Uncanny valley vs. the Aeron Chair: maybe international auxiliary languages will eventually achieve the latter

On Auxlang we often talk about a phenomenon known as the uncanny valley, usually used in robotics where:

when robots and other facsimiles of humans look and act almost like actual humans, it causes a response of revulsion among human observers.

That is, up to a certain point people enjoy objects that look like humans (a cartoon of a human for example), but as soon as it approaches a certain level of realism but without being completely convincing, it creates a sense of revulsion. A talking mannequin, a zombie, a human-looking robot but with jerky motions and a rubbery-looking exterior, etc. On Auxlang we often theorize that the same phenomenon might occur with a lot of auxiliary languages, which look almost real but not quite. However, this may not necessarily be an unwinnable situation.

For Christmas I got a copy of Malcolm Gladwell's Blink, a book basically about the instinctive judgments people make in short periods of time and the difference between the instinctive judgments of untrained vs. trained people. One part of the book deals with products, and one of them is the story of the Aeron Chair, which looks like this:


In Blink, Gladwell tells about the initial revulsion people felt for the chair when they first saw it because it didn't look like what they thought an office chair should look like: something regal and executive looking. The story he tells about the chair looks like it could be a complete parallel with auxiliary languages. Here are the relevant parts:

In May of 1992...they took prototypes of th eAeron to local companies in western Michigan and had people sit in them for at least half a day. In the beginning, the response was not positive...where 10 is perfect, and at least 7.5 is where you'd really love to be before you actually go to market...the early prototypes of the Aeron came in at around 4.75...people would look at the wiry frame and wonder if it would hold them, and then look at the mesh and wonder if it could ever be comfortable.

(then a bit here about consecutive improvements in design and now they're just about ready to put the chair on the market)

...Just about everyone thought the chair was a monstrosity...the comfort scores got above eight, which is phenomenal. But the aesthetic scores started out between two and three and never got above six in any of our prototypes...

(now about presenting the chair to groups of facility managers and ergonomic experts)

This time the reception was downright chilly...one facility manager likened the chair to lawn furniture or old-fashioned car-seat covers. Another said it looked as though it came from the set of RoboCop, and another said that it looked as if it had been made entirely from recycled materials.

(then skip ahead to the part where they decided to go ahead with the chair as is without changing the overall design)

They went ahead, and what happened? In the beginning, not much. The Aeron, after all, was ugly. Before long, however, the chair started to attract the attention of some of the very cutting-edge elements of the design community...(list of awards here)...and in Silicon Valley, it became a kind of cult object that matched the stripped-down aesthetic of the new economy. It began to appear in films and television commercials, and from there its profile built and grew and blossomed. By the end of the 1990s, sales were growing 50 to 70 percent annually, and the people at Herman Miller suddenly realized that what they had on their hands was the best-selling chair in the history of the company. Before long, there was no office chair as widely imitated as the Aeron. Everyone wanted to make a chair that looked like the exoskeleton of a giant prehistoric insect. And what are the aesthetic scores today? The Aeron is now an 8. What once was ugly has become beautiful.

Any proponent of auxlangs should recognize their own preferred language in there. The only thing an auxlang needs to achieve success is to attain some sort of cult status that makes it popular through the back door, and eventually it will be thought of as beautiful as well.

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Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes: A Scandal in Bohemia translated into Occidental: Part 3

Time to pick up where I left in June, when I first started translating the story as practice when I first started learning Occidental. Eventually I just might finish it. Here it is:

English	Occidental
"My dear Holmes," said I, "this is too much. You would certainly have been burned, had you lived a few centuries ago. It is true that I had a country walk on Thursday and came home in a dreadful mess, but as I have changed my clothes I can't imagine how you deduce it. As to Mary Jane, she is incorrigible, and my wife has given her notice, but there, again, I fail to see how you work it out."	"Car Holmes", yo dit, "to es tro mult. Certmen tu vell ha esset brulat, si tu vivet quelc centennies ante. It es ver que yo fat un promenada in li rure jovedí e revenit al hem in un statu de sordidage, ma pro que yo ha changeat mi vestimentes yo ne posse imaginar qualmen tu deducter it. Pri Mary Jane, ella es íncorrectibil, e mi marita ha dit a ella que ella va esser demissionat, ma denov, yo ne posse vider qualmen tu ha perceptet it."
He chuckled to himself and rubbed his long, nervous hands together.	Il ridet un poc e frictet junt su manus long e nervosi.
"It is simplicity itself," said he; "my eyes tell me that on the inside of your left shoe, just where the firelight strikes it, the leather is scored by six almost parallel cuts. Obviously they have been caused by someone who has very carelessly scraped round the edges of the sole in order to remove crusted mud from it. Hence, you see, my double deduction that you had been out in vile weather, and that you had a particularly malignant boot-slitting specimen of the London slavey. As to your practice, if a gentleman walks into my rooms smelling of iodoform, with a black mark of nitrate of silver upon his right forefinger, and a bulge on the right side of his top-hat to show where he has secreted his stethoscope, I must be dull, indeed, if I do not pronounce him to be an active member of the medical profession."	"It es simplicitá self," il dit; "mi ocules di a me que al interiore de tui sapate levul, precismen u li foy-luce batte it, li cute es inciset per six cisuras, presc paralel. Clarmen ili es causat de alcun qui, ínatentivmen, ha scrappat circum li bord del solea por remover li mudde incrustat. Ergo, tu vide, mi duplic deduction que tu hat esset éxter in tempe abominabil, e que tu hat un servitora de London, particulari malefic. E pri tui practica, si un senior intra mi salas con li odore de iodoform*, con un marca nigri de nitrate de argente sur su dextri fingre, e un protuberantie ye li dextri látere de su cilindre que monstra u il ha celat su stetoscop, yo deve esser obtusi, vermen, si yo ne declara il quam un membre activ del mestiere medical."
I could not help laughing at the ease with which he explained his process of deduction. "When I hear you give your reasons," I remarked, "the thing always appears to me to be so ridiculously simple that I could easily do it myself, though at each successive instance of your reasoning I am baffled until you explain your process. And yet I believe that my eyes are as good as yours."	Yo ne posset ne rider al facilita con quel il explicat su curse de deduction. "Quande yo audi tu dant tui rasones," yo remarcat, "li cose sempre apari a mi tant ridiculmen simplic quam yo self posse far it simplicmen, benque chascun vez quande tu explica it yo es confuset til tu explica tui curse. E támen yo crede que mi ocules es tam bon quam li tuis."
"Quite so," he answered, lighting a cigarette, and throwing himself down into an armchair. "You see, but you do not observe. The distinction is clear. For example, you have frequently seen the steps which lead up from the hall to this room."	"Totmen," il respondet, inflammante un cigarette, e jettante se in un fotel. "Tu vide, ma tu ne observa. Li distintion es clar. Por exemple, tu ha frequentmen videt li scalunes queles precede ad-supra del hall a ti sala."
"Frequently." "How often?" "Well, some hundreds of times." "Then how many are there?" "How many? I don't know."	"Frequentmen." "Quant vezes?" "Nu, quelc cent vezes." "Alor, quant mult es ili?" "Quant mult? Yo ne save."
"Quite so! You have not observed. And yet you have seen. That is just my point. Now, I know that there are seventeen steps, because I have both seen and observed..."	"Exactmen! Tu ne ha observat. E támen tu ha videt. To es precismen punctu. Nu, yo save que es deci-sett scalunes, pro que yo ha e videt e observat."

