(Ĉi tiun tekstodosieron oni rekonstruis el skano de elektitaj eroj en originala papera dokumento. La precizan paĝaspekton kaj grafikojn el tiu dokumento oni ne konservis en ĉi tiu teksta dokumento. Ankaŭ la teksto-rekona procezo eble enkondukis literum- aŭ transskrib-erarojn. Dosero laŭ formato PDF de la paĝo-bildoj elŝuteblas el la EAB Ĝisdate arkivo.)
[Postscript: Although the original was titled "January 2001", it was dispached in February and the following issue explained that it should really have been called the February one.]
Published by the Honorary Secretary of Esperanto-Asocio de Britio
All articles in EAB-Update, apart from any that are signed, have been written by the Hon, Secretary: Eric Walker.
Since the printing of my photo in the lost issue comments have reached me that I am compared with a garden gnome! Usually face to face, people thinks a comparison with a big shaggy dog is more apt. However, twice during my visits to Poland, both times when crossing a road, a man going the other way had said: "Until now I never believed in Santa Claus". This is part of the joy of foreign travel, the little incidents which happen. Knowing a lot of Esperantists in Eastern Europe and Russia I was also struck by the number of chance meetings I had with people knew - at 3 am in Poznan railway station - while sitting at the fountain in the GUM store at Red Square Moscow and many more.
With the last issue of EAB Update we sent out a Gift Aid Declaration form together with a reply paid envelope. I have to say that I am disappointed that so few have been returned, only about 80 out of nearly 600 sent out. I doubt if so many of our members and supporters don't pay tax. Quite a few don't of course, audit would help the work of the membership section if people who don't pay tax, could tell us. This is quite optional of course, but it would mean a reduction in the number that we chase to return them. With a Gift Aid declaration, it means that on a £25 subscription we can claim an extra £7, on a £20 subscription we get £5.60, whilst the £10 supporters subscription produces an extra £2.80. Not much individually, but in total it would produce an extra £2-3000 which would be very useful for extra publicity work. So, do please complete the Gift Aid (Declaration and return it to the office, or, if possible, let us know that you don't pay tax, or don't pay enough.
I was looking through some of the bound collections of La Brita Esperantisto (what fascinating reading they make, hopefully they will again be on the shelves of the Butler Library when its final destination has been arranged), and whistled through my teeth when I saw that in a ten week period, from October 1st to December 12th in 1944 there were 79 speaking engagements in Yorkshire alone by Montague Butler. I cannot list them all but they included schools, youth groups, YHA and WEA groups, a philosophical society, rotary clubs, church groups. What a fantastic achievement, and this level of activity was going on month by month all over the country.
Our public activity is a pale shadow of those days. Of course that is not all our fault. Social activity in those days before the advent of the 'telly' was much more intense than it is now, people were much more concerned about what kind of a new world we were going to build when the war finished. Now it is not only our movement which is shrinking. Here in Ipswich, 20 years ago the Ipswich Photographic Society was so attractive, there was a waiting list to join. Not so now, membership steadily falls and the average age of members gets higher and higher. The same applies to our Natural History society. I recently found a pie-chart showing the age ranges of EAB members:
20s; 4%, 30s; 8%, 40s; 13.5%, 50s; 13.5%, 60s; 19%, 70s; 26%, 80s; 13% and 90s; 3%.
I don't know how this information was collected or when, probably some 4 to 6 years ago, but the warning was quite clear, you have 61 percent of your membership over the age of 60.
[Postscript: a membership survey in 1993 produced a similar result and chart
"15-24 jaroj" 3%, "25-39 jaroj" 16%, "40-59 jaroj" 25%, "60+ jaroj" 62%]
It would be interesting to do a survey today to find out our age profile. We must face up to the situation as it is and not as we had hoped it might be. With this high age profile it is not surprising that our membership has continued to fall, though not, thanks goodness, at the previous rate. We need an active advertising campaign which aims at a younger age range. Hopefully the publicity committee will pay attention to this.
Eric Walker
[EAB Update Issue No.10 Page 2]
[Outdated "Books for all"]
[EAB Update Issue No.10 Page 3]
Dear Sir,
Re: your note "To Mix or Not to Mix" (Update 7), 1 write to add to the counterbalance of correspondence with which you say you feared you would be inundated.
I wholeheartedly agree with you that the use of an Esperanto word (or a word from any other language for that matter) in the midst of an otherwise English sentence is totally stylistically acceptable if the expected readership will understand.
To use such a word to show-off and "score points" is in bad taste, but, if the word/phrase so used adds to the clarity and conciseness of the passage, then it is a shame not to exploit an obvious tool.
An example which comes to mind would be such as:-
a) John told James that Jimmy was a BEGINNER in Esperanto and
b) John told James that Jimmy was a KOMENCANTO in Esperanto.
The two words are shown as the translations of each other in the dictionary, but, to me, a) has overtones of "only a beginner", possibly suggesting incompetence and little hope of a future, whereas, b) implies that Jimmy has BEGUN, and will CONTINUE the journey towards fluency and satisfaction.
Yes, that is subjective, but all such opinions will be, by nature. When that day comes that I cannot write "têumflex;te-a-têumflex;te" I shall know that I have passed my Sell-by-Date.
Yours supportively in the use of our Lingua franca,
William Rostgaard-Sellwood M.A.(Oxon), M.A.(Cantab)
ESPERANTO 1 - INTERLINGUA 0
Jen fragmento de letero de ano de EAB.
... Antaŭ eble tri jaroj, mi ĉesis esti aktiva kiel reprezanto de EAB, pro mia decido (kiun post mallonga tempo mi tre bedaŭris) starigi vesperan klason en Interlingua; kvankam mi tute ne abandonis Esperanton, mi juĝis esti maldece samtempe reprezenti unu lingvo-movadon kaj instrui alian lingvon internacian, kiun oni ĝenerale konsideras konkuranto.
