J.H.M. of Walthamstow writes a congratulatory letter in Esperanto, concluding with the request that we explain the etymology of three words used in the Gazette. "Klopodi," meaning "to busy one’s self about something," is derived from the Polish: klopotac sie. "Ĉerpi," meaning "to exhaust," comes from the Polish: czerpac. "Varbi," "to enrol," from the German: bewarben.
N.B.—It is remarkable, considering that Dr. Zamenhof is a Pole, that there are not more Slavonic words in Esperanto.
Philologists will find the Universal Dictionary (in Esperanto, French, English, German, Russian, and Polish) a useful work. Price 1s., post free.
Friends have written suggesting that we should have monthly competitions for the best translations from given passages in English literature. The idea is an excellent one, but we cannot adopt it at present, as our time is too fully occupied to enable us to give the requisite amount of care to the competitors’ efforts. Nevertheless, we hope for an interesting competition in the near future. We need original work, however, more than translations. Meanwhile we offer a Prize (the Will o’ the Wisp English-Esperanto Dictionary, which really ought to be ready by Christmas) to all friends who can send us the annual subscriptions of ten new subscribers. Of course secretaries and officials of groups are not included in this offer.
We are glad to state that we have received numbers of interesting letters. Our inveterate foe, space, forbids our printing all we wish. We trust that our friends will be satisfied with the written replies which are generally sent when their letters are crowded out.
DIVERSAJ SCIIGOJ.
Samideanoj en Boulogne-sur-Mer faris publikan pruvon pri la utileco de Esperanto per tiu ĉi gazeto. Trovinte Francajn amikojn kiuj komprenis la Anglan lingvon, ili petis ke tiuj ĉi traduku en la Francan la dulingvajn artikolojn en nia unua nombro. La Esperantistoj ankaŭ faris same. La rezulto estis rimarkinda. La tradukoj de la Esperantaj adeptoj estis pli akurataj ol tiuj de la studentoj de la Angla lingvo. Tiel oni praktike pruvis ke Esperanto estis ankaŭ taŭga ilo per kiu lerni naturajn lingvojn! Ili ankaŭ sammaniere tradukis La Suno Hispana.