Esperanto Vocabulary

Esperanto Vocabulary

The word base of Esperanto was originally defined by Lingvo internacia, published by Zamenhof in 1887. It contained some 900 root words. The rules of the language allow speakers to borrow words as needed, recommending only that they look for the most international words, and that they borrow one basic word and derive others from it, rather than borrowing many words with related meanings. In 1894, Zamenhof published the first Esperanto dictionary, Universala vortaro, which was written in five languages and supplied a larger set of root words.

Since then many words have been borrowed from other languages, primarily, but not solely, from western European languages. In recent decades, most of the new borrowings or coinages have been technical or scientific terms; terms in everyday use are more likely to be derived from existing words (for example komputilo, from komputi ), or extending them to cover new meanings (for example muso, now also signifies a computer input device, as in English). There are frequent debates among Esperanto speakers about whether a particular borrowing is justified or whether the need can be met by derivation or extending the meaning of existing words.

Read more about Esperanto Vocabulary:  Origins, Word Formation, Correlatives, Gender, Antonyms, Proper Names, Idioms and Slang, False Friends, Dictionaries

Famous quotes containing the words esperanto and/or vocabulary:

    The new sound-sphere is global. It ripples at great speed across languages, ideologies, frontiers and races.... The economics of this musical esperanto is staggering. Rock and pop breed concentric worlds of fashion, setting and life-style. Popular music has brought with it sociologies of private and public manner, of group solidarity. The politics of Eden come loud.
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