Pro ĉi tiu manko de intereso la proponita klaso ne efektiviĝis - feliĉe, laŭ mia nuntempa opinio, ĉar miaj postaj spertoj skribante Interlingua-n kaj provante vortigi miajn pensojn en ĝi tiom konvinkis min pri la seriozaj mankoj, nefleksebleco kaj vortformaj komplikaĵoj de la lingvo kompare kun Esperanto, ke mi baldaŭ ekkomprenis, ke mi neniam kapablos komplete regi tiun lingvon, kaj tiun konkludon mi komunikis al la Britaj movadestroj de Interlingua. Malfeliĉigis kaj konstante ĝenis min ankaŭ ĝia esence nedemokrata, elitisma karaktero, kiu pli efektive ol io ajn forŝovis min de Interlingua kaj ĝia movado...
Dear Mr. Walker,
When we try to persuade others to learn Esperanto, we are often told "But everyone knows English" as an excuse for refusal. The following anecdote may be added to our stock for refuting these glib assertions:
My brother was driving in the South of France when his car was run into by a young French girl driving at speed. Fortunately neither he nor his wife were badly hurt but the paramedics called to the scene took them to hospital by ambulance anyway. Their car was un-driveable and had to be written off.
Afterwards my brother wrote to me "most of the people we dealt with - the police, hospital and insurance - had little or no English and we were hard put to make them understand our limited French".
With Best Wishes, Alison Rennie.
Dear Eric,
I did not see the start of this discussion, but I have to say that I agree with Paul Gubbins, and not with you over the issue of whether English or Esperanto should be used in EAB committees (page 9, EAB Update, 11/2000).
I don't wish to be unkind, but I think it very regrettable that anyone associated with Esperanto, let alone an officer of EAB, should put about the view that the language is in some way unsuitable for discussing serious matters. What kind of message does this send to the outside world?
Your point: "to make such decisions we really need as deep a thought as possible" seems to imply that you consider Esperanto to be an inferior medium to English for this purpose. Let me say that in my experience this is entirely untrue. I write this in English because the discussion has been in English, but also I think that those who are really as comfortable in Esperanto as in English will not need to have this pointed out.
As to the question of "freezing out new blood", this is always a dilemma which Esperanto clubs and associations have to face. It may be true that among newcomers to the Esperanto movement there can be ideas that be useful, but against this you have to consider:
i) if we conduct our affairs in English, we deprive those English-speaking newcomers of essential contact with Esperanto, almost certainly at the cost of progressing;
ii) even those who are proficient in Esperanto need to build familiarity with the language's vocabulary of business, and there is no better way of doing this than immersing them in the relevant situation;
iii) by conducting business in Esperanto, we ensure that only those really committed to the language take part in decisions;
and, perhaps most important:
iv) there may be those in EAB who come from another country, and are not comfortable in the English language, who can contribute to Esperanto committees. By conducting business in English, we risk "freezing out" exactly this group, who in my opinion are at least of equal value to English-speaking newcomers.
On the wider question of bringing in newcomers, I think we should be as welcoming to them as we can, and should give them all the help they need with progressing in Esperanto, by explaining language points in English if appropriate; but that we make it clear that general conversation, on other subjects, will be in Esperanto.
Yours sincerely, Antony Rawlinson
[EAB Update Issue No.10 Page 4]
Dear Editor,
The letter from Paul Gubbins in the last Update raises an interesting point as to why we attend congresses. Do we really just go to practice our Esperanto? I am not one for turning to "sacred texts" to find answers but on this occasion it may well be wise to consider the thoughts of Dr Zamenhof. The theme of his speech to the 3rd Congress was "Pri la esenco kaj celo de la kongresoj". I quote selectively in the interests of brevity but my selection does not compromise his main point.
"Pro kio do ni kunvenas? Ĉu ni kunvenas por ekzerciĝi en esperanta parolado? Por tio sola ni ne bezonas veturi al kongreso, ĉar en niaj hejmaj grupoj ni povas en la daŭro de la tuta jaro multe pli ekzerciĝi, ol en la kelkaj tagoj de la kongreso, kaj por la sola kelktaga ekzercigo en parolado neniu entreprenus grandajn vojagojn... Ni kunvenas ĉiujare el ĉiuj partoj de la mondo, por havi la ĝojon vidi samideanojn, por premi al ili la manon, por varmigi en ni per reciproka renkontiĝo kaj kunvivo la amon kaj entuziasmon por la ideo, kiun la esperantismo en si enhavas."
The more I consider this the more I feel Dr Zamenhof was correct. We should see congresses and every other activity we undertake as far more than just an opportunity for the linguistically gifted to practice their already finely honed skills. Instead of using our energies to complain that a tiny proportion of our congress takes place in English (for sound legal reasons incidentally) wouldn't it be better if we all made sure there was a local group or an active federation where opportunities were provided for everyone to use and improve their Esperanto on a regular basis and to make a contribution to the movement whatever their skills and inclinations?
Yours sincerely, Paul Hewitt
Sir,
I am pleased that Paul Gubbins refuted the charge of "snobbishness" levelled against those who like to use Esperanto when taking part in Esperanto- based functions, business or otherwise.
There is, however, a point worth making which Paul did not mention; a percentage of EAB's active membership does not speak English as Mother Tongue - my estimate in Appleby was about one in ten - and I wonder what consideration has been given to this group by those who claim to be "disenfranchised" by the use of Esperanto in meetings. I also wonder what our reaction would be if we took up residence, permanently or temporarily, in Ekswhyzedland, joined the national Esperanto Association, attended a meeting only to find the majority babbling in Ekswhyzedish?! Maybe we'd shrug our shoulders and say "It's their decision - they can speak their own language if they wish", maybe we wouldn't.
Of course, current members of the group to which I refer can speak for themselves, but we should not be deceived by their apparent skill in using English; I remember the late Albert Goodheir, whose English never appeared to falter, speaking of "swearing under his breath in Dutch" because an Esperanto-related discussion had lapsed into English. Both EAB and ETA have been well-served at the highest level by non-Brits, and I deny that snobbishness was involved in the use of Esperanto in the meetings they chaired, and that it was such use which "left EAB in a weakened state".
