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Content created: 1992

Being Colloquial in Esperanto

A Reference Guide

Table of Contents, Express to Troublesome Word List

As explained in its preface, my book Being Colloquial in Esperanto, originally published in 1992 and republished with correction of many proof errors, was intended to answer the questions of American learners of that language who had completed an introductory textbook. It therefore consists of more complete descriptions of Esperanto than would be appropriate in an introductory work, but it is also characterized by very many examples, always fully translated and occasionally amusing. (One reviewer complained that it was too amusing to be used in teaching.) In addition, it tries to use the most familiar vocabulary possible to discuss Esperanto grammar, eschewing innovative analyses in favor of sometimes less precise terms already known to most readers from their school days. (The same reviewer complained about that too.)

Being Colloquial in Esperanto can be "dipped into" for instruction and amusement or even read straight through, but it is primarily intended for reference. Like many another reference work, it is likely to be more useful in electronic format than in paper because it can include active cross-reference links. The web version differs from the paper one in that a small number of proof errors have been corrected and a few trivial additions and modifications have been included. The last section, "Potentially Troublesome Words," has been gradually expanded with new entries, additional examples, and hypertext-style cross-indexing.

The 1999 version is still in print in paperback and available from the book service of Esperanto USA.


The normal citation form for the paper edition is:

JORDAN, David K.
1999 Being colloquial in Esperanto: a reference guide. Revised edition. El Cerrito, CA: Esperanto League for North America. ISBN:0-939785-04-8

The full colophon of the paper edition is:

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Jordan, David K., 1942-
Being colloquial in Esperanto: a reference guide /David K. Jordan. — Rev. ed. 
ix,232 p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 0-939785-04-8 (alk. paper)
1. Esperanto — Grammar. I. Title. 
PM8211.J67 1999 499’.9925—dc21 99-36515 
CIP

(First edition © 1992 University Press of America. 
Original title: Being Colloquial in Esperanto: 
A Reference Guide for Americans.)

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