hebda999:

4pir2hmi880:I live in the western united states and am a beginner. I have noticed that the people who are using the instant messenger feature are very advanced and don't have much patience with beginners. If we could arrange a time to use this feature we could visit (in esperanto of course) but without the pressure of being perfect. Tom.

And what is wrong with Skype?

I am currently corresponding with several other friends in Poland and hope you and your family are safe during this terrible cold weather.
As to your question, it would probably be a good alternative if I had it. The question could also be asked, Why have the instant messenger at all. Or even why have Lernu when you could just use a book. The answer of course is when you are learning it is good to use all the tools available. I simply would like to use instant messenger with someone else of my still limited ability. Children make mistakes when they are learning but adults often loose patients with them so they babble with each other and practice and eventually learn. It would be FUN to practice with another beginner.
Thanks for your input and take care. Warmest wishes for you and all the rest of the good folks in Poland. Tom

Maybe you could post in the forum thread about study groups to ask if someone would like to practice with you in beginner's Esperanto, with the instant messenger. If you post in Esperanto, you'll also reach people who don't necessarily speak English.

erinja:Maybe you could post in the forum thread about study groups to ask if someone would like to practice with you in beginner's Esperanto, with the instant messenger. If you post in Esperanto, you'll also reach people who don't necessarily speak English.

Thank you again for your time! That's a good idea. I did get a message from another English speaking beginner and we will take your advise about communicating at first using the regular messages. Then when we are ready we will progress to the instant messenger. By the way I have tried to post a few requests for corrections on the youtube of some of my attempts to translate and speak. If you get a chance I would really appreciate the help if you could look at them and provide me with any corrections you might have?? If your too busy I understand.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHu8qoDZfIU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ia-GZ1_WbY
Thank you for your help. Tom

4pir2hmi880:By the way I have tried to post a few requests for corrections on the youtube of some of my attempts to translate and speak. If you get a chance I would really appreciate the help if you could look at them and provide me with any corrections you might have?? If your too busy I understand.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHu8qoDZfIU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ia-GZ1_WbY
Thank you for your help. Tom

Hello! I am procrastinating, so decided to test about my ability to find Esperanto errors!

I looked at "Pirata Ŝerco II", the joke did indeed make me giggle!

I'll try to make the suggestions inline with the temporal order of the video, so you can look at it samtempe.

I thought you might appreciate me being as picky as I could possibly be, so here goes:

Stress:
A couple of times you don't seem to stress the penultimate syllable. Listen at the beginning to "Salutojn Amikojn" Notice where you stress "ojn" rather than the syllable before. (Also, I don't think Amikoj should have an "n" here, you're suggesting that the words are in agreement, which suggests a noun is describing a noun, which don't happen)

In "Mi havas ŝercon por vin", "vi" should not have an "n". Same with "lignan kruron" after "kun"; there shouldn't be "n"s. Words after prepositions don't tend to take "n", though be aware of the use of the "n" for motion with "en", "sur" etc.

With words like "knabo", try not to make the "kn" be in distinct syllables. Otherwise it sounds like "kanabo" (which apparently means hemp)!

When pronouncing "flikaĵon", the sound of your "a" changes, such that it sounds like "flikaj-ĵon".

In "kiel vi akiris la hokan?", if you meant to say "how did you get the hook?" Then you need the noun form (o-word) "hokon". You'd use "hoka" to describe an o-word, like you did: "hoka mano".

When the second ship proksimiĝis, you say "kaj ilian kananon pafis mian manon" two objects of that verb? You probably meant "ilia kanano"?

"En alian batalon" would mean "into another battle". You're probably after "en alia batalo", which means "in another battle".

Not an error, but when you said "mi estis staranta", you could probably have got away with "mi staris"

[character limit]

[cont.]

Now this bit I'm still shaky on for two reasons, but in this sentence, "Mi rigardis supren kaj vidis mevon flugante supre". I'm assuming (so correct me if wrong) that this should mean "I looked up, and saw a seagull flying above".

The two reasons I'm unsure:
1. I'm not clear on the distinction between "super" and "supre". I think "supren" is correct for "up", but I think "super" might be needed instead of "supre" for "above". Going by this sentence: "Super ≈ “pli alte ol”. Supre ≈ “ĉe la plej alta parto de io”" from the PMEG.
2. I think using an adverbial participle (flugante), you make it sound more like you (the subject of the main verb) were the one flying above when you looked up. I think you might need "fluganta"

In the ending message:

In "hodiaŭ mi petas, ke vi help min", you're missing the "u" from "helpu".

