Hi all.

First post. Really enjoying all the discussions here.

I am very much enjoying learning Esperanto, but I'm wondering if there are any good translations of widely available English books or articles out there that I can study from. I'm thinking of translating from Esperanto to English, and then using the English versions to check my work. I have learned many of the grammar rules, but knowing the rules and having a feeling for how they are applied are two very different things, as you folks undoubtedly know.

I know Project Gutenberg has several translations available, but I'm not sure of their quality, and being a beginner, I am obviously in no position to judge.

My second question has to do with the PMEG. Has anyone ever considered translating it into English? I think this could be a valuable reference for beginners like me. However, I must admit that working through the text of PMEG has helped me quite a bit, so maybe the fact that it hasn't been translated is a good thing.

Thanks all for your help!

Aaron

cannona:...My second question has to do with the PMEG. Has anyone ever considered translating it into English? ...

When you start needing PMEG, your Esperanto is good enough to read the original. It uses very simple language.

The Project Gutenberg translations should be fine. They are mostly historical translations by well-known Esperanto authors, so I'd use them without fear.

hebda999:

cannona:...My second question has to do with the PMEG. Has anyone ever considered translating it into English? ...

When you start needing PMEG, your Esperanto is good enough to read the original. It uses very simple language.

Hi Aleksander,

I don't think the Chinese will be impressed with your argument. They have already translated Wennergen's grammar into Chinese.

They call it: 高级世界语语法手册, or A High quality Esperanto Grammar Manual. You can find it here. It's the seventh from the top, code 0240.

Cannona
While I think a translation of PMEG would be nifty, I agree with hebda999. PMEG is very clearly written (it's really quite an amazing work). Within few months of Esperanto practice (if not sooner) you'll likely be amazed at how well you can read it. You don't have to read it from start to finish. Pick a section on some topic that interests you about Eo and work through it with a dictionary. Rinse and Repeat with different sections. Pretty soon you won't need the help of the dictionary (at least not often), you'll just be reading with fluency. PMEG is actually what I used to develop my Eo reading skill. From there I grabbed a bunch of Eo books from online sources like Project Gutenberg and went to town. I started with kids' books (like the wizard of Oz) and then upgraded to some more serious works.

P.S. I worked through the old teach yourself Esperanto book and the Gerda malaperis course (which is available here on Lernu) to build my foundation in Eo. That's all I needed to graduate to reading PMEG. PMEG really is that clearly written.

Warm Regards,
Michael.