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Grammar of Occidental/Interlingue in Occidental translated into English: part 3

Here's part 3 of the English translation of the Haas grammar on Occidental in Occidental (from here) that I'm doing mostly for my own benefit. The best part about going over these grammar books is that IALs are great in terms of passive knowledge, but there's also a lot hidden here and there that you can use to be as expressive as you want if you wish to learn how. Ido's Kompleta Gramatiko Detaloza is another example of a grammar book that is great fun to read through from beginning to end to see just how the language works in almost every situation.

ADJECTIVE	ADJECTIVE
29. Li caracteristic vocal final -i trova se in mult adjectives, precipue por fixar li corect pronunciation del ultim consonant, e pro distinction pos tipic finales substantivic e infinitivic. felici, sagi, porosi, organisatori, amari.	29. The characteristic vowel final -i is found in many adjectives, mainly to fix the correct pronunciation of the final consonant, and for distinction after typical noun and infinitive endings. felici, sagi, porosi, organisatori, amari.
§ 30. Mult adjectives posse facilmen esser substantivat per adjuntion del finales -e, -o, -a. yun, yune, yunes, yunos, yunas.	§ 30. Many adjectives can easily become nouns through addition of the endings -e, -o, -a. yun, yune, yunes, yunos, yunas.
§31. Por formar un substantive expressent li general idé de un qualitá on adjunte li finale -um. li novum, li bellum.	§31. To form a noun expressing the general idea of a quality one adds the ending -um. li novum, li bellum.
§ 32. Li adjective es ínvariabil in génere e númere. li grand filio, li grand filia, li grand filios, li grand filias.	§ 32. Adjectives are invariable in gender and number. li grand filio, li grand filia, li grand filios, li grand filias.
§ 33. Quande li adjective es usat sin substantive e on deve pro cert rasones indicar li plurale, on adjunte -s, pos consonantes intercalante li -i- eufonic, u to es possibil sin changear li pronunciation. Vi pomes, prende li maturis.	§ 33. When the adjective is used without a noun and one needs for certain reasons to indicate the plural, one adds an -s, after consonants adding a euphonic -i-, where that is possible without changing the pronunciation. Vi pomes, prende li maturis. (Here are apples, take the ripe ones)
§ 34. Por li comparative on indica li egalitá per tam - quam li majoritá per plu - quam li minoritá per minu (min) - quam Il es tam grand quam su fratre; il es plu grand quam su fratre; il es minu grand quam su fratre. Il es plu grand quam yo. Li plu grand libre.	§ 34. For the comparative one indicates equality with tam - quam a greater amount with plu - quam a lesser amount with minu (min) - quam He is as large as his brother; he is larger than his brother; he is less large than his brother. He is larger than me. The largest book.
§ 35. Por li superlative on indica li majoritá per maxim (max) li minoritá per minim. Li maxim grand del libres. Li minim grand libre.	§ 35. For the superlative one indicates the greatest amount with maxim (max) the least amount with minim. The largest of the books. The least large book.
§ 36. Por li superlative absolut on usa: tre, o li sufix: -issim. tre grand, grandissim. Por comparar tri o pluri gradus on usa: grand, plu grand, mem plu grand, plu grand ancor, mem plu grand ancor.	§ 36. For the absolut superlative one uses: tre, or the suffix: -issim. tre grand, grandissim. To compare three or more grades one uses: grand, plu grand, mem plu grand, plu grand ancor, mem plu grand ancor. (large, larger, even larger, still larger, even larger still)
§ 37. In omni comparationes on usa: quam. egalmen quam, altrimen quam.	§ 37. In all comparisons one uses: quam. egalmen quam, altrimen quam.
PRONÓMINES	PRONOUNS
§ 38. Adjectivic pronómines es tales queles sta avan o pos un substantive por caracterisar it; ili resta ínvariabil quam ver adjectives. Substantivic pronómines sta vice un substantive; ili posse prender li plurale, quam substantives, si necessi. Pronómines personal.	§ 38. Adjectival pronouns are those that stand before or after a noun to characterize it; they stay invariable as real adjectives. Noun pronouns exist instead of a noun; they can take the plural, as nouns, if necessary. Personal pronouns.
§ 39. It existe du formes, li un por li subject (nominative), li altri por li object (acusative o dative, casu obliqui).	§ 39. There are two forms, one for the subject (nominative), the other for the object (acusative or dative, oblique case).
subject: yo tu il ella it noi vu ili (illos, ellas)	subject: yo tu il ella it noi vu ili (illos, ellas)
object: me te le la it nos vos les (los, las)	object: me te le la it nos vos les (los, las)
Li formes in parenteses es usat solmen in casu de necessitá.	The forms in parenthesis are used only in case of necessity.
§40. Li pronómin de politesse es: vu (cf. § 13). On usa it vice tu, quel expresse un cert intimitá o parentitá.	§40. The pronoun expressing politeness is: vu (cf. § 13). One uses it instead of tu, which expresses a certain intimacy or kinship*.
§41. Li pronómin índefinit es: on, li reflexiv: se, li reciproc: unaltru. On vide se. Ili vide se. Ili vide nos. Vu vide nos. Vu vide vos. Ili vide unaltru. Noi vide unaltru.	§41. The indefinite pronoun is: on, the reflexive: se, the reciprocal: unaltru. On vide se. Ili vide se. Ili vide nos. Vu vide nos. Vu vide vos. Ili vide unaltru. Noi vide unaltru. (One sees oneself. They see themselves. They see them. You see them. You see you. They see each other. We see each other.)
§ 42. Pos prepositiones on usa li acusative, o li nominative except yo e tu. Veni con me! Yo veni con te. Noi ea con le (o il). Vu ea con ella (o la). Noi parla pri it. On parla pri nos. Yo veni pos vos. Yo labora por les (o ili').	§ 42. After prepositions one uses the accusative, or the nominative except yo and tu. Veni con me! Yo veni con te. Noi ea con le (o il). Vu ea con ella (o la). Noi parla pri it. On parla pri nos. Yo veni pos vos. Yo labora por les (o ili'). (Come with me! I come with you. We go with him. You go with her. We talk about it. One talks about us. I come after you. I work for them.)
Pronómines possessiv. § 43. Li formes adjectivic e substantivic es egal; ma por li substantivic on posse usar li articul, secun li nuancie o li regul del lingue matrin, e ili prende li plurale, si necessi.	Possessive pronouns. § 43. The adjectival and noun forms are the same; but for the noun form one can use the articule, according to nuance or the rules of one's mother tongue, and they take the plural, if necessary.
mi tui su nor vor lor	mi - my tui - your su - his/her/its nor - our vor - your lor - their
To es mi. To es li mi. To es mi libres. To es li mis. To es tui. To es li tui. To es lor. To es li lor. To es li lores. Vi nor parapluvies; Li mi es plu grand quam vor, o: quam li vor. Vidente nor canes yo constata que li tuis súpera li mis in vìvacitá, o: que tuis súpera mís in vivacitá, etc. To es lores; to es li lores. Ples far lu tui. Ples da me tui libre. Il deve far li su.	To es mi. To es li mi. To es mi libres. To es li mis. To es tui. To es li tui. To es lor. To es li lor. To es li lores. Vi nor parapluvies; Li mi es plu grand quam vor, o: quam li vor. Vidente nor canes yo constata que li tuis súpera li mis in vìvacitá, o: que tuis súpera mís in vivacitá, etc. To es lores; to es li lores. Ples far lu tui. Ples da me tui libre. Il deve far li su.
Pronómines demonstrativ. § 44. Li formes adjectivic e substantivic es egal; ma li substantivics prende li plurale e posse prender li sexu, si to in rar casus es necessi.	Demonstrative pronouns. § 44. The adjectival and noun forms are the same; but the noun forms take the plural and can take a gender, if necessary in rare cases.
§45. Por monstrar alquó on usa generalmen: ti. Solmen si on vole indicar explicitmen li proximitá o lontanitá on adjunte li adverbies ci o ta con un strec ligant. Ti libre es bell. Yo vide ti libres. Yo vide tís. Ti-ci table es solid. Ti-ci tables es solid. Tis-ci es solid, ma tis-ta ne es tal. Li sexu posse exceptionalmen esser indicat per li pronómin personal. il-ti, il-ci, ella-ti, illos-ci, ellas-ta.	§45. To indicate something one generally uses: ti. Only if one wishes to explicitly indicate the proximity or distance does one add the adverbs ci or ta with a dash. Ti libre es bell. Yo vide ti libres. Yo vide tís. Ti-ci table es solid. Ti-ci tables es solid. Tis-ci es solid, ma tis-ta ne es tal. Sex/gendar can be indicated in exceptional cases with the personal pronoun. il-ti, il-ci, ella-ti, illos-ci, ellas-ta.
