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Saluton Tim! I first came across Esperanto from my dad and a satirical poltical party broadcast (random I know!). From this, I created an account on Lernu and started learning the language on Duolingo about 2-3 years ago, but lost motivation and interest. Since a few weeks ago, my interest is well and truly rekindled. The more I learn about Esperanto, its history and ideals, the more I fall in love with it. I have a lot of self doubt in terms of learning languages (my track-record isn't great). At the moment though I'm determined to prove to myself that I can become fluent in a different language. The plan I have in mind to learn this time round is daily use of Duolingo, work through Complete Esperanto, self-exposure to Esperanto songs, videos podcasts and comics and work on Lernu a few times a week. I'm also actively looking for conversation partners, preferably via Skype. When I feel brave enough (hopefully in about 4-6 months, I'm hoping to push myself and go to an actual meeting and converse with local enthusiasts - perhaps even at the EAB!

Gratulon al EAB kaj al ĉiuj kunlaborintoj pro la premio 'Infanlibro de la Jaro' aljuĝita ĉe la Belartaj Konkursoj de UEA por 'La Kruibalo'!

First of all, congraulations on the recent release of the Esperanto version of the Gruffalo! This got me thinking - there are plenty of other children's classics, adult fiction and graphic novels that seem to be fertile ground for further such translations. What is the legal/ general practical process for developing a translation of an already exisitng work? And how come there aren't more of these brilliant translations around?

I've found Duolingo's Esperanto course to be an excellent resource. It's by far the best of the courses they offer of those I've tried, and the only one where I've come away able to converse in the target language. I keep a general list of learning resources here. For complete beginners, I'd recommend starting with Duolingo (make sure you join the Facebook group too) and these introductory video lessons. D.K. Jordan's Being Colloquial In Esperanto is an ideal read once you've got going. Check EAB's member map, Eventa Servo, and Duolingo Events for opportunities to meet other speakers.

Catch 22 is about right, I think, Rhys. I know of thorough translations which exist but permission for which was subsequently declined, meaning that the work won't see the light of day. Frustrating for the translators and a reason underlying why I personally won't translate ahead of securing permission to publish. But then that puts you in the difficult position of then having to produce something at the appropriate level within a time frame. I don't think people in general realise how difficult and time-consuming translation is if it's done correctly. There's a reason that most professional translators translate into their native languages rather than from them into a learned one. In our case, we're all translating into something which isn't our native language. That makes the job harder. As Edmund pointed out earlier regarding La Krubalo and a soon-to-be-announced book, there are often additional complicating constraints. Those books rhyme and really heavily on single-syllable words, which we don't tend to have in Esperanto outside of pronouns, prepositions and numbers. Then you have to match the metre and the imagery. The Krubalo-style book which we'll announce in a week or so took a fluent speaker seven months to get to a position he was happy with, and even then Edmund and I recommended some changes afterwards. It's tricky. Perhaps one day we'll be in a position where we can manage this a little bit better. It's early days for us at the moment. It's been a fun ride so far, though, with more to come 🙂

I like your plan Rhys. you say you are looking for conversation partners. One of the best programmes available to learners is on the edukado.net website and is called 'Ekparolu!'. https://edukado.net/ekparolu/prezento It pairs komencantoj with more experienced speakers who are happy to give their time to help new learners etc improve in their use of the spoken language. A highly recommended tool. Watch the introductory video in the link above or read all about it in the recent article in uea.facila https://uea.facila.org/artikoloj/ĝenerale/venu-kaj-ekparolu/ By the way, that's another great tool for learners, in case you had not discovered it yet. Finally, DON'T wait until 'you are good enough' to go to a local meeting or EAB events (Lernu, Lernu Plu, the national conference, other events). As a well-known Esperantist recently said, you are not going to swim by reading books on swimming... 😉

