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The grammatical terminations "i," "a," "o," are regarded as independent words in such casts. In elementary work, or in corresponding with learners, the different parts of compound words are divided by perpendicular or sloping bars ' , as Vapor'ŝip'o, Griz'har'a, Antaŭ'vid'i.
Foreign Words.
1. By "foreign words" we understand a large class of words which most languages receive from a common source.
2. In Esperanto these words retain their original form, undergoing no change except only so far as they are subject to its orthographical system and rules.
| Mikrofono, Microphone. | Teatro, Theatre. | |
| Mikrofona, Microphonic. | Teatra, Theatrical. | |
| Mikrofone, Microphonically. | Teatre, Theatrically. |
3. As will be seen from these examples, the derived words—Mikrofona, mikrofone, teatra, teatre, always originate or spring from the root of the primary word, mikrofon', teatr'.
Elision.
1. Elision is not common in Esperanto; its use is rather to be avoided than followed.
2. The only letters that may be elided are the "a" of the article and the "o" of nouns (in the singular). When elision does take place, an apostrophe is used to denote the dropped letter. La domo de l'mastro, the house of the master; or, the master's house. Ŝiller' estis glora poeto; Schiller was a glorious poet.
3. In no case is elision obligatory.
