Fundamento de Esperanto

Fundamento de Esperanto (English: Foundation of Esperanto) is a book by L. L. Zamenhof, published in the spring of 1905. On August 9, 1905 it was made the official source for the language by the fourth article of the Declaration of Boulogne at the first World Congress of Esperanto in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France:

The only basis of the Esperanto language binding on all Esperantists, which no one has the right to change, is the little work Foundation of Esperanto. If anyone deviates from the rules and models given in the said work, he can never justify himself with the words "thus desires or advises the author of Esperanto". Each Esperantist has the right to express any idea, which cannot be conveniently expressed by the material found in the Foundation of Esperanto, in such a manner as he finds most correct, as is done in every other language. However, for the unity of the language for all Esperantists it is recommended to imitate as much as possible the style that is found in the works of the creator of Esperanto, who has worked the most for and in Esperanto and knows best its spirit.

It is considered the only obligatory authority over Esperanto and is thus unchangeable.

The Fundamento consists of four parts: a Foreword (Antaŭparolo), a Grammar (Gramatiko), a collection of exercises (Ekzercaro) and a "Universal Dictionary" (Universala Vortaro). With the exception of the Foreword, almost everything in the Fundamento comes directly from Zamenhof's earlier works.

Equal to the Fundamento are the "Official Additions" (Oficialaj Aldonoj). To date, there have been nine Official Additions. The Foreword of the Fundamento states:

Nur iam poste, kiam la granda parto de la novaj vortoj estos jam tute matura, ia aŭtoritata institucio enkondukos ilin en la vortaron oficialan, kiel 'Aldonon al la Fundamento'.

Some time from now, when many of the new words have completely stabilized, some authoritative institution shall put them into an official dictionary, as 'Additions to the Fundamento'.

The grammar and dictionary sections of the Fundamento are in five national languages: French, English, German, Russian, and Polish.

External links

• English version of the Fundamento grammar
• Multilingual Fundamento dictionary
• Detailed commentary on the Fundamento, 2 vol. 2014, 650 pp. (in Esperanto).