§ 46. Ti, tal e tant es li corelatives de quel, qual e quant. (Tant ne posse prender li plurale, proque it self indica li plurale.) Quel libres vu prefere? Ti libres, queles anc vu ama. Qual libres vu prefere? Tal libres, queles raconta de viages. Yo ama tal homes. Yo ama tales. Il es sempre tal. Quant persones esset ci? Tant quam yer. Tant quant yer.	§ 46. Ti, tal e tant are the correlatives of quel, qual and quant. (Tant cannot take the plural, because it itself indicates the plural.) Quel libres vu prefere? Ti libres, queles anc vu ama. Qual libres vu prefere? Tal libres, queles raconta de viages. Yo ama tal homes. Yo ama tales. Il es sempre tal. Quant persones esset ci? Tant quam yer. Tant quant yer. (Which books to you prefer? These books that you also love. What kind of books do you prefer? Those books that tell of voyages. I like those people. I like them (those types). He is always like that. How many people were here? As many as yesterday. As many as yesterday.)
§47. Li neutri form por coses e factes es: to, respondent al question: quo, de quel on forma: to-ci e to-ta. To es mi libre. Yo save to (li facte, que to es tui líbre).	§47. The neutral form for things and facts is: to, responding to the question: quo, from which one forms: to-ci and to-ta. To es mi libre. Yo save to (li facte, que to es tui líbre). That is my book. I know that (the fact that that is your book).
§ 48. Li pronómin o articul lu servi por expresser to quo es impersonal, neutri o abstract. It significa generalmen: to quo es (li) . . . De lu sublim a lu comic es sovente solmen un passu. Lu nov de ti conception es . ..	§ 48. The pronoun or article lu serves to express what is impersonal, neutral or abstract. It generally signifies: that which is (the)... De lu sublim a lu comic es sovente solmen un passu. Lu nov de ti conception es . .. From the sublime to the comic is often only one step.What is new of this conception is...
Pronómines relativ e interrogativ. § 49. On usa li sam pronómines, relativ e interrogativ, adjectivic e substantivic.	Relative and interrogative pronouns. § 49. One uses the same pronouns, relative and interrogative, adjectival and substantive.
§ 50. Li maxim general es: quel (plural: queles), usat por coses, factes e persones. Quel cité es li maxim grand? Quel es li maxím grand cité? Queles es li maxim grand cités? Quel cités es li maxim grand? Li maxim bell flore quel yo conosse es li rose. Li maxim grand cités queles yo conosse es New York e London. Il ne save, quel grand cités il va vider.	§ 50. The most general is: quel (plural: queles), used for things, facts and people. Which city is the largest? Which is the largest city? Which are the largest cities? Which cities are the largest? The most beautiful flower that I know is the rose. The largest cities that I know are New York and London. He doesn't know which large cities he will see.
§ 51. Por coses e factes on usa: quo, por persones: qui. Quo vu víde? Quo vu vole far? Yo ne save, quo yo vole far. Yo ne comprende to quo il ha dit. Qui es ta? De qui es ti chapel? A qui tu dat li moné? Qui vu saluta? Qui saluta vos? Li amico, a qui vu dat li libre, esset content. Beat es tis, qui (o queles) ne vide, ma támen crede. Nor lingue fa un constant progress, quo (quel facte) tre joya me.	§ 51. For things and facts one uses: quo, for people: qui. What do you see? What do you want to do? I don't know what I want to do. I don't understand what he has said. Who is that? Whose (of who) is that chapel? To whom are you giving the money? Who do you salute? Who salutes you? The friend, to whom you gave the book, was content. Happy are those who do not see but believe. Our language makes a constant progress, which (the fact of which) much pleases me.
§52. Si pluri relationes de un pronómin relativ es possibil, li ínmediat vale. Si un altri deve valer, on indica to per pronómines personal o demonstrativ, o per comma. Yo videt li fratre de mi amico quel arivat yer. Yo videt li fratre de mi amico, il quel (o il qui) arivat yer. To es li sestra de mi amico, ella qui arivat yer. Yer yo videt li possessor del dom, qui (o il qui, o ti qui, o li quel, o ti quel) es in li cité. Yer yo videt li possessor del dom quel es in li cité. Yer yo videt li possessor del dom, quel es in Ii cíté.	§52. If multiple relationes of a relative pronoun are possible, the immediate* one counts*. If another should count, one indicates it with personal or demonstrative pronouns, or with a comma. I saw the brother of my friend which arrived yesterday. I saw the brother of my friend, he that arrived yesterday. That is the sister of my friend, she who arrived yesterday. Yesterday I saw the owner of the house, who (or he who, that who, he which, or that which) is in the city. Yesterday I saw the owner of the house which is in the city. Yesterday I saw the owner of the house, which is in the city.
§53. Por expresser li qualitá on usa: qual, por li quantitá: quant. Qual homes esset ci? Qual es li aqua hodíe, calid o frigid? Yo ne save qual it es. Qual compositor, tal musica. Quant il deve dar vos ancor? Yo ne save, quant il ha dat le. Quant vive, tant espera.	§53. To express quality one uses: qual, for quantity: quant. What sort of people here here? How is the water today, hot or cold? I don't know how it is. What a composer, that music. How much of an encore should he give you? I don't know how much he gave him. With life there is hope (lit. how much life, that much hope).
Pronómines índefinit. §54. Li prefix: al- da pronómines indicant alquó índeterminat, li prefix: ne- tales indicant li absentie, li negation, e li sufix: -cunc fa definit pronómines relativ índefinit. alquel, alqual, alquant, alquó, alquí, alcun, nequel, nequal, nequó, nequí, necos, necun, quelcunc, qualcunc, quantcunc, quocunc, quicunc. Si alcun fémina parla pri alquó, ella pensa pri alquí. Quicunc va venir, yo ne es in hem. Quocunc vu di, ples dir li veritá! Quelcunc labor vu fa, e in qualcunc maniere e por quicunc, ples far it bon! A quicunc tu da li moné, da it solmen contra quittantie.	Indefinite pronouns. §54. The prefix: al- gives ndicating* pronouns something indetermined, the prefix: ne- indicates the absence or negation and the suffix: -cunc makes definite pronouns relative indefined**. alquel, alqual, alquant, alquó, alquí, alcun, nequel, nequal, nequó, nequí, necos, necun, quelcunc, qualcunc, quantcunc, quocunc, quicunc. If some girl talks about something, she thinks about somebody. Whoever will come, I won't be at home. Whatever you say, please speak the truth! Whichever task you do, and in whatever manner and for whoever, please do it well! To whomever you give the money, give it only against a receipt.
§55. Altri pronómines índefinit es: On, self, li sam, quelc, null, chascun, omni, omnicos, ambi, altri, altricos, céteri, pluri, mult, poc, un poc, cert, un cert, mani, singul, tot. Yo prefere far it self. Ili retornat in li sam loc. Chascun hom es forjero de su propri fortun. Ples dar me quelc libres; yo have quelc líber hores por leer. Pleser a omnes on ne posse, es arte quel nequí conosse. Ja pluri annus yo vive in ti cité. Il have poc espera. Il have un poc espera. Yo conosse un cert senior Blanc; ma yo ne es cert, esque il es ci. It es tot egal, ca vu vide li tot munde o quelc partes de it.	§55. Other indefinite pronouns are: On, self, li sam, quelc, null, chascun, omni, omnicos, ambi, altri, altricos, céteri, pluri, mult, poc, un poc, cert, un cert, mani, singul, tot. I prefer to do it myself. They returned in the same location. Each person is the forger of their own fortune. Please give me some books; I have some hours free for reading. One cannot please everyone, it's an art that no one knows. I have lived in the city for many years. He has little hope. He has a little hope. I know a certain Mr. Blanc; but I'm not sure if this is him. It's all the same whether you see the whole world or some parts of it.