Well, that matter is decided - for now - so let me look ahead. Having ditched disenfranchisement by language, we now have disenfranchisement by geography! Without a congress or conference to surround it, there is no way I can afford either the time or the money to travel to and stay in the South-Eastern corner of the country to attend a meeting. There is as much of the UK to the north of here as there is to the south, and one would have hoped a central location would have been selected for the AGM. (The National Trust's is in Manchester.) Accepting that it is probably too late to think again, I ask you to accept my apologies for the AGM.
Yours etc, Stephen K. Thompson
[EAB Update Issue No.10 Page 5]
Dear Eric,
Thank you for your provocative editorial, which I thoroughly enjoyed. And now here's my very overdue view with regards to Esperanto language, EAB Update, etc., etc.
As a non-veteran esperantist (I still speak it incorrectly mainly because of lack of practice - my fault - and motivation). I've often found the world of Esperanto like a ghetto of elitists rather than an opportunity to meet with people of other nations, exchanging views and cultures as it should be done in the multicultural era we are in.
The Esperantists whom I first met, except for a very small minority, were unfriendly or easily misunderstood me for someone who needed socialising. Considering that I lived and worked in different parts of the world (my daughter of 9 was born in the US and my son of 13 in London. I was brought up in Italy yet spent my teenage and subsequent years in the UK & US, speak 4 languages and work actively in the IT industry) socialising at The Klubo is not a necessity for me. Therefore, it became rather demotivating to progress in Esperanto. I thought, however, that Esperantists aimed at propagating the Esperanto language as an international language by paying close attention to the times we're part of, apart from bridging the gap of diversity among cultures. Not so. I found it divided into the 'linguists', whom I shall define as those who are capable of holding a conversation exclusively about Esperanto the language, and then the 'true cosmopolitans' who are quite capable, instead, of holding conversations on varied topics - I include myself in the latter. Yet the linguists seem to hold power and have turned this phenomena (Esperanto, the international language) into a boring undertaking.
In my view Esperanto can only survive as an international language first and foremost by setting it 'free', removing it from the secluded circle it has been for the past decade or more - with all due respect to those who love studying and improving this not-any-longer-an-easy-to-learn-language. Why not some reading about the floods in Kent & Yorkshire, to set an example, the Petrol Crisis, Family life in the 2000s in Esperanto? And it really baffles me that I'm supposed to read La Ondo which puts the viewpoint of Eastern Europeans. An international language needs to be treated by an international, above all, cosmopolitan crowd because only those who've lived, worked, raised children, paid taxes in different parts of the world, speak different languages can truly see the need for a unifying European language, to say the least.
With all due respect to Russians, I do not need La Ondo, and Russians perceive life differently from me anyway (to me, they've always appeared rather confused with their socialist values and the moneymaking lifestyles they're increasingly getting accustomed to).
With regards to 'EAB Update'. I think it is evolving and I find it a rather pleasant read compared to the tedious La Brita Esperantisto which reflects the majority of British Esperantists I've met. What do I enjoy mostly of EAB Update? Your column, la Krucverbo-enigmo de Sue Ralph (which often keeps me busy on the coach London-Bristol), Ĉiutaga Esperanto and other news and views.
Why do I keep supporting EAB as a member? Not because of the love for it, but because of the respect I have for my Instructor, and like her, those few veterans Esperantists who've been trying hard to maintain this language alive, with perseverance and dedication, despite the fact that a few others have turned it into a language restricted to the selected crowd.
However, thank you for EAB Update and find enclosed with this letter, the Gift Aid Declaration, and a cheque of £11 for some books.
Rosa-Nella di-Costanzo
[EAB Update Issue No.10 Page 6]
Dear Eric,
When considering a replacement for BE, it might be worth looking into the Butler Library to get ideas from another monthly once produced by the British Esperanto Association. It was called "International Language" and appeared in the late 1920's/early 1930's. It was a professional-looking monthly about the size of EAB Update apparently designed for sale on news-stands at the cost of two old pence!
It appears that then as now there were plenty of magazines in Esperanto but the editor (L.N. Newell) evidently realised that what was needed (as it is today) was a publication which could be sold or given to the non-esperantist or the beginner.
"International Language" was mainly in English and contained reviews of Esperanto books and news of the progress of the Esperanto movement and language especially in the field of the newfangled medium then usually called "wireless". (One article actually mentioned experiments in television, saying that television would obviously never be as popular as Esperanto!).
I have read one article which hinted that "International Language" (which was partly subsidised by advertising) was withdrawn, not because it was unsuccessful but because it was thought to compete with the official "British Esperantist".
It is doubtful whether the present EAB could, on its own, risk producing a similar publication today but it is what is surely necessary.
One way forward would be to emulate the New Zealand Esperantists. When their official organ had to be discontinued, they joined with their Australian samideanoj to produce a joint magazine. EAB could approach all the organisations and producers of Esperantist periodicals appearing in English - speaking countries to explore the possibilities of producing one prestigious magazine (perhaps with local inserts) aimed at speakers of English whether Esperantists or not. It is time Esperantists stopped preaching only to the converted and let the world know of the value of the international language.
Not all Esperantists are backward-looking technophobes and the Internet now provides the means for an international editorial board and for simultaneous publication in several countries
Yours sincerely, Rik Dalton
Dear Eric,
First of all, I would like to add my tribute to Fraser Dunbar, whose encouragement did wonders for me when I first met him at Belstead House. He was able to convince me that I knew more than I thought I did, which made me keep at it. As you say, a very good man, a friend to all and one who will be very greatly missed...
