<center><b>LESSON 5.</b></center>
<center><i>The use of final</i> <b>n</b>.</center>
<SPAN name="ch018"></SPAN>
<p>In order to understand the meaning of a sentence it is
necessary to be able to recognise clearly and unmistakably what
it is that is spoken about, that is, what the <i>subject of the
sentence</i> is. In English this is often to be recognised only
by its position in the sentence. For instance, the three
words—visited, John, George, can be arranged to mean two
entirely, different things, either "John visited George," or
"George visited John." [Footnote: In teaching Esperanto to
children it is well to make sure before going further that they
thoroughly understand, what the subject is. <i>The subject is
that which we think or speak about. The word which stands for it
is the subject of the sentence</i>. The children may be required
to underline the subject of each sentence in a suitable piece of
prose or verse.] In Esperanto the sense does not depend on the
arrangement—" <i>Johano vizitis Georgon</i>" and
"<i>Georgon vizitis Johano</i>" mean exactly the same thing, that
John visited George, the <b>n</b> at the end of "Georgon" showing
that "Georgon" is <b>not</b> the subject. There is no want of
clearness about the following (Esperanto) sentences, absurd as
they are in English:—</p>
<center>
<table>
<tr>
<td align="center"><i>La</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>patron</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>mordis</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>la</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>hundo.</i></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">The</td>
<td align="center">father</td>
<td align="center">bit</td>
<td align="center">the</td>
<td align="center">dog.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="5">�</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center"><i>La</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>infanon</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>gratis</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>la</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>kato.</i></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">The</td>
<td align="center">child</td>
<td align="center">scratched</td>
<td align="center">the</td>
<td align="center">cat.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="5">�</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center"><i>La</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>birdojn</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>pafis</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>Johano.</i></td>
<td align="center">�</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">The</td>
<td align="center">birds</td>
<td align="center">shot</td>
<td align="center">John.</td>
<td align="center">�</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="5">�</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center"><i>La</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>musojn</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>kaptis</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>la</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>knabo.</i></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">The</td>
<td align="center">mice</td>
<td align="center">caught</td>
<td align="center">the</td>
<td align="center">boy.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="5">�</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center"><i>La</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>kokidon</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>manĝis</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>la</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>onklo.</i></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">The</td>
<td align="center">chicken</td>
<td align="center">ate</td>
<td align="center">the</td>
<td align="center">uncle.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="5">�</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center"><i>La</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>bildon</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>pentris</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>la</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>pentristo.</i></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">The</td>
<td align="center">picture</td>
<td align="center">painted</td>
<td align="center">the</td>
<td align="center">painter.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="5">�</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center"><i>La</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>fiŝojn</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>vendis</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>la</i></td>
<td align="center"><i>fiŝisto.</i></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">The</td>
<td align="center">fish</td>
<td align="center">sold</td>
<td align="center">the</td>
<td align="center">fisherman.</td>
</tr>
</table>
</center>
<p>In these sentences the subjects are at once seen to be
<i>hundo, kato, Johano, knabo, onklo, pentristo,
fiŝisto</i>, for the final <b>n</b> in <i>patron, infanon,
birdojn, musojn, kokidon, bildon, fiŝojn</i>, distinguishes
these words from the subject.</p>
<SPAN name="ch019"></SPAN>
<p>This use of <b>n</b> renders clear sentences that are not
clear in English. "John loves Mary more than George" may mean
"more than John loves George" or "more than George loves Mary."