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Wikipedia translation: Occitan page on Acadèmia de la Lenga Occitana translated into Occidental

Bandièra occitana amb l'estela - Flagga de Occitania con stelle

I've written before that Occitan and Interlingua (and Occidental/Interlingue) look a lot like each other, and that makes translations into Occidental pretty easy. The Occitan Wikipedia has a link from the front page to this page on the Acadèmia de la Lenga Occitana (Academy of the Occitan Language) and it's pretty easy to translate, so I had a go at it. I suspect speakers of Occitan would be a bit more responsive to the idea of a language like Occidental than speakers of much larger languages with no danger of dying out.
Plus the names for the two languages sound pretty similar.

Occitan	Occidental
L'Acadèmia de la Lenga Occitana es es un projècte d'autoritat de regulacion lingüistica de la lenga occitana. Se presenta coma una continuacion possibla del Conselh de la Lenga Occitana.	Li Academia del Lingue Occitan es un projecte de autoritá de regulation linguistic del lingue occitan. It esset presentat quam un possibil continuation del Concil del Lingue Occitan.
Creacion	Creation
Lo projècte se presentèt en mai 2008 a iniciativa de l'Institut d'Estudis Occitans e del Conselh Generau d'Aran ; lo sindic d'Aran, Francés Boya, lo president de l'IEO, David Grosclaude, la representanta de l'Euroregion Pirenèus-Mediterranèa, Margalida Tous, los representants dels conselhs regionals de lenga occitana, de la Generalitat de Catalonha e d'universitats èran presents.	Li projecte esset presentat in may 2008 al initiative del Institute de Studies Occitan e del Consil General de Aran; li Sindic de Aran, Francés Boya, li presidante del IEO, David Grosclaude, li representante del Euroregion Pireneus-Mediterran, Margalida Tous, li representantes del consiles regional del lingue occitan, del Guvernament de Catalunia e de universitás esset present.
Objectius	Objectives
L'Acadèmia deu definir, conservar e defendre la codification ortografia de la lenga e trabalhar sus la grafia, la gramatica, la lexicologia e la toponimia, en tot respectar l'unitat e la diversitat de l'occitan	Li Adademia deve definir, conservar e defender li codification e ortografie del lingue e laborar pri li scrition, li grammatica, li lexicogolie e li toponomie, precipue respectar li unitá e li diversitá de occitan.

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Railway cargo between China and Kazakhstan: 12.6 million tons / Çin ve Kazakistan arasında demiryoluyla taşınan kargo miktarı: 12.6 milyon ton

Source: turkish.cri.cn (Turkish)

Çin ve Kazakistan arasında demiryoluyla taşınan kargo miktarı: 12.6 milyon ton

Railways cargo volume carried between China and Kazakhstan: 12.6 million tons

Kazakistan Devlet Demiryolu Şirketi tarafından bugün (27 Aralık) yapılan açıklamaya göre, bu yıl Kazakistan ve Çin arasındaki Dostyk-Alatao sınır kapısından geçen demiryoluyla taşınan kargo miktarının 12 milyon 600 bin tona ulaşması bekleniyor.

According to an announcement today (27 December) by the Kazakhstan State Railway Company, the amount of cargo between Kazakhstan and China that passed through the Dostyk (Достық)-Alatao border area reached 12.6 million tons.

Kazakistan Devlet Demiryolu Şirketi, iki ülkenin demiryolu birimlerinin ortak çabaları sayesinde demiryoluyla taşınan kargo miktarının yıldan yıla arttığını, bu yıl Çin'den Kazakistan'a gönderilen kargo miktarının 6 milyon 150 bin tonu geçerek, 2007 yılına göre 1 milyon 100 bin ton arttığını kaydetti.

The Kazakhstan State Railway Company said that thanks to combined efforts by railway entities in the two countries the amount of cargo transported by rail increased year by year, and that this year the amount of cargo from China to Kazakhstan surpassed 6.15 million tons, an increase of 1.1 million tons from 2007.

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New York Times article on passive houses (Passivhäuser) in Germany and the rest of Europe / 패시브 하우스: 체온·가전제품 열기로 난방하는 집

Thermogram of a passive house (right) compared to a normal house on the left showing how little heat is lost to the outside.

Yesterday the New York Times had a feature on passive houses in Germany that garnered a fair bit of attention on reddit here and here, as well as some other sites like this one and this one. Here's the concept:

DARMSTADT, Germany — From the outside, there is nothing unusual about the stylish new gray and orange row houses in the Kranichstein District, with wreaths on the doors and Christmas lights twinkling through a freezing drizzle. But these houses are part of a revolution in building design: There are no drafts, no cold tile floors, no snugglingunder blankets until the furnace kicks in. There is, in fact, no furnace.

In Berthold Kaufmann’s home, there is, to be fair, one radiator for emergency backup in the living room — but it is not in use. Even on the coldest nights in central Germany, Mr. Kaufmann’s new “passive house” and others of this design get all the heat and hot water they need from the amount of energy that would be needed to run a hair dryer.

So how much more does this type of house cost to build? Why, a whopping 5 to 7 percent more!

And in Germany, passive houses cost only about 5 to 7 percent more to build than conventional houses.

The reason why these houses have been able to succeed now as opposed to before is apparently because of new technology that has enabled fresh air to enter the house, which otherwise would quickly become stale inside:

Decades ago, attempts at creating sealed solar-heated homes failed, because of stagnant air and mold. But new passive houses use an ingenious central ventilation system. The warm air going out passes side by side with clean, cold air coming in, exchanging heat with 90 percent efficiency.

So it seems that passive houses have no downside apart from the fact that you can't build them to be humongous or oddly designed, which really is no downside at all. This type of house is HIGHLY recommended for Korea, which still uses one of the most wasteful heating systems I've ever seen. The heating system itself (a heated floor called an ondol, 온돌) is fine in and of itself, but in winter because there is almost no insulation whatsoever (usually just a single pane of glass between yourself and the winter) the ondol is usually pretty close to full blast, making the area by the window very cold, the floor extremely hot, and the rest of the house/apartment a disconcerting mix of the two.

Have any Korean friends you want to know about this? Send them this article.

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Grammar of Occidental/Interlingue in Occidental translated into English: part 2

Here's part 2 of the English translation of the Haas grammar on Occidental in Occidental (from here) that I'm doing mostly for my own benefit. Today's question: how does one know whether to pluralize a noun with -es or just -s when it ends with a consonant?

