I think I'm more confused now than I was when I first posted my questions. . .

SPX:I think I'm more confused now than I was when I first posted my questions. . .

Our work here is done.

Just think of 'ekde' as 'since', SPX.

Even in English where we generally observe the since/for distinction 'since' is sometimes used with a period expression. Had any trouble? Not since I have been living here.

In French, and I believe also in German, they can use the same word referring to a period and a point in time. Think of the foreigner's broken English I am here since two years. This is probably the reason why some Continental Esperantists may use ekde with a period. But this is a rather casual usage.

The general tradition in Esperanto is to try to be precise/logical and that would mean using ekde with a point in time expression, as it literally means 'beginning from'.

Forigite

A search for 'jam de + time period' in the Tekstaro brings up a whole load of examples. All of the following are from Zamenhof himself:

Antaŭparolo de la Fundamento de Esperanto:Laŭ silenta interkonsento de ĉiuj esperantistoj jam de tre longa tempo la sekvantaj tri verkoj estas rigardataj kiel fundamento de Esperanto..

La revizoro:Tio estas ne sole, por tiel diri, ian delikataĵon, sed eĉ ĉian abomenaĵon, li prenas: sekigitaj prunoj, kiuj jam de sep jaroj kuŝas en la barelo, ĉe mi eĉ komizo ĝin ne volus manĝi...

Fabeloj de Andersen 1:Hodiaŭ estas ĝusta printempa tago por poeto, la aero estas tiel eksterordinare klara, la nuboj tiel belaj, kaj ĉi tie en la verdaĵo estas tia aromo, al mi estas tiel bone kaj feliĉe, kiel mi jam de multe da jaroj min ne sentis!”

Marta:Sinjorino Szwejc jam de kelke da minutoj rigardis Martan, sed la esprimon de ŝiaj okuloj oni ne povis vidi, ĉar ili estis kovritaj per okulvitroj.

There are many, many more examples like the ones above in the Tekstaro.

The function of 'jam de' is just like the 'seit' in the German examples given by Hyperboreus. To my mind 'ekde' fits into this role just as effectively as 'jam de', in fact I feel there might be a certain nuance to it...

I still don't really understand the point that the akademiano was trying to make about 'ekde' possibly causing confusion. As PAG and PMEG point out, the addition of ek- is simply a way of highlighting the intended time-period function of 'de'. Placing 'jam' before 'de' is just another way of doing this.

Although I'm certainly no authority[1], I see nothing wrong with "ekde du jaroj" at all. It's meaning is clear, it's grammatically correct. I would happily use it myself[2].

---------------
[1] I'm totally not[2].
[2] Sometimes I'm actually wrong. Experienced, yes. Infallible, not so much. When I'm wrong, feel free to set me straight.

Forigite

the addition of ek- is simply a way of highlighting the intended time-period function of 'de'

Alright. But there is a certain semantic tension in using ekde with periods, simply because of the meaning of ek.

Rewrite ekde as eke de and you feel this tension more strongly.

Eke de du jaroj mi vivas ĉi tie. - komence de du jaroj mi loĝas ĉi tie.*

There is another expression that has been used for the idea of since - depost.

In earlier works you can come across this being used with periods (depost 34 jaroj) but in later usage it always seems to be used with points of time (depost la komenco de la milito).

sudanglo:But there is a certain semantic tension in using ekde with periods, simply because of the meaning of ek.

Rewrite ekde as eke de and you feel this tension more strongly.

Eke de du jaroj mi vivas ĉi tie. - komence de du jaroj mi loĝas ĉi tie.*

What 'tension' are you feeling there? Can you elaborate?

caspian.merlin:

Chainy:

sudanglo:But there is a certain semantic tension in using ekde with periods, simply because of the meaning of ek.

Rewrite ekde as eke de and you feel this tension more strongly.

Eke de du jaroj mi vivas ĉi tie. - komence de du jaroj mi loĝas ĉi tie.*

What 'tension' are you feeling there? Can you elaborate?

Probably the same sort of tension you might feel if you were to hear somebody tell you that they had been living somewhere starting from two years, rather than for two years.

Sudanglo, is that the tension you were talking about? If so, how do you feel about sentences with 'jam de' in them? E.g. "...al mi estas tiel bone kaj feliĉe, kiel mi jam de multe da jaroj min ne sentis!”