others who have no official connection with the Gazette.

Dear Sir,—I was much interested to see, in the January Gazette, a short article by Esperantisto 8105 on the Esperanto rendering of the preposition "of," and I am sure that many of us found the information therein very useful. The gifted author of our language has told us that "ĉiu prepozicio havas difinitan kaj konstantan signifon"; it is of the utmost importance, therefore, that we should endeavour to find out what prepositions in our national languages correspond with those he has selected. With this object I hope from time to time, as the Editor may permit, to give lists of sentences, illustrating curious usages, not only of prepositions, but also of other words which offer difficulty to English-speaking peoples.

The following phrases deal with the preposition "By."

BY.

He is loved by all his friends,	Li estas amata de ĉiuj siaj amikoj.
He was holding him by the neck by (or with) both hands,	Li tenadis lin je la kolo per ambaŭ manoj.
The little boy returned home quite by himself,	La knabeto revenis domen tute per si mem.
He left the town by a by-way,	Li eliris la urbon per flanka vojeto.
I want to stand by mother,	Mi volus stari apud la patrino.
I stood by while he talked with his friend,	Mi staris apude, dum li paroladis kun sia amiko.
Not even a mouse ran by,	Eĉ muso ne preterkuris.
In this minute two ladies passed us,	En tiu ĉi minuto iris preter ni du sinjorinoj.
I went by the windows of the house,	Mi iris preter la fenestroj de la domo.
I am remaining here by the advice of my doctor,	Mi restadas tie ĉi laŭ la konsilo de mia kuracisto.

Esperantist 7809.