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Speak up, Speak Out!

NJ_Esperantist's picture

I am as guilty as anyone I'm about to refer to, but it should be said. Esperantists, especially new Esperantists or 'komencantoj' usually have a problem in common with their older samideanoj who are isolated or without experience. We tend not to talk out loud in the language we chose to learn. I am equally guilty. At the recent gathering of New Jersey Esperantists I held back, partly because I'm shy by nature, and partly because I've rarely (maybe once) spoken to an Esperantist face to face.

I tell you truly, there is nothing to fear. At an Esperanto gathering, everyone WANTS you to speak, it's part of getting to know you, it helps etch the language in your mind via the motor memory of your mouth muscles, it helps you think in the language. What's more, it's the whole point of getting together, Ĉu ne? If you cannot come up with a term to relate your thought, surprise, in Usono you can and likely are allowed to throw in the appropriate English word. If you're lucky, the more experienced in the group will suggest the correct term and your knowledge increases. Sometimes this may lead to a discussion, (in E if one is lucky,) about the proposed terms in use.

So, in a gathering, don't be afraid to make mistakes. I hear plenty of mistakes from native English speakers in English, therefore we can be just as forgiving of each other (and keep the corrections gentle.)

Ni laboru kaj Esperu.

Pri Nov-Jherziaj esperantistoj

Eble vi trovos interesa tiun informon el "American Esperanto Magazine/Amerika Esperantisto" (Oficiala Organo de la Esperanto-Asocio de Nord-Ameriko), Sep-Oct, 1954:

"La Esperanto-Asocio de Nov-Jherzio sukcesis organizi por la nova sezono multajn Esperanto-kursojn en Lernejoj por Plenkreskuloj. Jen listo de lokoj kie okazas tiuj kursoj kaj nomoj de la instruistoj: Morristown, J. Henry Kruse; Elizabeth, S-ino Rubey P. Kelber; Cranford, Pauline Ziobro; North Newark, John Salles; Verona, Elsie Yunghaus; East Orange, Don Walton; Orange, S-ino Leslie Davis. Gratulon!"

Interesa epoko, chu ne?

Lee

  • By Lee Miller at 2008-01-12 15:11
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An excellent solution is to

An excellent solution is to find other Esperantists near you and meet regularly. Many clubs only meet once a month or every couple of months. That is way too infrequently... try to meet weekly with other Esperantists if possible, and speak in Esperanto of course. Of course if you can interest some friends whom you already see regularly, even better! One doesn't need special events to use Esperanto. Simply use it whenever you communicate with other Esperantists; don't default into English, default into Esperanto.

Por ke mia konsilo ne sonu tro absurda (pro tio, ke ĝi estas skribita en la angla), mi klarigu ke mi respondis en la angla ĉar vi skribis en la angla. :) Krome la konsilo pli celas komencantojn ol spertulojn.

Tre saĝa konsilo, kiun mi aŭdis frue dum mia lernado de Esperanto, estis: "Ne timu ke vi ŝajnas esti stultulo kiam vi parolas. Ĉiuj ŝajnas esti stultuloj en la frua periodo. Tio estas simple parto de lingvolernado."

Stulteca aspekto

Kutime, kiam mi parolas la anglan suficxe longe, mi nepre diros ion stultan. ;-) Tio estas aldona kialo mi emas ne paroli multe ecx en mia denaska.

Dave RUTAN
Nov-ĵerzeja Esperantisto
A New Jersey Esperantist
http://esperanto-nj.tripod.com

  • By NJ_Esperantist at 2007-12-24 19:10
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Trovi aux kreskigi Esperantistojn

Mi nuntempe penas kolekti kaj kunvenigi Esperantistojn en mia regiono/ŝtato. ŝajnas ke ili ne multe estas. Tio estas unu kialo por mia aktiveco nune.

Ideale, mi interesigos kelkajn homojn en mia tri-kontea regiono (Sussex/Warren/Morris) por la oftaj kunvenoj. Sed mi opinias ke ŝtat-skalaj kunvenoj necesas por iom kunligi la Esperantistaro en Nov-ĵerzejo.

Dave RUTAN
Nov-ĵerzeja Esperantisto
A New Jersey Esperantist
http://esperanto-nj.tripod.com

  • By NJ_Esperantist at 2007-12-23 21:31
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International Accent

Many American Esperantists seem to have some difficulty in acquiring a good international accent. When attending an Esperanto gathering that includes only other Americans, I think that speakers tend to reinforce each other's heavy American accents.

For acquiring a good international accent, I recommend listening to podcasts from Radio Verda; Arono has an excellent international accent, worthy of imitating. Also quite helpful in this regard are the "Pasporto" DVDs available from the bookstore on this Web site. Don't try to speak too quickly at first; but do make every effort to speak with a good international accent.

Your efforts to acquire a good accent will be greatly appreciated, as you will be much easier to understand. I've found that I can understand Esperanto quite easily when it is spoken with a good accent, but I have trouble understanding when it's spoken with a heavy national accent -- even if it's with an American accent.

David

  • By DavidSimpson at 2007-12-22 05:59
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