Hi, I have got 2 elementary questions:

1- concerning the use of ek-, how can it change the meaning of such words as stari/sidi? I came across "Eksidu!" in Gerda Malaperis. Why not simply "sidu!" ?

2- the igi/igxi suffixes are sometimes confusing to me. for example I hear the word "starigxi" as in "Cxu vi povas starigxi?" Why not just "stari"?

omid17:concerning the use of ek-, how can it change the meaning of such words as stari/sidi? I came across "Eksidu!" in Gerda Malaperis. Why not simply "sidu!" ?

2- the igi/igxi suffixes are sometimes confusing to me. for example I hear the word "starigxi" as in "Cxu vi povas starigxi?" Why not just "stari"?

My complete grammar book says the ek- prefix indicates 'Sudden or momentary action, or the beginning of an action or state.' In EO, 'ek' generally gives things a bit of a feeling of liveliness and urgency that 'sidiĝu' doesn't quite have.

'Stari' describes the state of standing rather than the action. 'Stariĝi' describes the action of standing up. Literally 'become stand(ing)'.

omid17:Hi, I have got 2 elementary questions:

1- concerning the use of ek-, how can it change the meaning of such words as stari/sidi? I came across "Eksidu!" in Gerda Malaperis. Why not simply "sidu!" ?

This is really a complex affair to find set rules. Really, eksidu can be used to mean "let's start to sit down", or add emphasis to the beginning of the action while effectively meaning "sit down". It's not needed in a strict sense, but it adds flavour and emphasis to various words (sometimes it actually does have an important semantic role, e.g. "mi eklegis la libron" - I started reading the book. But in commands, depending on the meaning of the command, it can do very little other than emphasise it).

So, while ek- does have an actual role, it can sometimes be used just to make words and commands more colourful and varied.

2- the igi/igxi suffixes are sometimes confusing to me. for example I hear the word "starigxi" as in "Cxu vi povas starigxi?" Why not just "stari"?

Iĝi = become, "stari" = stand, so I guess the idea is "can you become standing" (e.g. can you go from sitting down to standing up).

In command form, all you'd need is "staru" of course (STAND!).

But compare:
"Li staris tie longe" = He stood there for a long time
"Li stariĝis tie longe" = It took him a long time to stand up there

This only works for intransitive actions (e.g. where you do something and there's no -n word). Transitive actions (where you do something and there is an -n word) will have the meaning of "having something done to you".

E.g. "mi manĝiĝas!" = I'm being eaten!

Even for such a simple language, these things are confusing I guess. But with a little practice I think it's not too hard to get a feel for when you use which words.

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Anyway, in review:

Ekstari = the very beginning of standing up (going from sitting to standing), but can be used to mean "stariĝi" sometimes too.
Stariĝi = to go from sitting/lying/not-standing down to standing up.
Stari = standing.

"Mi ekstaris kiam mi vidis danĝera hom-manĝanta simio. Mi ĉesis stariĝi"

"Mi stariĝis. Antaŭ tio, kiam mi staris, mi vidis danĝera hommanĝanta simio. Mi kuris el ĝi"

I'm guessing in Farsi it's a lot easier distinction than English since "standing up" is very ambiguous

omid17:Hi, I have got 2 elementary questions:

1- concerning the use of ek-, how can it change the meaning of such words as stari/sidi? I came across "Eksidu!" in Gerda Malaperis. Why not simply "sidu!" ?

2- the igi/iĝi suffixes are sometimes confusing to me. for example I hear the word "stariĝi" as in "Ĉu vi povas stariĝi?" Why not just "stari"?

For an English ek could be tricky. In Polish, just as in Esperanto, we have many different forms of verbs. One of them indicates that the action is continuous:

siedzię - mi sidas - I am sitting
stoję - mi staras - I am standing
...

and another indicates that the action has just started or is about to start:

siadam - mi eksidas - I sit down
wstaję - mi ekstaras - I stand up

I think that Zamenhof took this feature from slavic languages (Polish and Russian).

The other ig and iĝ are used to change the transivity of an verb. Let better an English esperantist explain this feature to you.

I am grateful for the answers. So the ek- prefix in the case of such words as "Eksidu!/Ekstaru!" simply adds a flavor of urgency to the command.

I am now thinking of "Ekstariĝu!!", how about that... (Ekstariĝu, estas jam tempo!) maybe "Stand up right away!"...

ceigered:I'm guessing in Farsi it's a lot easier distinction than English since "standing up" is very ambiguous

Dear Ceigered, many thanks for your detailed response. In Persian the verb "standing up" literally means "to get longer"

omid17:Dear Ceigered, many thanks for your detailed response. In Persian the verb "standing up" literally means "to get longer"

No problem!
Haha, that's a very unique way of looking at it!

geo63:For an English ek could be tricky. In Polish, just as in Esperanto, we have many different forms of verbs. One of them indicates that the action is continuous:

siedzię - mi sidas - I am sitting
stoję - mi staras - I am standing
...

and another indicates that the action has just started or is about to start:

siadam - mi eksidas - I sit down
wstaję - mi ekstaras - I stand up

Very intuitive... It would seem that Zamenhoff was inspired somewhat by the Slavic languages in this regard (at least I don't see anything like it in the Latinate and Germanic languages that still exists anymore)

omid17:I am now thinking of "Ekstariĝu!!", how about that... (Ekstariĝu, estas jam tempo!) maybe "Stand up right away!"...

Mmm, yes, that could work. The "ek-" there does seem to make it sound urgent. I guess when you use "ek-" with "-u", the commanding with the "start-" part makes it sound like you're excited or in a hurry. I'm not 100% sure though, you might need a more experienced Esperantist to come by here and clarify

omid17:So the ek- prefix in the case of such words as "Eksidu!/Ekstaru!" simply adds a flavor of urgency to the command.

I don't really see anything urgent about ekstaru, beyond the fact that it is a command. It just means stand up.

The addition of an exclamation mark would do the trick though.

omid17:So the ek- prefix in the case of such words as "Eksidu!/Ekstaru!" simply adds a flavor of urgency to the command.

Normaly:

ek- means that the action is short or just started

mi ekvidas lin - I have just seen him, I see him right now, at the very moment

-ad- means that the action is long and repeted over a period of time or just usual

mi vidadas lin - I see him often, he is around for long time

omid17:I came across "Eksidu!" in Gerda Malaperis. Why not simply "sidu!" ?

According to Butler's dictionary eksidi, means "alight" or "perch". So this could be a nurse's way of saying "Park your rear on that seat" - a more robust and business-like mode of expression, done as part of medical treatment, than sidiĝu, "have a seat", as one might say in inviting someone to sit down for a chat.