With regard to EAB Update, as a "persista progresanto" it suits me very well. I found that LBE was too "solid" in my early days, although Ĉiutaga Esperanto and the short dramatic pieces were more to my taste and very helpful. It is good to see that C.T. is continuing. Also, the crossword is a step in the right direction. The big question for me is how much can I do before I resort to the dictionary. I think that EAB Update has something for everyone and is a good thing. Long may it continue ! After all, for those who want more of the language, we have La Ondo, and there are other publications available. My own choice is Litova Stelo, that being within my price range and very good value too... With all best wishes,
Chris Gwatkin
[EAB Update Issue No.10 Page 7]
[Out-dated: Events: SATEB (18 May 2001 at Barlaston), ILEI (28 July 2001) SAT (14 July 2001), Scottish Study Weekend (22 Sept 2001), Scottish Esperanto Congress (04 May 2001)]
[Out-dated: Federation events: South East Federation AGM (10 March 2001), South Midlands Federation spring meeting (18 April 2001), Eastern Federation AGM (17 March 2001)]
[EAB Update Issue No.10 Page 8]
Oni diras ke oni devas tute merĝi sin en esperantan etoson sen krokodili por ke oni iĝi flua parolanto. Tial, La semajnfino en Morbecque ŝajnis esti bona ideo. Do, je la 4a horo a.t.m. mi ekiris, kolektis 3 pasaĝerojn, veturigis al Dovro, enŝipiĝis en la pramŝipo (estis malpli kosta ol la tunelo). Tiam, dum unu horo ni tre zorge veturigis al 'Base Plein Air Nature, Morbecque-le-parc'. Kun la helpo de la sperta naviganto apud mi, ni facile trovis la kunvenejon.
Paginte la 280FF (ĉirkaŭ £28) por la semajnfino, ni ricevis taseton da kafo kaj tre klarajn instrukciojn. Mi komprenis nur 'ĉambro numero kvin'; sufiĉis. Troviĝis kvin litoj en ĉiu litĉambro, sed estis longa tempo antaŭ ol mi trovis la littukojn en ŝranko en la koridoro. Post bonveniga parolado, mi elektis la klason por progresantoj, gvidata de Fraŭlino C. Vennin, tre kapabla instruistino. Kiam ŝi eltrovis ke mi estas la sola studanto kiu ne komprenas la francan lingvon, ŝi insistis ke ĉiuj demandoj kaj respondoj devas esti en Esperanto.
Mi remarkis ke Francoj parolas esperanton malsame:- eks. havas sen 'H', kun 'R' de la gorĝo kaj kun vortoj kunigitaj. Mi ne scias kion ili opiniis pri mia hezitema angla prononcmaniero.
La vespermanĝo havis multajn pladojn kaj ni bezonis du horoj por manĝi la bone preparitajn kaj prezentitajn manĝaĵojn kaj vinojn. Ĉar mi kaj kelkaj aliaj personoj estas vegetaranoj kaj/aŭ abstinentoj, ili preparis por ni apartajn pladojn. La babilado de pli ol cent entuziasmaj geesperantistoj en la manĝĉambro estis mirigega aŭdi.
Post vespermanĝo, Kimie Markarian prelegis pri Japanaj kimonoj kaj elmontris multajn malfalsajn ekzemplojn.
Bondortninte tranokte, matenmanĝo ŝajnis esti stranga al mi. Estis kafo; sekvis "croissants"; frukta suko, fruktoj, ktp. Oni rezervis 3 horojn enklase por perfekti esperantajn gramatikajn punktojn. Tio inkluzivis paŭzon por trinki kaj donis alian ŝancon rigardi la librojn kaj kursojn vendatajn en la akceptejo.
Post grandega meztagmanĝo, ni aŭdis poemojn kaj prelegon pri proponita esperantujo, kie la limoj de tri landoj renkontiĝis inter Aachen kaj Maastricht. Ne atendu tro, Dr. Zamenhof dubis pri la sageco de ĉi tiu propono en 1909! Bedaŭrinde, ni devis foriri antaŭ la fino por certigi ke ni trafu la pramŝipon. Je la komenco la maro estis trankvila sed iĝis tre malglata kaj malebligis la ŝipon eniri la havenon ĉe Dovro dum duonhoro. Fortaj ventoj kaj pluvego malfaciligis veturigardon hejmen.
Ĉu indas? Certe. Kvankam elĉerpita mi sentis ke mi atingis ion ĉar mi devis uzi esperanton por ke mi estu komprenata. Multajn dankojn al ĉiuj kiuj igis la semajnfinon tiel ĝuebla.
John Forbes
Komercisto: "Mi deziras vendi al vi enciklopedion, Sinjoro".
Kamparano: "Mi ne bezonas - mi preferas promeni per miaj propraj piedoj"
[Out-dated: Private accommodation in Zagreb]
[EAB Update Issue No.10 Page 9]
Let us examine a paragraph from the classic children's book, Kumeŭaŭa la filo de la ĝangalo by Tibor Sekelj. It describes the attack of an enormous army of soldier ants that devours everything in its path.
Subite ni rimarkis ke ankaŭ la riverbordo antaŭ ni kovriĝis per maldika sed densa nigra kovrilo. Tiuj soldat-formikoj montris ke ili eĉ la fajron ne timas. Ili ĝin atakas kiel ardan malamikon. Kompreneble, la unuaj dudek aŭ kvindek mil formikoj forbrulas, sed trans la cindron de iliaj kadavroj pasas multaj milionoj da kunuloj. Ŝajnas ke ili marsas en difinitan direkton, transirante ĉiujn obstaklojn kaj neniigante antaŭ si ĉiun vivan estaĵon.
It is a truism that in good English style active verbs (covered) carry more punch than passive verb forms (was covered by). In the first sentence Sekelj had no need to consider the passive verb form (estis kovrata) because he had available to him the -iĝ ending that turns the transitive verb kovris into the intransitive verb kovriĝis.
In the second sentence Sekelj puts the direct object la fajron in front of the verb ne timas. In this way he elegantly emphasizes the direct object fajron. The n-ending gives Esperanto authors great latitude in placing the direct object. In English putting the direct object in front of the verb would sound awkward as in this translation: "Those army ants showed that they even the fire did not fear." Of course English has other means to express these kinds of ideas with elegance and with force.
In the third sentence we have the word forbrulas composed of the adverb for and the verb brulas. For means "away" or "off' and forbrulas here means "burn away".
Neniigante in the last sentence is interesting. The English counterpart is "annihilating". It comes ultimately from the Latin words ad (to) and nihil (nothing). The Esperanto word is based on nenio meaning "nothing" and the suffix - ig meaning "to make, to cause to be". Someone relatively new to Esperanto could figure out the meaning of neniigante from its very common components. Someone relatively new to English as a foreign language would have to look up annihilating. Even if they knew the meaning of ad they would have to figure out that in this particular word it becomes an.