Occidental	English
ACCENTUATION	STRESS
§ 8. Li accentu primari sta sur li vocal ante li ultim consonant, ma ne sur li quar síllabes bil, ic, im, ul, queles porta li accentu al precedent síllab, mem si ti-ci es bil, ic, im, ul. Un simplic s e li du síllabes men e um in li fine del parol ne changea li accentuation del precedent parol-parte. Si ti regules ne es aplicabil, on accentua li prim vocal del parol.	§ 8. The primary stress is on the vowel before the last consonant, but not on the four syllables bil, ic, im, ul, which take the accent on the preceding syllable, even if this is bil, ic, im, ul. A simple s and the two syllables men and um at the end of the word do not change the stress of the preceding part of the word. If those rules are not applicable, one stresses the first vowel of the word.
Si li natural accentuation ne seque ti regul, it es marcat per un accentu scrit (preferibilmen quam in é, tolerat anc è o ê). On posse omisser li accentu scrit, exceptet sur vocales final, o usar it anc in altri casus por garantir li desirat accentuation.	If the natural stress does not follow this rule, it is marked by a written accent (preferably as in é, also tolerated are è or ê). One can omit the written accent, except on final vowels, or also use it in other cases to guarantee the desired stress.
In parol-compositiones (anc autonom paroles con prefixes) li principal parte seque ti regules, li altres posse reciver un accentu secundari. Li pòríu *, familie, àvie, doctòr, formàr, li formàt, li formàte, formànt; duràbil, elèctric, lògic, li lògica, li lògico, pràctic, li práctíca, il práctica, il ìndica, il èxplica, dùplic, il dùplica, multìplic, il multìplica, centùplic, il centùplica, specìfic, il specìfica, felìci, ùltim, règul, hercùlic, li artìcul, il artìcula; mìnus, ìris, fòrmes, families, àvies, generàlmen, enèrgicmen, li fenòmen, màximum, ultimàtum, li legùme; il plìca, il rùla, dìe, dèo, tùi, vìa, il tràe, it flùe; qualitá, heróe, li logí, il logía, li fúlmine, it fúlmina, li córpor, il incórpora, li dúbit, il dúbita; micro-còsmo, anglosaxònic, agricultùra, centimètre, postcàrte, manuscrìte, genú-articulation, unifòrm, li unifòrme, il unifòrma, il internationalìsa, ínpracticàbil, índubitàbilmen, li fèrro-vìa, il ínvìa, it inflùe, il subtràe, hodíe, il contradí, il retrovèni. * In vocabulariums e manuales li scrition del acut es obligatori, ti del gravis recomendat quam medie didactic por accentus ínscrit: ínscrit, il inscrí, ìris, ottùplic, il rèplica, il multìplica, specìfic, pacìfic, il artìcula, il inspùla, il ànima, li ferrovìa, li relvìa, il refá, it rèsta.	In composed words (also standalone words with prefixes) the first part follows these rules, the others may receive a secondary accent.. Li pòríu *, familie, àvie, doctòr, formàr, li formàt, li formàte, formànt; duràbil, elèctric, lògic, li lògica, li lògico, pràctic, li práctíca, il práctica, il ìndica, il èxplica, dùplic, il dùplica, multìplic, il multìplica, centùplic, il centùplica, specìfic, il specìfica, felìci, ùltim, règul, hercùlic, li artìcul, il artìcula; mìnus, ìris, fòrmes, families, àvies, generàlmen, enèrgicmen, li fenòmen, màximum, ultimàtum, li legùme; il plìca, il rùla, dìe, dèo, tùi, vìa, il tràe, it flùe; qualitá, heróe, li logí, il logía, li fúlmine, it fúlmina, li córpor, il incórpora, li dúbit, il dúbita; micro-còsmo, anglosaxònic, agricultùra, centimètre, postcàrte, manuscrìte, genú-articulation, unifòrm, li unifòrme, il unifòrma, il internationalìsa, ínpracticàbil, índubitàbilmen, li fèrro-vìa, il ínvìa, it inflùe, il subtràe, hodíe, il contradí, il retrovèni. * In vocabularies and manuals the writing of the accute is obligatory, that of recommended importance* as a didactic method for non-written accents: ínscrit, il inscrí, ìris, ottùplic, il rèplica, il multìplica, specìfic, pacìfic, il artìcula, il inspùla, il ànima, li ferrovìa, li relvìa, il refá, it rèsta.
§ 9. In li fluent parlada on ne accentua chascun parol secun li regul precedent, ma solmen li maxim important paroles del frase. On posse sèmpre aplicar ti règules secun necessitá. Si on vole accentuàr un cert vocàl, on posse mem accentuar còntra li regul grammaticàl; it esset un medicà, ne un medicò.	§ 9. In fluent speech one does not stress each word according to the preceding rule, but only the most important words of the phrase. One can allways apply these rules according to need. If one wants to stress a certain vowel, one can even accent it against the grammatical rules; it esset un medicà, ne un medicò.
ORTOGRAFIE	ORTOGRAPHY
§ 10. Interlingue conserva maxim possibil li aspect international del paroles; ma it es recomendat vicear li duplic consonantes per li simplic, exceptet si ili es pronunciat diferentmen o es necessi por indicar que li precedent vocal es curt o que s ne es sonori. Duplic consonantes in li radica resta anc in li formes derivat. access, suggester, anates, annu, annales, asserfer, aromatic, bloc, arogant, can, canne, car, carre, present, pressent, li atacca, il atacca, ataccar, cellul, cellulose, rebell, rebellion.	§ 10. Interlingue conserves as much as possible the international appearance ofl the words; but it is recommended to change doubled consonantes to a single, except if it is pronounced differently or is necessary to indicate that the preceding vowel is short or that the s is not sonorous. Doubled consonantes in the root remain also in the derived forms. access, suggester, anates, annu, annales, asserfer, aromatic, bloc, arogant, can, canne, car, carre, present, pressent, li atacca, il atacca, ataccar, cellul, cellulose, rebell, rebellion.
§11. Li grec gruppes de consonantes: th, chl, chr, ph es in general simplificat a: t, cl, cr, f, e vice y vocalic on scri i. Ma anc li historic ortografie es permisset. tema o thema, fonograf o phonograph, cloroform o chloroform, simpatic o sympatic o sympathic.	§11. The Greek consonant groops: th, chl, chr, ph are in general simplified to: t, cl, cr, f, and instead of a vocalic y one writes i. The historic orthography is also permitted, however. tema or thema, fonograf or phonograph, cloroform or chloroform, simpatic or sympatic or sympathic.
§12. Li separation sillabic es líber; preferibil es li separation usat in parlada o secun li parol-componentes.	§12. Syllabic separation is free; preferable is the separation used in speech or according to the word components.
§13. Majuscules es usat solmen in li comensa del frases, in propri nómines, in titulationes, e por distincter Vu, Vos, Vor quam formes de politesse, de vu, vos, vor, si on desira distincter to. Paul, London, Pacifico, Anglia, Danubio, li Senior, su Majestie.	§13. Upper case is used only in the beginning of sentences, in prober names, in titles, and for distinguishing Vu, Vos, Vor as polite forms from vu, vos, vor, if one wishes to make the distinction. Paul, London, Pacifico, Anglia, Danubio, li Senior, su Majestie.
§ 14. Li acurtationes maxim frequent es:	§ 14. The most frequest abbreviations are:
sr. o Sr. = senior sra. o Sra. = seniora srta. o Srta. = senioretta dr. o Dr. = doctor etc. = etcétera PS. = pos-scripte v. = vide pg. = págine cf. = confronta sq. = e sequentes nró. = numeró conc. = concernent	sr. or Sr. = senior (Mr.) sra. or Sra. = seniora (Mrs.) srta. or Srta. = senioretta (Ms.) dr. or Dr. = doctor etc. = etcétera PS. = pos-scripte (P.S.) v. = vide (see) pg. = págine (page) cf. = confronta (opposite?) sq. = e sequentes (and the following) nró. = numeró (number) conc. = concernent (concerning)
