LESSON XLVIII.


                        THE NEGATIVE ADJECTIVE.

224. The negative adjective, related to the negative pronoun "neniu," is
"nenia", no kind of, no sort of, expressing a negative idea concerning
the quality of a person or thing:

   Mi havas nenian spegulon, I have no sort of mirror.
   Nenia problemo estas tro malfacila por li,
      no sort of problem is too difficult for him.


                     THE NEGATIVE ADVERB OF PLACE.

225. The negative adverb of place is "nenie", nowhere. The ending "-n"
may be added, as to other adverbs (121), to indicate direction:

   Nenie estas pli bona mashino, nowhere is there a better machine.
   Mi iros nenien morgau, I shall go nowhere tomorrow.


                     THE NEGATIVE TEMPORAL ADVERB.

226. The negative adverb of time is "neniam", never, at no time:

   Neniam vivis pli fama filozofo,
      there never lived a more famous philosopher.
   Vi neniam trovos tiajn shraubojn au cilindrojn,
      you will never find that kind of screws or cylinders.

 

 THE SUFFIX "-AJH-".

227. The suffix "-ajh-" is used to form "concrete" words. It is thus in
contrast to the abstract-forming suffix "-ec-" (202).


a. A word formed from a verbal root by means of the suffix "-ajh-"
expresses a concrete example of "a thing which undergoes" (or, in the
case of intransitives, "results from") the action indicated in the root:

   konstruajho = a building.            kreskajho = a plant, a growth.
   sendajho = consignment, thing sent.  rebrilajho = a reflection.
   manghajho = food.                    restajho = remainder.

b. A word formed from an adjectival root or formation by means of the
suffix "-ajh-" indicates "a thing characterized by" or "possessing the
quality" expressed in the root or formation to which it is attached:

   belajho = a thing of beauty.       mirindajho = a marvel.
   maljustajho = an injustice.        okazintajho = an occurrence.

c. A word formed from a noun-root by means of the suffix "-ajh-"
indicates "a thing made" or "derived from" that which is expressed in
the root:

   sukerajho = a sweet, confection.   orajho = a gold object.
   ovajho = an omelet.                araneajho = a spider-web.


                           THE ADVERB "JEN".

228. The adverb "jen", behold, here, there, is used to point out or
call attention to something:

   Jen estas la problemo! There is the problem!
   Jen la filozofo! Behold the philosopher!
   Jen shi ludas, jen shi studas, now she plays, now she studies.
   Mi faris ghin jene, I did it as follows.
   Mi agis lau la jena metodo, I acted in the following way.
   Li diris la jenajn vortojn, he spoke the following words.

 

VOCABULARY

   arangh-i = to arrange.             neniam = never (226).
   art-o = art.                       nenie = nowhere (225).
   ber-o = berry.                     pentr-i = to paint.
   jen = there, behold (228).         postul-i = to demand.
   jhaluz-a = jealous.                precip-a = principal, chief.
   konkurs-o = competition.           regul-o = rule.
   lert-a = skilled, clever.          tromp-i = to deceive.
   nenia = no kind of (224).          vin-o = wine.


                            DU ARTKONKURSOJ.

Vivadis en Grekujo antau multaj jarcentoj du lertaj famaj pentristoj.
Ili estis reciproke jhaluzaj, kaj neniam povis interparoli paceme.
Ne povinte decidi la problemon, kaj eltrovi kiu el ili estas la plej
lerta, ili fine aranghis konkurson pri la pentrado. Lau ghiaj reguloj,
chiu el ili pentris pentrajhon, por montri sian lertecon. Unu pentris
teleron da vinberoj ("grapes"). Ghi estis tiel mirinde kolorigita ke ech
la birdoj venis kaj penis ghin manghi, pensinte ghin ne nur pentrajho,
sed la vinberoj mem. "Nenia pentrajho povos superi la mian," ghojege
ekkriis la pentristo, "jen, la birdoj mem rekonas mian lertecon!" Tiam
li diris al la alia artisto, "Nu, kial vi ne fortiras tiun kurtenon?
Mi volas rigardi vian pentrajhon." La dua pentristo respondis kun
rideto, "Jen estas mia pentrajho. Nenie apud vi estas kurteno, sed vi
vidas nur pentrajhon de kurteno antau tiu konstruajho." Tre mirigite,
la pentrinto de la vinberoj diris "Vi ja superas min en la pentrado.
Mi trompis la birdojn per mia pentrajho, sed vi trompas ech aliajn
artistojn! Tia lerteco estas ja mirindajho!"

Oni rakontas similan okazintajhon pri fama artisto kiu pentris multe
da pentrajhoj por Aleksandro Granda. Malgajninte en konkurso kontrau
iuj aliaj artistoj, li opiniis ke la jughintoj estas maljustaj al
li, precipe pro la jhaluzeco. Li ekkriis "Char niaj pentrajhoj estas
bildoj de chevaloj, ili certe postulas chevalajn jughantojn!" Tial oni
enkondukis du au tri chevalojn. La chevaloj, tute ne rigardinte la
pentrajhojn de la aliaj artistoj, kuris rekte al tiu de la plendinta
artisto, kaj klare montris sian rekonadon de la tie pentritaj chevaloj.
Surprizite, oni diris "Jen estas justaj jughantoj!" Tuj oni laudis la
pentriston kaj severe punis la malhonestajn homajn jughintojn.

 

SENTENCES FOR TRANSLATION

1. Syracuse was the largest city on the island of Sicily. 2. The famous
philosopher and physicist Archimedes lost his life when that city was
destroyed and entirely burned. 3. At least, no sort of trace of him
seems to have been found after that occurrence. 4. Never, perhaps, was
there a more learned man in Syracuse. 5. Greece was also famous for
its skilled painters, and there are many anecdotes about them. 6. A
painter who failed in a certain competition believed that none of the
judges had been just to him. 7. He exclaimed "Behold this iniquity
(injustice)! Nowhere can I find a human being who is not jealous. 8.
Since the paintings are chiefly of horses, do they not require horses
for judges?" 9. His proposal was accepted (54), and some horses were led
in. 10. Without noticing (222) the other paintings, the horses walked
at once to the picture of the unsuccessful artist, and showed immediate
recognition of the horses painted there. 11. This act showed which
competitor ("konkursinto") was the most skilful. 12. The painter, having
deceived the horses, as another artist had once deceived birds by a
picture of grapes, said "Animals decide not by rules, but by feelings."