Verbs after "bonvolu" should be in the infinitive form "bonvolu meti viajn sugestojn..."

When you are issuing a command "have a nice day", I think you should be using the U-modo: "havu feliĉan tagon".

Apologies if any corrections are wrong... I'm learning too... If any of them seem dubious, I can try to explain further or point you to resources!

You want "mevo flugis supre" (high up, a seagull flew", or "mevo flugis super mi" (a seagull flew above me). A third, not-so-wonderful choice, is "mevo flugis supere"

"super" can't be by itself; it's a preposition, so it needs to have another word to link to. You'd have to give it that other word to link to (super *mi*) or else turn it into an adverb (supere), or else use another adverb (supre)

Supren means "to above" so it doesn't work here.

super = higher than [something; you need to specify that "something]. The base meaning of "super" is comparative in nature, so you have to specify, "in comparison to what?"

supre = in a high place; the base meaning of "supre" is not comparative in nature.
supren = to a high place

"supere" is somewhat comparative but since it's an adverb you don't have to specify in comparison to what.

erinja:You want "mevo flugis supre" (high up, a seagull flew", or "mevo flugis super mi" (a seagull flew above me). A third, not-so-wonderful choice, is "mevo flugis supere"

"super" can't be by itself; it's a preposition, so it needs to have another word to link to. You'd have to give it that other word to link to (super *mi*) or else turn it into an adverb (supere), or else use another adverb (supre)

Supren means "to above" so it doesn't work here.

super = higher than [something; you need to specify that "something]. The base meaning of "super" is comparative in nature, so you have to specify, "in comparison to what?"

supre = in a high place; the base meaning of "supre" is not comparative in nature.
supren = to a high place

"supere" is somewhat comparative but since it's an adverb you don't have to specify in comparison to what.

Ooo, thanks for the clarifications!

One tiny extra question: if you change it to "mevo flugis supre" (not using a participle), don't you need to include "ke" beforehand?

...kaj vidis mevon fluganta supre
vs.
...kaj vidis ke mevo flugis supre

Ta!

EldanarLambetur:
One tiny extra question: if you change it to "mevo flugis supre" (not using a participle), don't you need to include "ke" beforehand?

...kaj vidis mevon fluganta supre
vs.
...kaj vidis ke mevo flugis supre

Ta!

Yes, you do need ke.

EldanarLambetur:[cont.]

Now this bit I'm still shaky on for two reasons, but in this sentence, "Mi rigardis supren kaj vidis mevon flugante supre". I'm assuming (so correct me if wrong) that this should mean "I looked up, and saw a seagull flying above".

The two reasons I'm unsure:
1. I'm not clear on the distinction between "super" and "supre". I think "supren" is correct for "up", but I think "super" might be needed instead of "supre" for "above". Going by this sentence: "Super ≈ “pli alte ol”. Supre ≈ “ĉe la plej alta parto de io”" from the PMEG.
2. I think using an adverbial participle (flugante), you make it sound more like you (the subject of the main verb) were the one flying above when you looked up. I think you might need "fluganta"

In the ending message:

In "hodiaŭ mi petas, ke vi help min", you're missing the "u" from "helpu".

Verbs after "bonvolu" should be in the infinitive form "bonvolu meti viajn sugestojn..."

When you are issuing a command "have a nice day", I think you should be using the U-modo: "havu feliĉan tagon".

Apologies if any corrections are wrong... I'm learning too... If any of them seem dubious, I can try to explain further or point you to resources!

Deep thanks to all of you for your time and help. I have copied all of your suggestions and will work on fixing the problems. As a thank you I found this funny new way to learn languages quicker and easier. Hope you enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0d9HSQF0F4

Tom

erinja:You want "mevo flugis supre" (high up, a seagull flew", or "mevo flugis super mi" (a seagull flew above me). A third, not-so-wonderful choice, is "mevo flugis supere"

"super" can't be by itself; it's a preposition, so it needs to have another word to link to. You'd have to give it that other word to link to (super *mi*) or else turn it into an adverb (supere), or else use another adverb (supre)

Supren means "to above" so it doesn't work here.

super = higher than [something; you need to specify that "something]. The base meaning of "super" is comparative in nature, so you have to specify, "in comparison to what?"

supre = in a high place; the base meaning of "supre" is not comparative in nature.
supren = to a high place

"supere" is somewhat comparative but since it's an adverb you don't have to specify in comparison to what.

Deep thanks to all of you for your time and help. I have copied all of your suggestions and will work on fixing the problems. As a thank you I found this funny new way to learn languages quicker and easier. Hope you enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0d9HSQF0F4

Tom