Archive for April, 2009
Fun with Infixes: -estr- Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 25, 2009
Taken on its own, the word “estro” means a leader (or, more colloquially, a boss or a chief). You can put -estr- into a word to create specific types of leaders. Sxipestro (sxip- + -estr- + -o) = Ship’s captain Lernestro (lern- + -estr- + -o) = Principal, professor, etc. Urbestro (urb- + -estr- +…
Another Verb to Watch: Spezi Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 20, 2009
The useful Esperanto verb “spezi” is often used when a situation involves money. “Spezi” connotes some kind of transaction. However, the verb on its own means either “to pay out” or “to take in” or “to earn.” This might strike you as odd, that a single word should mean two opposite things! There’s a world…
Translation Theory Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 19, 2009
What should translators be looking to preserve when they translate an existing work into Esperanto? Believe it or not, this is one of the first major issues Zamenhof tackled when he invented Esperanto. He painstakingly translated the Old Testament from Latin in hopes of capturing the beauty he perceived in it, while remaining faithful (no…
One-Word Phrasing Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 6, 2009
Much like German, Esperanto lends itself well to condensing phrases into single words. Given its abundance of prefixes, suffixes, and infixes, this shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise! Take for example the Esperanto word “alialandulo.” If we break it up, we have the adjective “alia,” meaning “other;” “land-,” which means “land” or “country;”…
We Have Shatner, Too! Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 6, 2009
The year was 1965. Star Trek had yet to grace the television screens of science fiction fans. A young William Shatner was but another actor looking to make his big break. The entirely Esperanto film Angoroj (Agonies) had been produced a year earlier, thereby demonstrating that movies could indeed be made in Esperanto. And so…
Introductory Esperanto Music Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 4, 2009
The mark of any established culture is its own music. Since Esperanto doesn’t have its own native culture to draw upon for its musical styling, you’ll find a wealth of existing cultures that Esperanto-speaking musicians tap into in order to create their own special sounds. One band that I tend to favor is Dolcxamar (though…
More Applications of “Sidi” Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 4, 2009
The Esperanto verb “sidi” literally means “to sit.” As such, you can use it in the most literal sense possible. Sidu, mi petas. – Sit, please. Though we may not be so poetic when speaking English, the verb “sidi” can be used in a variety of metaphorical senses that may not be as intuitive as…