On Saturday 21 October, a rather special event took place in Kinross, Scotland. About 20 esperantists from across Scotland - Glasgow, Edinburgh, Motherwell, Perth, Dunblane, St. Andrews - and Marjorie Boulton from furth of Scotland foregathered to celebrate a lifetime of outstanding service to Esperanto - the language, the literature and the emerging global culture, on the part of Bill Auld, the Bard of Dollar.
The immediate occasion for the event was Bill's recent retirement after more than a quarter-century as editor of British Esperantist but, in truth, it was the prodigious totality of his career that we celebrated fittingly capped by his recent nomination for the Nobel Prize for Literature. Before the serious business of speechifying, we dined handsomely at the Green Hotel, Kinross (which I have no hesitation in recommending to anyone travelling north from Edinburgh): cockaleekie, salmon, pithivier, profiteroles, turkish delight, all sluiced along with appropriate beverages.
The arrival of liqueurs, in fact, was the signal for a memorable series of contributions from David Bisset (for EAB), Ron Calder (for the Scottish association), Chris Gledhill (for the Tolkien Tendency), building to a rhetorical climax in Marjorie Boulton's Omaĝparolo, an elegant, warm and very perceptive tribute to this colossus of twentieth century Esperanto letters. To summarise Marjorie's address would fail to capture the spirit of the occasion, but Esperanto-Asocio de Skotlando hope to publish her talk in full, either as a monograph in its own right, or as a special edition of Esperanto en Skotlando (of which, of course, Bill was editor in the late '40s).
All in all, a happy, fraternal occasion, which will be treasured by all of us.
David Kelso
[EAB Update Issue No.10 Page 10]
El Popola Ĉinio.
Publication of this attractive and colourful magazine stopped at the end of December 2000 due to financial restraints. However, if you have a connection to the internet you can still receive and download it every month as it will continue to be published in electronic form. Go to: http://www.china.org.cn
NetNews3.
This was sent out on December 18th to all those who are on our electronic mailing list. About 20 of them were not deliverable as the email addresses we hold are not valid. If you think you are on the email list but did not receive NetNews 3 on December 18th. Please email the office with your current, correct email address. Please always tell us when you change your email address!
[Postscript: There is an archive of NetNews back-issues on the EAB website]
[Out-dated: Penfriends corner]
Over the years, the book stock of EAB had grown enormously and contained much that seemed un-sellable in Britain. A report was commissioned from Paul Hewitt which recommended that we drastically reduce the number of titles that we stock and dispose of the rest. That is the reason for the many special offers and mystery parcels but we also sold a large number to UEA. Simo Milojevich, who is the bookshop manager at UEA, came over and packed a large consignment which was immediately shipped to Rotterdam.
Our book service continues and we sell a lot of books to both members and bookshops in Britain and to overseas Esperanto associations. All books which we do not stock can be ordered from UEA. These may be paid for with ordinary British cheques in sterling.
The Pronoun Sia (Sin or Si)
Can not itself the SUBJECT be
But to the SUBJECT it refers
Of sentences where it occurs
Remember, too, this final word
Restrict its use to "PERSON THIRD"
from Step by Step (Montague Butler)
[EAB Update Issue No.10 Page 11]
Membership of U.E.A. for the year 2001.
Enclosed with this issue of Update is the subscription form for the World Esperanto Association. If you have never been a member, why not give it a try? If you are thinking of going to the World Congress in Zagreb then you reduce your participation fee by being a member in one of the categories. If you pay £34 you will receive the magazine 'ESPERANTO' each month plus the yearbook which gives masses of information about a variety of bodies which use Esperanto. It also has a list of 'delegates' in most countries of the world. These people will help you make contact with local Esperantists if you visit their town. They can also help you to find accommodation etc. If you just want to have the yearbook and not the magazine, then make your cheque out for £14. Please note that UEA now has a new representative for Britain.
He is Geoffrey Sutton, 17 Partridge Road, Aylsham, Norwich, NR11 6DQ.
So please complete the form and send it to Geoffrey. Please make your cheque out to Geoffrey Sutton.
From the Management Committee of November 18th 2000.
It was decided to support, in principle, the notion of arranging, during the next 12 months, 3 residential weekends for beginners with tutors. It was felt that not enough support is given to beginners and this will be a step to redress the balance.
An American has offered to put 'Esperanto for Beginners' by Montague Butler, onto a Web site. The copyright owners have agreed to this and we accepted this offer.
We decided to appoint a part-time Director of Development and enquiries for this post were invited.
Although from the above it may seem that the Mancom did not discuss much, in fact we progressed many items which have been mentioned before and we had a full 5 hours of discussion!
Report on the Euro M.E.P.'s Campaign by David Curtis.
[Postscript: Corrections to this report were printed in the subsequent EAB Update No.12.]
Those who were at Saffron Walden Congress in 1966 will remember that they kindly put their hands in their pockets to pay the expenses of a campaign I was running among British M.E.P.s. At that time EAB had no money to pay my expenses, yet, in good faith, I had spent about £65 on stationery and stamps, recruiting powerful supporters of Esperanto. I had enlisted 30 out of our 87 M.E.P.s, and they formed the largest national Esperanto group in the European Parliament. Altogether, people like me, in various European countries, persuaded 21% of the total to agree that Esperanto had a role to play in solving the language problems of the EU.
Unfortunately, when the new Parliament was elected last June, we had to start all over again, but, in my case, 11 out of my previous 30 were re- elected, so I didn't have to start from scratch. This time it was on the basis that I would be allowed up to £100 per quarter from EAB to be used under the heading 'Esperanto Information Service'
After my first quarterly circular to M.E.P.s went out, replies came back in dribs and drabs, one of them, who had previously taken the beginners' course, now started working for her Diploma, however, being a very busy person, on various committees, I think it likely that her learning process, must of necessity, be slow. I had received some encouragement from the "Bureau for Lesser Used Languages", based in Dublin. After first receiving a brush-off from Neil Kinnock, he changed his mind and arranged for an official to discuss with Hans Erasmus the possibility of setting up an experiment in the use of Esperanto. This is being handled at the University of Amsterdam, Linguistics department.
