In English the sense often depends entirely on the order of the words,
e.g., the sentence "John saw George" would mean something quite
different if reversed--"George saw John." But in Esperanto, thanks to
the accusative "n", the endings "a" and "e" for participles, and the
pronoun "si", the order of words may be varied without altering the
sense. "Georgon vidis Johano" means exactly the same as "Johano vidis
Georgon."
But though the meaning can in most cases be understood whatever the
order of the words, it is best to adopt the simplest arrangement, and
to follow the natural course of thought, which is, first, that about
which we think, then that which we think about it. English students may
frame their sentences exactly as they would in their own language. In
Esperanto, as in English, the arrangement is sometimes altered, either
for emphasis, as "Lauxdata estu Dio!" Praised be God!; or to please the
ear, as "Oni min admiras", instead of "Oni admiras min", People admire
me.
"Note".--Care must be taken in placing the word "ne." Its usual place is
before the verb, when it negatives the whole sentence. Study the effect
of placing "ne" in different positions in the sentence "Mi deziras vidi
Johanon kaj lian fraton", I wish to see John and his brother:--
(i.). "Mi ne deziras vidi Johanon kaj lian fraton", I do not wish to see
John and his brother.
(ii.). "Mi deziras ne vidi Johanon kaj lian fraton", I wish not to see
John and his brother, "i.e.", I wish to avoid seeing them.
(iii.). "Mi deziras vidi ne Johanon, sed lian fraton", I wish to see not
John, but his brother.
(iv.). "Mi deziras vidi Johanon kaj ne lian fraton", I wish to see John
and not his brother.
"Ne tute" means "not quite," while "tute ne" means "not at all."
"Jam ne" means "no longer." "Not yet" is "ankoraux ne".
Words which are already international, such as "microscope, telephone,
automobile", etc., are adopted unchanged, except as to the spelling and
termination, as "mikroskopo, telefono, auxtomobilo."