I think there probably is an opportunity to get more books published just by coordinating and managing the process. Publishing a book is a daunting prospect if you have to do everything by yourself: not just translate, but find people to edit and proofread, negotiate with a publisher, typeset, design a cover, arrange printing and distribution, publicity, ... It's enough to put most people off even starting. But if you have a team of people with some experience then you might be able to encourage other people to get involved. Sezonoj published a couple of books ("Rustimuna Ŝtalrato", "Ŝerloko Holmso") that had different people translating different chapters: a good way to get new people involved. Could we arrange some sort of training for translators? That's probably beyond us. However, a lot of skills are transferable between languages. I think the classes I had in translation between English and German, a long time ago, helped me translate between English and Esperanto, and books I've read about translation theory have helped as well. But those projects with multiple translators also must have helped people learn, provided they paid attention to all the criticism and debate that followed the first draft of each chapter. Perhaps EAB should help organise something like that one day. Anyone want to discuss this idea in Leicester?

That's a very thorough answer, so thanks for that! Hmmm, it seems that sometimes it's a bit of a catch 22 then? As in, Esperanto needs more skilled speakers to become passionate enough to take on the difficult process of translation, but publishers don't take the proposition seriously if there's no professionally organised interest? I hope in my lifetime at least I will see this change - there appears to be such a business opportunity for large and small publishers to encourage translations into Esperanto. Imagine how their audiences and sales would expand! I'm really passionate about this and feel that for the language to spread further we need to get younger generations to see Esperanto as a viable lingua franca across the world when they encounter a new favourite book/ youtuber/ Netflix series. ......Or perhaps I'm just a doey-eyed komencanto? 😉

Quite apart from legal/practical problems there's the problem of getting a good translation. Some of these books are rather hard to translate. The author picks some words that rhyme in the source language, certain objects get incorporated into the story and the pictures, and then the translator somehow has to find rhymes in the target language. If you'd been writing originally in the target language you would have picked different objects. But even with ordinary prose it takes some skill and a lot of work to get a good translation. As for the process, it will depend on who owns the copyright. There's a distinction to be made between co-publishing/co-printing, which is what happened for "La Krubalo" and "Mil Unuaj Vortoj" and another forthcoming book - see articles in the next issue of "La Brita Esperantisto"! - and there's the ordinary sort of permission to publish a translation. Some publishers are set up to do co-printing in multiple languages and have a draft contract all ready. You just need to show them you're a serious and trustworthy client publisher. EAB now has some credentials for that. However, I'm not sure whether EAB has done the ordinary sort of translation, though there are a couple of active projects in that area. Sometimes publishers are not very responsive if they get an e-mail from someone they don't already know. Perhaps in some cases it works better to meet them at a Book Fair, like the London one that's just been coronacancelled. There's also the case where no special permission is required. Probably most translations into Esperanto are of originals that are out of copyright. There are plenty of famous classics not yet translated. My https://rano.org/frateto/ is a much more unusual subcase: it's a modern and famous book that was already licensed for anyone to translate it. (I think it's aimed at "young adults".)

Saluton again. Sent off answers for the 1st chapter of the 'Elementary'course and got a prompt response from my tutor. It took me a while to get to that point as I was busy at work, but the tutor was understanding. In the interim I have also been reading the old short book 'The Esperanto Teacher' available from this site. I actually really like this one - as it easily nailed a couple of aspects I was unclear about .....such as the use of 'n' to distinguish the 'object' from the 'subject' and how this principle carries across all the words relating to the object. As with anything you are learning new, there is a learning curve and every time something starts to make sense, you open the next page to be greeted by a whole new batch of grammar that immediately sets you back. But I will not give up. I will keep you updated as I go....if you are also a Komencanto and still progressing, feel free to send me a message - it would be good to support each other through.......Dankon !