After 3 months my score was only 12. The whole campaign, which is co-ordinated by Germain Pirlot is having about the same degree of success as myself, namely the number of M.E.P.s supporting the use of Esperanto in the parliament is 12%. If your MEP represents Southwell, Leeds, Eŭton, Durham, Stratford-on-Avon, Milton Keynes, Belfast, Romsey, Taunton, Derby, Ashford, or Cambridge, congratulations are in order. If not, please write a brief letter asking your MEP to support Esperanto in the European Parliament, but stick to facts - don't make exaggerated claims for the language.
Its use can save EU money and preserve each M.E.P.'s right to speak, listen to, write and read in his or her own language; but Esperanto cannot solve all the world's problems, so there's no point in pretending otherwise.
[EAB Update Issue No.10 Page 12]
New Members
Mr C. Barham, East Grinstead, Sussex
Mrs. E. Walling, Grimsby, Yorkshire
Mrs Whitehead, Hampshire
Mr Eric Lee, North London
New Supporters
Ms Rosslyn Carlyle, Orkney
Mrs M. Edmond, Shepherds Well, Kent
Ms. R. Tabram, Folkestone, Kent
Legacies
We gratefully acknowledge the receipt of £5,000 from the estate of Edmund Allenby Ashcroft.
Magazine Renewals for the year 2001
These have been coming in very slowly. If you want to continue your subscription to your favourite Esperanto magazine, please renew promptly to: Paul Hewitt 26 Highfield Rd, North Thoresby, Grimsby, DN36 5RT. Please make cheques out to Paul Hewitt.
EAB AGM London 31st March 2001
If any fakorganizantoj wish to hold their own AGMs or meet on that day, would they please urgently contact: Mrs. Jean Bisset, 47 Airbles Crescent, Motherwell, ML1 3AP.
Some already know of this excellent resource which is hosted by the Leeds & Wakefield Esperanto Club. They have some professionally produced videos with excellent picture and sound. Some are travelogues and also curiosities such as a Russian TV film in Esperanto about the history of Esperanto (It also includes a lousy interview with your Hon. Sec.!). The hiring fee is £5.00 which includes outward postage. You can keep the video for seven days. Send for a catalogue to: 'Esperanto', 4 Apple Tree Close, East Ardsley, Wakefield, WF3 2JE
Ĉu vi povas diri al mi kie en Anglio loĝas la plej mizeraj homoj?
Tion mi ne scias, do, informu min kie loĝas la plej mizeraj britoj.
Ho! Ili loĝas en sudmarborda urbo apud Brighton, tamen, estu prudenta se vi demandus "Kie vi logas?" ĉar kun dolorplena vizago ili nur ekkrios: "Ho Ve! Ho Ve!"
[EAB Update Issue No.10 Page 13]
Unue, mi pardonpetas pro atako de la preskoboldoj en EAB Update! numero 9. Mi fuŝtajpis "simpatos" anstataŭ "simpatios" kaj "nenie" anstataŭ "neniel"; kaj, kiel ĉiu solvanto divenis, la unua frazo de la teksto por la dua konkurso devis esti "He came over to her."
Mi ricevis ok solvojn de Bonvolu Esperantigi 2. Jen mia mozaiko.
"Kion vi kudras tie?" li demandis. Flora sciis, ke li esperas, ke ĝi estas kalsono. Trankvile ŝi elskuis la faldojn de la subjupo kaj respondis, ke ĝi estas temanĝa tablotuko.
"Ja.... ina sensencaĵo," diris Seto mallaŭte. (Flora scivolis, kial li trovis konsilinde malaltigi la voĉon duonoktave.) "Ĉiuj virinoj samas - ĉiam vartantaj siajn falbalojn kaj blindumantajn la okulojn de viro, kiam ili ja deziras nur viran sangon kaj la koron el lia korpo kaj lian animon kaj lian fieron....."
"Ĉu vere?" diris Flora, serĉante sian tondilon en sia kudroskatolo.
Malfacila elekto inter la solvoj, sed fine mi juĝis Conrad Beaumont la plej trafa tradukanto.
Notes
"Fobbed off: several of you used one or other form of "fortrompi" - a possible solution, but in my mind "fortrompi" carries a suggestion of deceit or disappointment which is not necessarily in the English. "Malpersvadi" (TN) conveys the meaning, though I have chosen "fortumi".
"She was for it": all of you rightly sought to translate the sense rather than the words, and came up with a variety of creative solutions, all of them acceptable. I have offered a solution of my own.
"What's that you're making": I prefer myself a word a little more precise than "faras" - but, as so often in translation, this is a matter of taste.
"He hoped it was": some of you used the past tense but I think it should be the present. "Sciis" places all that follows in the past, and if Flora had voiced her thoughts she would have said "I know you are hoping that it is a pair of knickers."
"Fallals": the main meaning of the word is bits of finery or frippery on clothing. Most of you chose words which could apply to ornament or decoration on things other than clothing. "Falbaloj" (CB) seems to me close to the English.
Jen la teksto por la tria konkurso. Bonvolu sendi solvojn antaŭ la 24-a de februaro al: Michael Cayley, 13 Grove Road, East Molesey, Surrey KT8 9JS. Bonvolu esperantigi
'You could try,' said Clarice. 'We aren't busy.'
From Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake
Send for: "The Best of the Bendoteko " and browse through the newly published short list of cassettes chosen from the full EAB list.
[Postscript: These lists are available online from the tape library catalogues section of the EAB website's library page]
All with good sound quality, they offer you a range of interesting listening - amusing stories, stimulating talks, poems, plays and songs. There's something to suit all tastes, ages and abilities. Catalogue on request from E.A.B.
[EAB Update Issue No.10 Page 14]
[Continued from Issue No. 9.]
