The Fundamento and the Academy
Three names: the Fundamento is the base, the Academy guides, and the PIV records.
How It Works
| Name | What it is |
|---|---|
| Fundamento de Esperanto | Zamenhof's book of 1905 with three parts: grammar, exercises and a word list |
| Akademio de Esperanto | an institution founded in 1905 that protects the basic principles and watches the development of the language |
| PIV | the Plena Ilustrita Vortaro, the large dictionary of standard usage |
The Fundamento holds the famous sixteen rules in its grammar part, the exercises (Ekzercaro) and the Universala Vortaro. It was made official in 1905, at the first world congress of Esperanto. Its preface says that nobody has the right to change it.
The Academy was founded in 1905 at that congress, at first under the name Lingva Komitato. In 1948 the Lingva Komitato and its Academy joined into one body, the Akademio de Esperanto. It guards the basic principles and gives advice on new usage.
The dictionary PIV records the words that people really use. The Fundamento does not change, and new words come through use.
Examples (5)
- Fundamento de Esperanto aperis en la jaro 1905.
Fundamento de Esperanto appeared in 1905.
The book is the base of the language.
- Ĝi havas tri partojn: gramatikon, ekzercaron kaj vortaron.
It has three parts: a grammar, exercises and a word list.
The list says what tri partojn are, so each part copies its -n ending.
- La akademio de la lingvo estis fondita en 1905, dum la unua kongreso.
The academy of the language was founded in 1905, during the first congress.
Dum gives the occasion.
- Se Ewa dubas pri vorto, ŝi serĉas ĝin en la PIV.
If Ewa doubts a word, she looks it up in the PIV.
The PIV records standard usage.
- La libro de 1905 restas la bazo de la lingvo, kaj neniu rajtas ŝanĝi ĝin.
The book of 1905 remains the base of the language, and nobody has the right to change it.
The Fundamento stays fixed, while the vocabulary grows through use.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The Fundamento is the base of the sixteen rules.
Related Patterns
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
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