Dear Sir,—The Text-Book does not explain (except in a footnote, p. 41) the use of the Gerund after a preposition: e.g., instead of reading; before returning; etc.
Of course, the Present Participle used adjectivally will not do. We must bear in mind that the Infinitive is a noun, and that it is used instead of the Gerund or Verbal Noun on the Continent. (Anstataŭ ol legi: antaŭ ol reveni).—Via vere,
C. G. Stuart-Menteath.
Mr. Menteath continues his letter (which is too long to print in extenso) by reminding British Esperantists that the only way to acquire a knowledge of Esperanto entirely free from national idioms is to correspond frequently with those ignorant of our tongue. We wish to thank Mr. Menteath for this useful reminder, and trust that more foreign friends will make use of our monthly Adresareto, not only by writing to the advertisers, but by inserting their own names and special subjects.
The Passive Voice in Esperanto is most frequently expressed by the little suffix—IĜ, and brevity is the result. For example: This book must be read, may be either: Tiu ĉi libro devas esti legata, or Tiu ĉi libro devas legiĝi.
Hence verbs ending in IĜ are Passive by nature, and such forms as legiĝita cannot exist; only the Active Participle, legiĝinta, is admissible.
And these Passive verbs naturally cannot have a direct object, and so are followed by the Nominative case. Mi fariĝas maljuna viro, (lit.) I am getting to be an old man.