Malgraŭ la laborado de Horace por la urbego, tamen, estas kiel esperantisto, ke oni plej bone memoras lin. Li estis mirinda ambasadoro por Esperanto, vojaĝanta en ĉiuj eŭropaj landoj, al la malproksima oriento kaj al Suda Ameriko. Li ĉiam honoris kaj respektis la multajn eminentulojn kiujn li renkontis en la movado, inkluzive kompreneble nian karan doktorinon Boulton, kiu skribis sur la ŝirmopaĝo de ekzemplero de la unua eldono de sia Zamenhof: "Al Horace Barks, fidela kaj ĉiam helpopreta amiko de Esperanto kaj de mi". Kiam mi heredis la libron mi trovis tie foton de bela juna doktorino!
Li mem kredis, ke la ĉefa atingo de sia vivo estis enkonduki tiom da Esperantistoj al la lingvo kaj al la movado; li rakontis al mi pri lia instruado ĉe Sandbach Lernejo kaj la granda plezuro li spertis, kiam li varbis, inter aliaj, Peter Weatherby. En la lastaj jaroj, li okupiĝis pri instruado kaj ankaŭ tradukado, faranta legindan anglan tradukaĵon de la esperanta klasiko Vivo kaj opinioj de Majstro M'Saud.
Sed la plej ŝatata aŭtoro de Horace estis Louis Beaucaire, kiun li bone konis. Li tre amuziĝis kiam Louis anoncis sian adreson en Kurfurstendamm por puritanoj dezirantaj insulti min. Frue en 1983 mi vizitis Horace en la hospitalo. Jen li kun letero en la mano de la vivvino kiu informis lin pri la morto de Beaucaire je la aĝo de 58 jaroj. Horace havis 88. Li ne estis religiulo, sed li fingromontris al la ĉielo kaj diris: "Kial ne mi anstataŭ Louis?"
La sukceso de esperanto tutmonde dependas de la laboro de dediĉitaj laboristoj kiel Horace. Se kelkaj el la membroj de tempo al tempo seniluziiĝis, ĉar ili sentas mankon de progreso, neniam Horace seniluziiĝis kaj firme kredis je la fina venko.
Ekster la konsilantaro, Horace estis populara oratoro kaj amatora portretisto. Li ofte skizis lokajn publikajn personajn, kaj "La Sentinel" aperigis liajn skizojn. La kongreslibro de la 15-a IFEF kongreso enhavas skizojn de LKK-anoj, bondezirojn de Stanley Matthews, la plej fama futbal-ludisto de tuta epoko, kiu naskiĝis kaj ludis en la urbego; kaj ankaŭ tributo al 'nia verkistino' Marjorie - "NI BANAS EN ŜIA LUMO!"
Horace estis por mi kvazaŭ dua patro. Mi konis lin ek de mia infaneco, ĉar, kiam mi estis knabo, Horace kaj mia patro estis kolegoj en la urbega konsilantaro. Kaj, kiam ili estis grandaĝaj, la du vizitis unu la alian por ŝakludi kaj babiladi.
Mia patro rakontis al mi, kiel, en 1926 - la jaro de la Ĝenerala Striko - 25 Mars Strato, la hejmo de Horace kaj edzino Carrie, estis kvazaŭ sup-kuirejo por familioj de ministoj, pot-fabrikistoj, ŝtal-laboristoj kaj fervojistoj, kiuj strikis. Poste, Horace gastigis multajn alilandajn esperantistojn ĉe la Mars Strato hejmo.
Li estis mia kara amiko kaj ni estis en akordo pri multaj aferoj: georgismo, humanismo, respublikismo, sennaciismo. Li estis entuziasma membro de SAT kaj SATEB.
Ni kune estis membroj de la komitato de la Arnold Bennett Literatura Societo. Nia prezidanto estis John Wain - ne temas pri la film-stelulo, sed la eminenta romanisto, poeto kaj kritikisto, kiu naskiĝis en Stoke-on-Trent. John Wain diris pri Horace en 1972: "Tiu homo estas unu el la plej bonaj rakontistoj kiujn mi iam renkontis. Kelkaj el liaj rakontoj rememorigas min pri Maxim Gorki. Li estas 'Sinjoro Stoke' kaj mi povas paroli kun li dum horoj."
W.H. Simcock
[Continued in Issue No.12]
[Out-dated: Radio section: winter schedules for Radio Austria Internacia, Radio China International, Radio Vatican]
[EAB Update Issue No.10 Page 15]
75-jariĝo estas sufiĉe granda atingo por homo. Aldone al la multaj omaĝoj al William Auld, nia honorato tion atinginta, el lia propra plumo (tajpilo? komputilo?) venas ĉi tiu mallonga sed informoplena verko.
En Prefaco li klarigas (per citaĵo el alia verko), ke "la internacilingva publiko" fakte ne havas grandan intereson pri sia literaturo, nek pri siaj verkistoj. Sed li ja timas, ke post lia morto iu trafosos detalojn de lia vivo, ellaboros (mis)konkludojn kaj anoncos "profesore al furor-avida publiko", ekz. ke "kvankam li aspektis tre vira, lia edzino lin ofte batis". Povus okazi ankaŭ, ke eventuala biografiisto miskomprenos liajn poemojn, ne sciante ke li estas "observanto, ne partoprenanto". La originalo en la poemo Anna, ekzemple, ne estas vera persono kiun li vizitadis, sed nura simbolo.
Do, eĉ se li ne opinias la propran vivon sufiĉe grava aŭ interesa por Esperanta legantaro, pro trijara "sieĝo" de sezonisto Aleksander Korĵenkov li finfine konsentis produkti la jenan verketon.
La aŭtobiografia teksto estas stile simpla, rekta, esence sen fanfarono. Priskribante la propran vivon, Auld alternadas inter la esperantista kaj la alifaceta. Ni ekscias, ke Auld havas fratinon proks. ok jarojn malpli aĝan. Pro tiugrada aĝdiferenco, ili estis "kvazaŭ du solinfanoj" al kiuj mankis komunaj interesoj. Tia fakteto pri naskiĝ-ordo kaj familio-grandeco eventuale havas signifon kiam oni provas tutkompreni amikon, konaton aŭ famulon. Ni ekscias ankaŭ, ke li "estis kapabla sportisto ekde tre juna aĝo". Ni trovas inter gravaj verkistoj tiujn sen elstara korpa lerteco kaj ankaŭ tiujn kiuj ja havas kapablojn kaj korpan kaj mensan. Ĉu ĉi lasta speco estas pli integra, tuteca? Ni diru ke almenaŭ por ĉi tiu homo la integriĝo ja ne estis malavantaĝo. (Ĉu pro tio li dum tiom multaj jaroj havas la eltenivon esti vorema leganto kaj fekunda verkanto?)
