Page:Ido Exhaustive Textbook Talmey 1919.pdf/18

 Ido is therefore to be defined as the language laid down in the "Grammaire Complète par Ido" and modified and amplified by the decisions of the Ido academy. This text book conforms strictly to this definition, setting forth only the rules, and all the rules, sanctioned by these two authorities. The official organ Progreso has been freely consulted and numberous references* to it have been given for explaining and illustrating grammatical rules and forms of good style.

The object of this work is not only to enable the average scholar to acquire a good working knowledge of the language, but also to acquaint the accomplishsed student with the principles to be observed in the construction of an international language, to point out to him niceties of grammar and stylistic that are requisite to proficiency in the international language, and to help him over many linguistic difficulties. All grammars of Esperanto and Ido are incomplete in this respect. The serious student of Ido had therefore to resort frequently to the official magazine for enlightenment as shown by the numerous linguistic questions ("linguala questioni") treated extensively in almost every number of the seven voumes of Progreso and representing its best feature. To supply this want has been a most important aim of this work.

New York, January 1914.

The first draft of this book was read and approved in the spring of 1914 by the foremost authority on the problem of an international language, Dr. L. Couturat.† He characterized the book as very carefully and conscientiously * These references are designated by a Roman number indicating the volume of Progreso and by an Arabic number indicating the page in that volume. A decision of the academy is marked: "dec."

† The lamentable death of this eminent philosopher in the prime of life, in the fall of 1914, through an automobile accident, represents an irreparable loss to the cause of an international language. He was incontestably the greatest authority on the problem and the first one to formulate clear principles according to which a logical artificial language must be constructed.

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