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-50321918

Why does there seem to be not much for children?. Like youth groups and after school groups(for Esperanto)?. It makes me think that to keep a language going you need to tech the next generation. We have in the UK languages clubs like French and Spanish. And if you dig it up a bit more Saturday schools. And taught in schools (with exams).Would not be surprised if there was a holiday school. Although you should let them naturally get into interested in Esperanto. Is it because there is not many people, who would want to help with something like that? Or financing it all and paperwork? Or demand? If there was something like that you could teach them along the lines of Equality and Diversity, Cultures, Looking after the environment, ect.😀

Mi ĵus finlegis la duan volumon de "La fotoalbumo". Ĝi estas eĉ pli bona ol la unua, laŭ mi. (Jen la paĝnombroj de la tri volumoj: 366, 165, 77. Bonŝance ne estas kvara volumo, ĉar ĝi estus nura broŝuro!)

Jen la libro, kiun mi legos ekde la 1a de Aprilo. Ĉu ankaŭ vi volas legi ĝin? Aŭ eble vi jam legis ĝin 🙂 Se jes, atendu kelkajn tagojn kaj poste komencu kundividi viajn impresojn. Eble ankaŭ mi faros tion. Se vi ankoraŭ ne legis ĝin kaj volas fari tion pli malpli je la sama tempo ol mi, mi antaŭĝojas legi viajn komentojn pri la libro. Mi esperas, ke miaj impresoj pri ĝi estos pli proksimaj al tiuj pri 'La fotoalbumo' ol tiuj pri 'Ĉu vi konas...."!

Mi ĵus legis "Kaj staros tre alte..." de Trevor Steele. Ĝi estas pli bona ol la Jesuo-libro de Manuel de Seabra, laŭ mi. La kadra rakonto - oni prezentas la ĉefan tekston kiel biografion verkitan de romiano en la unua jarcento - estas apenaŭ kredebla, sed oni povas ignori tion kaj legi ĝin kiel ankoraŭ unu version de la vivo de Jesuo. Se vi ŝatas tiajn rakontojn - mi ja ŝatas ilin kaj legis verŝajne dekojn - eble vi ŝatos ĉi tiun. Jena sceno pensigis min. Jen kiel Jesuo renkontas la esenojn: ... Jeŝu sidis en ombro apud la bela Maro de Galileo, pensante kiel ĉiam pri sia sorto, kiam aliris lin du viroj. Ili petis permeson eksidi apud li. Post kelkaj diroj pri la belo de la lago ili menciis, ... Mi ne scias, kiel la homoj kutime ekkonversaciis en Galileo antaŭ du mil jaroj, sed oni atendus ioman ekzotecon, ioman diferencon de hodiaŭaj angloj, ĉu ne? Aliflanke, eble tiel vere okazis, kaj la aŭtoroj, kiuj inventas ekzotan parolmanieron, estas nuraj trompistoj. Jen interesa demando pri historio kaj kulturo kaj beletro, se iu volus profundiĝi. (Mi provizore ignoras la demandojn, kiel la biografo ekscius pri tiaj detaloj, kaj kial la biografo konsiderus tiajn detalojn notindaj aŭ inventindaj. Kiel menciite, la kadra rakonto laŭ mi ne bone funkcias.)

La unuaj impresoj estas bonaj. Mi daŭrigos la legadon..

Dankon, Rico! Mi komencis ĝin lastan oktobron kaj jam mez-unuapaĝe decidis resurbretigi ĝin, do mi aktuale ne estas tiel optimisma. Ni vidu, ĉu dua provo estos pli sukcesa 🙂

Count me in Rhys

Saluton Rhys, Mark, Matio & Rico It's great to see this site gathering a bit of pace - you can see that with the number of people signing up daily. Rhys, I too am a komencanto and a bit out of my depth in full blown conversations. However it is amazing, how much you can pick up in such a short time. I am conscious though, that whilst my reading skills are getting on great - I've never had an opportunity to chat and have my pronunciation corrected. Keep falling into the trap of sounding vowels differently ie 'domo' with the 1st 'o' as in dog and the 2nd as in 'boat' - my mind knows what to say - but my mouth wants to say something else ! So I'm just going to jump in - I've booked a place on the Lernu session on 9th May. Might be worth setting your sites on that - gives you a few months to build up. Good luck, speak soon Dave

Are you a Duolingo learner? How are you finding it? What do you use to supplement it? How are you going about learning Esperanto?