resp. = respectivmen p. ex. = por exemple i. e. = it es pl. = ples pl. t. = ples tornar h. = hora(s) am. = ante midí pm = pos midí a. c. = annu current m. c. = mensu current a. p. = annu passat m. p. = mensu passat	resp. = respectivmen (respectively) p. ex. = por exemple (for example) i. e. = it es (i.e. -- that is) pl. = ples (please) pl. t. = ples tornar (please turn) h. = hora(s) (hours) am. = ante midí pm = pos midí a. c. = annu current (current year) m. c. = mensu current (current month) a. p. = annu passat (previous year) m. p. = mensu passat (previous month)
ARTICUL	ARTICLE
§ 15. In Interlingue existe un sol articul definit: li, por li substantives masculin, feminin e neutri, singular e plural. li patre, li matre, li table, li patres, li matres, li tables.	§ 15. In there is a single definite article: li, for all nouns masculine, feminine and neuter, singular and plural. li patre, li matre, li table, li patres, li matres, li tables. (the father, the mother, the table, the fathers, the mothers, the tables.)
§ 16. Un articul índefinit existe solmen por li singulare: un. Por li plurale li substantive es usat sin articul. Yo vide un avie. Yo vide avies.	§ 16. An indefinite article exists only for the singular: un. For the plural the noun is used without an article. Yo vide un avie. Yo vide avies. (I see a bird. I see birds)
§ 17. Li articul li posse prender li plurale, si null altri parol expresse it. On deve metter punctus sur lis i. Ma mult i ne havet punctus.	§ 17. The article li can take the plural, if no other word expresses it. On deve metter punctus sur lis i. Ma mult i ne havet punctus. (One needs to put dots on the i's. But many i's did not have dots.)
§ 18. A li es contractet a al, de li a del. Il eat al scol. Li árbores del forest es alt.	§ 18. A li is contracted to al, de li to del. Il eat al scol. Li árbores del forest es alt. (He went to the school. The trees of the forest are old)
§ 19. Un articul partitiv ne existe. Il trinca aqua. Noi manja fructes.	§ 19. A partitive article does not exist. Il trinca aqua. Noi manja fructes. (He drinks water. We eat fruits.)
§ 20. Li articul definit indica alquó ja mentionat o conosset, o li tot specie, li articul índefinit alquó ínconosset o ne ancor tractat. Li can quel vu conosse es fidel. Canes es fidel. Li can es fidel =fidelitá és un qualitá del tot specie can. Un can de mi fratre es mordaci, ma li altris ne es tal. Fidelitá es un valorosi qualitá. Li fidelitá del can (o del canes) es pruvat.	§ 20. The definite article indicates something already mentioned or known, or the entire species, the indefinite article something unknown or still not dealt with. The dog that you know is faithful. Dogs are faithful. The dog is faithful = fidelity is a quality of the entire dog species. One dog of my brother's bites, but the others are not that way. Fidelity is a valorous quality. The fidelity of the dog (or of the dogs) is proven.
SUBSTANTIVE	NOUNS
§ 21. Interlingue lassa al paroles lor desinenties natural, e ne prescri cert vocales final por cert classes de paroles. Cangurú, villa, radio, matre, midí.	§ 21. Interlingue leaves words their natural terminations, and does not prescribe certain final vowels for certain classes of words. Cangurú, villa, radio, matre, midí.
§ 22. Li neutral vocal final -e trova se in mult substantives por fixar li corect pronunciation del final consonant, pro eufonie, o por distincter li substantive del adjectivic o verbal form simil. Pace, image, rose, libre, cable, altruisme, curve, centre, central, centrale, directiv, directive, marine, circulare, cantate, infinite, tangente.	§ 22. The neutral final vowel -e is found in many nouns to fix establish the correct pronounciation of the final consonant, for euphony, or to distinguish the noun from a similar adjectival or verbal form. Pace, image, rose, libre, cable, altruisme, curve, centre, central, centrale, directiv, directive, marine, circulare, cantate, infinite, tangente.
§ 23. Un génere grammatical ne existe. Omni substantives es masculin, feminin o neutri secun lor signification.	§ 23. A grammatical gender does not exist. All nouns are masculin, feminine or neutral according to their meaning.
§ 24. On posse indicar li génere in li nómines por entes: -o indica li masculin, -a li feminin. Anglese, angleso, anglesa, cavall, cavallo, cavalla. Paroles quam patre, matre etc. ne besona finales de sexu, proque ili es masculin o feminin per se self. In altri substantives -o indica lu special, individual, singulari, concret, -a lu general, extendet, colectiv, comun, anc action, loc e témpor. rosiero, rosiera, lago, aqua, promenada, plazza, pasca.	§ 24. One can indicate the gender in names for entities: -o indicates masculine, -a the feminine. Anglese, angleso, anglesa, cavall, cavallo, cavalla. Words such as patre, matre etc. do not require gender endings, because they are masculine or feminine on their own. In other nouns -o indicates one special, individual, singular, concrete, -a one general, extended, collective, common, as well as action, location and time. rosiero, rosiera, lago, aqua, promenada, plazza, pasca.
§ 25. Quelc substantives forma derivates per adjunter u resp. at al radica; ili conserva li u resp. a anc in li nederivat formes. manu, manual, sexu, sexual, sexualitá, gradu, gradual, graduation, sistema, sistematic, sistematico, sistematisar, sistematisation, dogma, dogmatic, dogmatisme, drama, dramatic, dramaturgo, aqua, aquatic, clima, climatic, climatolog, climatologie, climatologic.	§ 25. Some nouns form derivatives by adding u / at respectively* to the stem; they retain the u / a also in the non-derivative forms. manu, manual, sexu, sexual, sexualitá, gradu, gradual, graduation, sistema, sistematic, sistematico, sistematisar, sistematisation, dogma, dogmatic, dogmatisme, drama, dramatic, dramaturgo, aqua, aquatic, clima, climatic, climatolog, climatologie, climatologic.
§ 26. Por indicar li plurale on adjunte -s, pos consonantes intercalante un -e- eufonic, u to es possibil sin changear li pronunciation del parol. un líbre, du libres, un angul, tri angules, li person, li persones, li tric, li trics, li plug, li plugs, li album, pluri albums, li tram, du trams.	§ 26. To indicate the plural one adds -s, after consonants inserting a euphonic -e-, where it is possible without changing the pronunciation of the word. un líbre, du libres, un angul, tri angules, li person, li persones, li tric, li trics, li plug, li plugs, li album, pluri albums, li tram, du trams.
§ 27. Li substantive resta ínmutat in omni casus grammatical. Es distinctet solmen li genitive per li preposition de, e li dative per li preposition a. Yo vide li sapates de mi fratre.Yo dat li sapates a mi fratre.	§ 27. The noun remains unchanged in all grammatical cases. Only the genetive with the preposition de, and the dative with the preposition a are distinguished. Yo vide li sapates de mi fratre.Yo dat li sapates a mi fratre. (I see the boots of my brother. I gave the boots to my brother.)
§ 28. Propri nómines es changeat minim possibil. Por li principal nómines geografic es selectet in Interlingue li maxim international parol; altrivez on prende maxim possibil li scrition original. Goethe, Shakespeare; Alpes, Danubio, Germania; London, Berlin, Milano, Moskwa, Kharkow, Hoang-ho.	§ 28. Proper names are changed as little as possible. For the main geographic names are selected in Interlingue the most international word; otherwise one uses a writing as close to the original as possible. Goethe, Shakespeare; Alpes, Danubio, Germania; London, Berlin, Milano, Moskwa, Kharkow, Hoang-ho.

