"Pri La Fundamento" (About the Foundation) is a course that has the primary aim of acquainting you with the most important document of the Esperanto language, namely the Fundamento de Esperanto (Foundation of Esperanto).

There is always a risk that a language which is spoken in all parts of the world might divide into different dialects. Further, some people are interested in making constant changes to "planned languages" like Esperanto; such proposals for change risk resulting in endless discussions and possibly even destabilising the language.

To avoid dialects emerging, sudden changes to the language and quarrels about the language, Zamenhof published a book in 1905 entitled Fundamento de Esperanto. This document greatly helped and continues to help the "Lingvo Internacia" to evolve in a stable and harmonised way.

In the preface to the work, Zamenhof wrote: "... the «Fundamento de Esperanto» ought to be found in the hands of every good Esperantist as a constant guiding document ...". In reality, however, it is not the case that every Esperantist has read the Fundamento through, or even knows that it exists! Nevertheless we think it would be great if every user of lernu! who approaches Esperanto seriously were to know about the Fundamento and be familiar with the most important parts of it. Because of that, we have this course.

Contents of the book Fundamento de Esperanto:

1. Antaŭparolo - Clarifies the need for the Fundamento

2. Fundamenta Gramatiko - Summarises the basic grammar of Esperanto concisely in 16 rules

3. Ekzercaro - 42 model texts that further describe the grammar and style of the language

4. Universala Vortaro - about 2700 words and grammatical affixes with translations in five languages

In the following pages you will learn about all four parts in an easy way.

Our respect to you, and to the Fundamento!

 

(The course was put together by Hokan Lundberg and Bertilo Wennergren.)