You're quite welcome just to listen if you like. If you'd like to dip your toes in a little first, perhaps we can have a brief one-on-one Skype sometime beforehand?

Saluton Matio! Dankon for being so kind and welcoming - it's really appreciated. You're also very lucky living nearby to York - I've only visited a few times but I've liked it every time. The Yorvik Centre is firm favourite of mine, and I'm keen to get in that stunning Minster! As I said to Mark, I'm a little wobbly currently when it comes to the thought of live communication just yet - I only seriously re-began my learning about 3-4 days ago. With the date being a few months away, perhaps I'll feel more ready? Either way, hopefully sometime soon, I will pop by - watch this space! Thanks again for the invite 🙂

Saluton Mark! it's very exciting to virtually meet you and to know that you guys are so close-by. I'm still feeling a little chicken about actually communicating live as of yet, as I still feel quite out my depth with this, and my currrent vocabulary is extremely limited. However, as there is a week or so before then, I'll see how I feel a few days before. Really hope I feel ready to take the plunge then, as I know how beneficial it is for learning. If not, then I will definitely definitely be along soon - one of the reasons I love Esperanto is for the vibrant, friendly community afterall! Gis baldau!

Hi Rhys, as well as the club in Nottingham which Mark runs, there is club meeting up in York every three months on a Saturday (next one in York is 20th June). I know York is further to travel but if you would like to make it a day out of it and just pop into the esperanto meeting while you are there, then that would be a good opportunity to kill two birds with one stone as they say. Kind Regards, Matio

Rhys, I see that you're listed yourself as being in Nottingham and that you're looking for an Esperanto Skype get-together. Well, I have good news for you!

That gives me a much clearer image of the problem there Tim, so thanks for that. I can't imagine the relief and sense of accomplishment when a successful translation is written/ you can see the finished product in front of you! I'm obviously very new on my Esperanto journey, but sometime in the future I'd love to be involved in this. Some of the exisiting Esperanto literature out there looks beautifully prominent, but some also a bit hit and miss. I can't help thinking that with the right resources, man power, and backing from publishers, children's books, translations of YA fiction and some of the classics (new and old) is the way to go? If only we could get the J.K Rowlings and Malorie blackman's of the world on side! As you said though, I'm sure it's all part of the upcoming plan - here's to hoping passionate folks such as yourself get to drive the vanguard some-day!

Saluton I'm a recent convert to Esperanto and have tried a few routes to start. I was initially drawn to Lernu and was surprised how quickly I could recite a page of Esperanto. I purchased Complete Esperanto and have recently enrolled on the Elementary Course available from this site. It was initially a bit confusing, having 3 books open at the same time, but it's staring to come together now. For £30 it's a great course, 3 books plus access to online files and audio.....and a personal tutor ! I will check back later to tell you how I'm getting on......cheers

Bonan matenon As a linguist I’d like to know more about Esperanto. Currently I am writing a book on languages in the world. For my research, I ask ‘real’ speakers of a particular language about their attitudes and opinions. This is why I joined this forum. Unfortunately I don’t speak any Esperanto myself. These are the questions I’d like to discuss with you: 1. What is your first language? (i.e. ‘native’ language, mother tongue - if it is a language other than Esperanto) 2. What other languages do you speak? 3. When did you learn Esperanto? 4. Why did you learn Esperanto? (this can be any reason) 5. When do you use Esperanto? (e.g. in everyday situations, or on special occasions only?) 6. How fluent are you in Esperanto? (as fluent as in your first language?) 7. What role can Esperanto play in today’s world? (e.g. as an international language, or as a 'neutral' language) 8. What do you think of the claim that the only real international language is English, instead of Esperanto? I’m looking forward to your replies. Bondezirojn Frank Frank van Splunder PhD Linguapolis / University of Antwerp

I should point out that there will be a section on the site explaining how to do X but I've got to get round to building it. I think most of you will probably instinctively know how to use the editor, post reactions, add emoticons, mention another user etc. But don't worry if you don't; just ask or hold on for me to build this section