Post la dua mondmilito, Auld aniĝis al glasgovaj Esperanto-grupoj neŭtrala kaj laborista. En ĉi lasta oni ne permesis uzadi la anglan lingvon. Sub la influo de la grupo kaj ties ano Reto Rossetti, Auld kaj amiko/kunlaboranto John Francis decidis mem ne plu uzi la anglan inter si. (Tiuj, kiuj krokodilemas, precipe ĉe eklaciĝo, pripensu!)
Jen aliaj specimenaj sciigoj kaj opinioj diversloke en la libro:
- p. 19: Kio mankas al Esperantujo? Mankas iu "centrismo" kaj reala inter-nacieco en la pensado. La federacia strukturo de UEA "apogas la paroĥismon", kiu aktivas ekz. ĉe esperantistoj skotaj, francaj, nederlandaj.
- p. 22. La lastatempan tradukegon Mastro de L'Ringoj, li opinias iasence sia "ĉefplenumo". La lingvaĵo ne estas "malfacila", kiel pensas iuj alilandanoj. Fakte, "ĝi estas bele klasika angla stilo, kiu bele konvenas al esperantigo".
- p. 23. Liaj plej ŝatataj Esperantaj verkoj (kiujn li volonte relegas) estas Metropoliteno (Varankin), Hura! (Baghy), Infanoj en torento (Engholm). Liaj plej ŝatataj poetoj estas Boulton, Kurzens, Adamson.
Inkluziviĝas trideko da poemoj originalaj kaj tradukitaj, kiujn li mem elektis por ĉi tiu libreto: pluraj estas sufiĉe famaj, aliaj ne. Ĉiu meritas. (re)legon okaze de la enmaniĝo. Unu estas Ebrio, kiun ĉe la apero kaj dum multaj jaroj oni taksis ege amuza kaj laŭtleginda. Tamen en nia plej aktuala epoko multaj pensas ĝin ofenda kaj malkonvena al la seriozeco de alkoholismo. Do jen ĝi aperas por via privata lego kaj (re)takso.
Troviĝas ankaŭ 16 fotoj kun pozoj formalaj kaj neformalaj, kio helpas bildigi la familianojn kaj aliajn proksimulojn. Kaj fine kvarpaĝa Bibliografio kiel eventuala kontrolo pri verkoj legitaj kaj ankoraŭ legendaj.
Mi jam legis mezkvante multon el la originala kaj traduka verkaro de William Auld. Ankoraŭ restas multe pli. Li ankaŭ gvidadis min en la legado de aliaj beletraĵoj, ekz. per sia Baza Legolisto de 51 volumoj (1988) kaj ties suplemento (1997). Mi neniam havis okazon renkontiĝi kun Auld vid-al-vide. Sed en la pasinta jardeko li dufoje respondis al leteroj miaj. Tiujn respondojn mi konservas kvazaŭ ili venus de usona poeto Robert Frost, ĉar mi taksas nian propran laŭrcaton je simila nivelo. Mi trovas la libron oportuna resumo kaj klarigilo pri liaj vivo kaj pensoj.
Reg JADERSTROM (el EsperantoUSA)
[EAB Update Issue No.10 Page 16]
Apologies to Sue Ralph and all crossword lovers for the mix-up in the last issue. We print here the correct grid and clues!
(R)= Uzu nur la radikon
HORIZONTALE
1 Ĉapelo por episkopoj. (4)(R)
3 Komenci batalon kontraŭ iu. (4)(R)
7 Muzikaĵo kun vigla kaj gaja movado. (5)(R)
8 Grandega mara mambesto. (5)(R)
10 La metala parto de razilo, kiu tondas. (5)(R)
12 Sufikso, kiu signifas doktrinon. (3)
14 Verbo, kiu esprimas la ekziston. (3)(R)
15 Speco de vipo. (6)
17 Prefikso, kiu montras ripeton. (2)
19 Sufikso de la pasiva futura participo. (2)
20 Satano loĝas tie! (5)(R)
22 La kunulo de tondro. (4)(R)
24 Prefikso, kiu signifas agon, kiu komenciĝas, (2)
25 Duoble kvar. (2)
26 Agis tiel same, kiel alia homo. (6)
VERTIKALE
1 Eligi lakton el bovino. (4)(R)
2 Osto en la kruro. (4)(R)
3 Avenuo. (3)(R)
4 Sporto, kiun oni ludas per pilkoj kaj rakedoj. (5)(R)
5 Funkcii, procedi, fari. (2)(R)
6 Pli grasa parto de lakto. (4)(R)
7 Verda, blua aŭ bruna planto, kiu vivas en akvo. (3)(R)
9 Fera ilo kun hokegoj por fiksi ŝipon. (4)(R)
11 Verda legomo en salato. (6) (R)
13 Fari linion per unu sola movo de krajono. (6)
14 Senlima periodo. (3) (R)
15 Komforta meblo, sur kiu unu, du aŭ tri homoj povas sidi. (4)
16 Singulara pronomo de la tria persono. (2)
18 Peceto, elemento. (2) (R)
21 Embrio en la utero. (3) (R)
23 Singulara pronomo de la unua persono. (2)
"Sinjorino, mi estas la agordisto. Mi
venas pro via piano". "Sed mi ne venigis vin!"
"Mi scias, sinjorino. Estas via najbaro, kiu sendis min."
The management committee is very pleased to announce that David Kelso has been appointed "Director of Development and Promotion". He will take up his new position from the end of February. David was Chief Inspector for Post-School Education in Scotland, and has recently been employed at the Glasgow Business School. His involvement with Esperanto started whilst he was still at school.
David will introduce himself in the next issue.
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