In Esperanto it is quite clear. "<i>Johano amas Marion, pli ol
Georgo</i>" means "more than George loves Mary," because "Georgo"
is the subject of the second (elliptical) sentence, but
"<i>Johano amas Marion, pli ol Georgon</i>" means "more than John
loves George," because the final <b>n</b> in Georgon shows this
to be <b>not</b> the subject.</p>
<p>There are cases, however, in which it is not necessary to add
<b>n</b>, the noun or pronoun being distinguished from the
subject in another way. Examples are found in the first
exercise:—<i>Sur la tero</i> kuŝas ŝtono, <i>On
the ground</i> lies a stone. <i>Antaŭ la pordo</i> staras
arbo, <i>Before the door</i> stands a tree. Notwithstanding their
position, "ground" and "door" are seen to be <i>not</i> the
subject, because before them are the words "on," "before," which
connect them with the rest of the sentence—it is "on the
ground," "before the door." So with other sentences.</p>
<p>The words <i>on</i>, <i>before</i>, and others given [in
Lesson 26] are called <span style=
"font-variant: small-caps">prepositions</span> <!-- [sic] -->
(<i>pre</i> = before). The noun or pronoun which follows them can
never be the subject of the sentence.</p>
<p>Remember, then, that <!-- [sic] --></p>
<p><b>N</b> is added to every noun and pronoun, <i>other than the
subject</i>, unless it has a preposition before it. [Footnote:
(i.). The explanation usually given for the use of final <b>n</b>
is, that <b>n</b> is added to nouns and pronouns (a) in the
Accusative Case (the direct object), (b) when the preposition is
omitted. The explanation given above seems to me, however, to be
much simpler. (ii.). Another use of final <b>n</b> is given later
[Lesson 12, Lesson 26] ]</p>
<p>When the noun takes <b>n</b>, any adjective which belongs to
it must also take <b>n</b>, as, <i>Li donas al mi belan
ruĝan floron</i>, He gives me a beautiful red flower. <i>Li
donas al mi belajn ruĝajn florojn</i>, He gives me beautiful
red flowers.</p>
<SPAN name="ch020"></SPAN>
<center>
<table cellspacing="8">
<caption><b>Vocabulary.</b></caption>
<tr>
<td nowrap valign="top"><i>letero</i>, letter.<br/>
<i>litero</i>, letter of alphabet.<br/>
<i>festo</i>, festival, holiday.<br/>
<i>tago</i>, day.<br/>
<i>nokto</i>, night.</td>
<td nowrap valign="top"><i>mateno</i>, morning.<br/>
<i>multaj</i>, many.<br/>
<i>obstina</i>, obstinate.<br/>
<i>ĝoja</i>, joyful, joyous.<br/>
<i>hela</i>, bright, clear.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap valign="top"><i>amas</i>, loves.<br/>
<i>vidas</i>, sees.<br/>
<i>konas</i>, knows.<br/>
<i>havas</i>, has, possesses.<br/>
<i>luno</i>, moon.<br/>
<i>stelo</i>, star.<br/>
<i>vintro</i>, winter.<br/>
<i>forno</i>, stove.<br/>
<i>edzino</i>, wife.</td>
<td nowrap valign="top"><i>pala</i>, pale.<br/>
<i>deziras</i>, desires, wishes.<br/>
<i>eraras</i>, errs, is wrong.<br/>
<i>vokas</i>, calls.<br/>
<i>hejtas</i>, heats.<br/>
<i>hodiaŭ</i>, to-day.<br/>
<i>malpli</i>, less.<br/>
<i>kiam</i>, when.<br/>
<i>kia</i>, what (kind).</td>
</tr>
</table>
</center>
<p>Mi vidas leonon (leonojn). Mi legas libron (librojn). Mi amas
la patron. Mi konas Johanon. La patro ne legas libron, sed li
skribas leteron. Mi ne amas obstinajn homojn. Mi deziras al vi
bonan tagon, sinjoro. Bonan matenon! Ĝojan feston (mi
deziras al vi). Kia ĝoja festo (estas hodiaŭ)! En la
tago ni vidas la helan sunon, kaj en la nokto ni vidas la palan
lunon kaj la belajn stelojn. Ni havas pli freŝan panon, ol
vi. Ne, vi eraras, sinjoro, via pano estas malpli freŝa, ol
mia. Ni vokas la knabon, kaj li venos. En la vintro oni hejtas la
fornojn. Kiam oni estas riĉa, oni havas multajn amikojn. Li
amas min, sed mi lin ne amas. Sinjoro P. kaj lia edzino tre amas
miajn infanojn; mi ankaŭ tre amas iliajn (infanojn). Mi ne
konas la sinjoron, kiu legas.</p>
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