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The accusative -n and book titles

by Scratch, October 20, 2011

Messages: 10

Language: English

Scratch (User's profile) October 20, 2011, 12:59:27 PM

I haven't posted here in a while, but I've been working on my own with learning Esperanto and have been reading La Hobito as part of my study. I'm closing in on finishing up my first reading of it and began wondering this last night --

Which is proper?

Mi legis La Hobiton

aux

Mi legis La Hobito.

aux

Mi legis la libron, La Hobito

aux

Mi legis la libron, La Hobiton.

I guess my point of confusion is whether or not preservation of the title gets supremacy over -n.

Hundies19 (User's profile) October 20, 2011, 2:21:38 PM

I would think that, "Mi legas La Hobiton" would be grammatical correct. I don't think the fact that it is a book title makes any difference.

Chainy (User's profile) October 20, 2011, 2:45:37 PM

According to PMEG, it's fine to write: Mi legas "La Hobito".

- just include the quotation marks.

The relevant PMEG section is here.

Scratch (User's profile) October 20, 2011, 2:57:04 PM

Chainy:According to PMEG, it's fine to write: Mi legas "La Hobito".

- just include the quotation marks.

The relevant PMEG section is here.
Thank you for the relevant section of PMEG. I had thought to look at that last night, but my reading comprhension is still a bit on the slow side and it was a bit daunting to try to browse for what would be relevant. I'm able to read Esperanto well enough now that I believe I understand what you linked to. It also mentioned another aspect I had thought of -- I can't really read a hobbit, can I?

I guess in that sense, the clearest expression would be "Mi legis la libron, 'La Hobito'."

Chainy (User's profile) October 20, 2011, 3:26:21 PM

Scratch:I guess in that sense, the clearest expression would be "Mi legis la libron, 'La Hobito'."
It's not necessary to put a comma after 'libron'.

And 'la libron' is not really necessary, unless you suspect that someone might not realise that you're talking about a book!

nissa_amas_katoj (User's profile) October 22, 2011, 1:24:05 PM

The accusative is evil and must die!

But these explanations are very helpful.

eojeff (User's profile) October 22, 2011, 4:41:02 PM

The accusative isn't evil. But it does take some getting used to. Esperanto would loose a lot of flexibility in word order without the presence of the accusative case. Many other languages have an accusative case.

darkweasel (User's profile) October 22, 2011, 5:16:25 PM

nissa_amas_katoj:The accusative is evil and must die!
That explains your nick.

UUano (User's profile) October 22, 2011, 6:55:29 PM

darkweasel:
nissa_amas_katoj:The accusative is evil and must die!
That explains your nick.
shoko.gif haha

robbkvasnak (User's profile) October 22, 2011, 6:59:06 PM

I have no problem with the accusative. It is very useful. "Mi vojaĝos Parizon" in stead of "Mi vojaĝos al Parizo" for example makes sense for many from other languages. Those who speak English should remember that English too has an accusative: He saw me. "Me" is the accusative of "I" just like "him" and "her" are the accusative forms of "he" and "she" respectively.

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