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Uzbekistan halves natural gas shipments to Tajikistan / Özbekistan Tacikistan'a doğalgaz sevkiyatını yarıya indirdi

Source: turkish.cri.cn (Turkish)

Özbekistan Tacikistan'a doğalgaz sevkiyatını yarıya indirdi

Uzbekistan halves natural gas shipments to Tajikistan

Tacikistan Devlet Doğalgaz Şirketi tarafından bugün (26 Aralık) yapılan açıklamada, Özbekistan'dan Tacikistan'a yapılan doğalgaz sevkiyatının yarıya indirilerek, günde 1 milyon metreküpten 500 bin metrekübe düşürüldüğü bildirildi.

Tajikistan's National Natural Gas Company said in a statement today (26 December) that the natural gas shipments from Uzbekistan to Tajikistan had been reduced by half, fallings from 1 million cubic metres a day to 500,000.

Doğalgaz sevkiyatınındaki azaltmanın, Tacikistan'ın Özbekistan'a olan 12 milyon dolar tutarındaki doğalgaz borcunu ödememesi nedeniyle yapıldığı belirtildi.

The reason given for the reduction in natural gas shipment was Tajikistan's lack of payment of its total $12 million debt for natural gas to Uzbekistan.

Tacikistan'ın tek doğalgaz sağlayıcısı olan Özbekistan, Ocak-Kasım döneminde Tacikistan'a bin metrekübü 150 dolardan 450 milyon metreküp doğalzgaz ihraç etti.

Uzbekistan is the only supplier of natural gas to Tajikistan, and during the period from January to November exported 450 million cubic metres of gas to Tajikistan at $150 per cubic metre.

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Les Francophones hors-Québec peinent à transmettre leur langue à leurs enfants / Francofones éxter Quebec pena a transmisser lor lingue a lor infantes

Quebec, li max grand provincia in Canada, e li sol provincia con francesi quam sol lingue oficial.

Here's a translation of a piece of news in French on the situation in Canada regarding Francophones transmitting the French language to their children, translated into Occidental. Teaching Occidental in Canadian schools would be an easy way to create an easily learned Canadian common language used between Anglophones and Francophones. See this article here as an example of how a third language can easily provide a bridge between two communities otherwise locked in an eternal linguistic struggle for predominance.

For an automatic English translation of the article, see here.

Occidental	Français
Francofones éxter Quebec pena a transmisser lor lingue a lor infantes	Les Francophones hors-Québec peinent à transmettre leur langue à leurs enfants
WINNEPEG — Li percentage de Canadanes qui parla francesi éxter Quebec diminue lentmen ma certmen durante decennies, li infantes francofon abandona lor lingue natal quande ili comensa a frequentar li scoles anglofon, funda hemes con maritos anglofon o labora in circumités anglofon.	WINNIPEG — Le pourcentage de Canadiens qui parlent français à l'extérieur du Québec diminue lentement mais sûrement depuis des décennies, les enfants francophones abandonnant leur langue natale lorsqu'ils commencent à fréquenter des écoles anglophones, fondent des foyers avec des conjoints anglophones ou travaillent dans des milieux anglophones.
Li númere de hemes manitoban u francesi es li prim lingue parlat generalmen decrescet un percent inter 2001 e 2006, secun data de Statistica Canada.	Le nombre de foyers manitobains où le français est la première langue parlée a généralement reculé d'un pour cent entre 2001 et 2006, d'après les données de recensement de Statistique Canada.
In Ontario, li cade esset 0.2 percent, durante que li númere de hemes francofon ha cadet 12 percent in Saskatchewan e 1.6 percent in Nov-Brunswick - li sol provincia bilingual in li land.	En Ontario, ce recul a été de 0,2 pour cent, tandis que le nombre de foyers francophones a chuté de 12 pour cent en Saskatchewan et de 1,6 pour cent au Nouveau-Brunswick - la seule province officiellement bilingue au pays.
Un inspection del quelc decennies anteriori reflecte un change mem plu marcat. Inter 1951 e 2001, le percentage di persones al exteriore de Quebec qui cita francesi quam lingue maternal passat de 7.3 percent a 4.4 percent.	Un survol des quelques dernières décennies révèle un changement encore plus marqué. Entre 1951 et 2001, le pourcentage de personnes à l'extérieur du Québec qui citent le français comme langue maternelle est passé de 7,3 pour cent à 4,4 pour cent.
Ti cade crea un tip de circul viciosi. Quam li francofones es min numerosi, tis qui remane have plu desfacilitá a trovar amicos, vicinos o commís de magasines qui parla francesi. E si li infantes francofon ne posse parlar francesi in lor rutine dial, it es min probabil que ili va continuar a parlar li lingue quande ili deveni adultes.	Cette chute créée un genre de cercle vicieux. Comme les francophones sont moins nombreux, ceux qui restent ont plus de difficulté à trouver des amis, des voisins ou des commis de magasins qui parlent le français. Et si les enfants francophones ne peuvent pas parler français dans le cadre de leur routine quotidienne, il est moins probable qu'il continuent à parler cette langue lorsqu'ils deviendront adultes.
"Éxter Quebec, li predominantie de francesi in diferent dominias social es un realitá solmen in cert regiones de Nov-Brunswick e Ontario, precipue al borde de Quebec", precise Statistica Canada in un raporta publicat in 2007.	"A l'extérieur du Québec, la prédominance du français dans les différents domaines sociaux n'est une réalité que dans certaines régions du Nouveau-Brunswick et de l'Ontario, pour la plupart limitrophes du Québec", précise Statistique Canada dans un rapport publié en 2007.

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Grammar of Occidental/Interlingue in Occidental translated into English: part 1

Mostly for my own benefit (I've never really sat down and gone over the grammar bit by bit and thus still make mistakes when writing in the language) I'll be translating the grammar here on Occidental/Interlingue in Occidental. Afterwards I'll probably upload it to a place like scribd.com and then the English will be able to function as another source language for those that can't quite understand the Occidental text well enough to translate it into their own language. Here's part 1:

Occidental	English
ANTEPAROL	FOREWORD
Ti grammatica es complet in li sens, que it contene omni essential regules usat in li textus de Cosmoglotta, li oficial organ del Interlingue Union, e in li Complet Cursu de Interlingue de A. Matejka. In plu omni decisiones del Interlingue Academie es egardat.	This grammar is complete in the sense that it contains all essential rules used in the texts of Cosmoglotta, the official organ of the Interlingue Union, and in the "Complet Curse de Interlingue" (Complete Course of Interlingue) by A. Matejka. Moreover*, all decisions by the Interlingue Academy are considered.
In contrast a omni lingues national, on posse dir de Interlingue: Qui aplica li regules de ti grammatica e usa li adequat paroles, parla e scri Interlingue corectmen. Il ne deve timer audir: Yes, on ne trova un erra grammatical in vor lettre, ma null anglese vell expresser su pensas per ti paroles o per ti frase-constructiones! E to constitue li grand facilitá de Interlingue: Chascun nation posse expresser su pensas in li cadre del poc regules grammatical in li maniere acustomat, e deve solmen far atention, ne usar Idiotismes íncomprensibil al altri nationes per usar cert paroles in un altri sens quam li general. Ma li regules grammatical es tre simplic e sin exceptiones, talmen que on posse realmen mastrisar les in extrem curt témpor. In plu un grand parte del regules confirma solmen, que li ja conosset regules del lingue matrin vale anc in Interlingue.	In contrast to all national languages, one can say of Interlingue: Who applies the rules of this grammar and uses the proper (adequate) words, speaks and writes Interlingue correctly. He does not have to fear hearing: "Yes, I see no grammatical errors in your letter, but no English people would express their thoughts with these words or these sentence constructions!" And that constitutes the great easy of Interlingue: Each nation can express their thoughts in the frame of few grammatical rules in the accustomed manner, and only needs to pay attention toward not using idiomatic expressions incomprehensible to other nations through using certain words in another sense than the general one. But the grammatical rules are very simple and without exceptions, so that one can truly master them in a very short time. In addition* a large part of the rules simply confirm that the already-known rules in one's mother tongue work (avail) also in Interlingue.
On posse dunc dir sin exageration, que Interlingue es mult plu facil quam li precedent projectes de lingue international e íncomparabilmen plu simplic quam omni lingues national, mem in simplificat form. To vale ne solmen por li comprension, ma anc por li aprensíon e specialmen anc por li aplication del lingue.	One can therefore say without exaggeration, that Interlingue is much easier than the preceding international language projects and incomparably simpler than all national languages, even in simplified form. That works not only for comprehension, but also for the study and also for the application of the language.
Winterthur (Svissia), octobre 1956.	Winterthur (Switzerland), October 1956.
Li nómine Occidental del lingue international creat de Edgar von Wahl esset 1949 viceat per li nómine Interlingue, sin changear li lingue self, por evitar li politic aspecte del nómine “Occidental-Union”.	The name Occidental of the international language created by Edgar von Wahl was in 1949 changed to the name Interlingue, without changing the language itself, to avoid the political aspect of the name “Occidental-Union”.
ALFABET	ALPHABET
§ 1. Interlingue es scrit per 26 lítteres latin: a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, I, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, z.	§ 1. Interlingue is written through 26 latin letters: a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, I, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, z.
§ 2. Li alfabet es pronunciat: a, be, ce, de, e, ef, ge, ha, i, jot, ka, el, em, en, o, pe, qu, er, es, te, u, ve, duplic ve, ix, ypsilon, zet.	§ 2. The alphabet is pronounced: a, be, ce, de, e, ef, ge, ha, i, jot, ka, el, em, en, o, pe, qu, er, es, te, u, ve, duplic ve, ix, ypsilon, zet.
PRONUNCIATION	PRONUNCIATION
§ 3. Li vocales es sempre clarmen pronunciat quam seque:	§ 3. The vowels are always clearly pronounced as follows:
a quam in F (francesi), o G (german), o H (hispan), o I (italian),o A (anglesi): father. vase, batte, batter.	a as in F (French), or G (German), or S (Spanish), or I (Italian), or E (English): father. vase, batte, batter.
e apert o cludet, quam GHI, A: bed, yes, F: é o è. pena, mensu, pelle, venir.	e open or closed, as GSI, E: bed, yes, F: é or è. pena, mensu, pelle, venir.
i quam FGHI, A: machine. nive, six, minute.	i as FGSI, E: machine. nive, six, minute.
o apert o cludet, quam FGHI, A: door, hot. modic, póndere, porta, ponderar.	o open or closed, as FGSI, A: door, hot. modic, póndere, porta, ponderar.
u quam GHI, A: rule, pull, F: ou; pos q tre curt, presc consonantic (w). brun, mult, sudar, quar.	u as GSI, A: rule, pull, F: ou; after q very short, almost consonantal (w). brun, mult, sudar, quar.
y pos un vocal, e in li comensa de un parol anc avan un vocal, és consonantic, altriloc vocalic. y vocalic es pronunciat quam Int (Interlingué) i. physica.	y after a vowel, and in the beginning of a word or before a vowel is a consonant, otherwise a vowel. vocalic y is pronounced as Int (Interlingué) i. physica.
De du o pluri vocales succedent chascun es pronunciat. Inaccentuat i e u avan vocales e in li combinationes au e eu (u anc li a e li e es curt) es tre curt, presc consonantic, e ne posse formar propri síllabes.	Of two or multiple following vowels each is pronounced. Unaccented i and u before vowels and in the combinations au and eu (u likewise a and e are short) is very short, almost like a consonant, and cannot form proper syllables.
leôn *, creatôr, mêdie, mediôcri, mêdium, lìngue, linguâl, lìnguìstic, trottuôre, càude, neutrâl, arcâic, vîa, revûe. * Signes ilustrativ, ne a scrir: ê: long, è: curt.	leôn *, creatôr, mêdie, mediôcri, mêdium, lìngue, linguâl, lìnguìstic, trottuôre, càude, neutrâl, arcâic, vîa, revûe. * Illustrative signs, not to be written: ê: long, è: short.
In plu un strict regul pri li pronunciation long o curt, cludet o apert del vocales ne existe. Preferibil es li pronunciationes simil a FGHI.	Also, a strict rule on the long or short, closed or open pronounciation of the vowels does not exist. Pronounciations similar to FGSI are preferable.
Qui ne conosse alcun de ti pronunciationes posse sequer li indicationes del § 4 quam recomendation, ma ne quam regul strict o complet.	One who does not know some of these pronunciations can follow the indications in § 4 as a recommendation, but not as a strict or complete rule.
§ 4. In general vocales accentuat es passabilmen long; ma avan c final, ch, x, o avan pluri consonantes (exceptet r o I con precedent diferent consonant), e in li curt grammatical paroles ili es curt. Vocales ínaccentuat es plu o min curt.	§ 4. In general accented vowels are fairly long; but in front of a final c, ch, x, or in front of several consonants (excepting r or I with a preceding different consonant), and in the small grammatical words, are short. Unaccented vowels are more or less short.
A, i, u have sempre un medial sonalitá bon distinctibil del altri vocales. Accentuat e e o es cludet, si ili es long, e avan m e n, apert in omni altri casus. E e o ínaccentuat es plu o min cludet.	A, i, u always have a medial sonality quite distinct from other vowels. Accented e and o are closed, if they are long, and before m and n, open in all other cases. Unaccented e and o are more or less closed.
marchâr*, vidêr, venîr, sonôri, constructôr, constructiôn, chèc, iràc, depèche, paradòx, pâtre, splìttre, câble, pèlle, dilëmma, cömma, mënte, mönte, atàcca, fòsse, transpòrt, idê, burô, cön, ë, li, më.	marchâr*, vidêr, venîr, sonôri, constructôr, constructiôn, chèc, iràc, depèche, paradòx, pâtre, splìttre, câble, pèlle, dilëmma, cömma, mënte, mönte, atàcca, fòsse, transpòrt, idê, burô, cön, ë, li, më.
*Signes ilustrativ, ne a scrir: ê: long e cludet, ë: curt e cludet, è: curt e apert.	*Illustrative signs, not to be written: ê: long and closed, ë: short and closed, è: short and open.
§ 5. Li consonantes es pronunciat quam seque:	§ 5. The consonants are pronounced as follows:
b, d, f, I, m, n, p quam in AFGI, H (b = b in boca). bon, editer, fratre, long, matre, null, pede. De duplic consonantes li duesim es pronunciat solmen si it es pronunciat altrimen quam li prim. acceptar, suggester.	b, d, f, I, m, n, p as in EFGI, S (b = b in boca). bon, editer, fratre, long, matre, null, pede. Of doubled consonants the second is pronounced only if it is pronounced differently from the first. acceptar, suggester.
c avan e, i, y = ts, altriloc quam k. centre, reciver, cilindre, concert, acceptar, electric, electricitá. ch F, A: sh, G: sch, permisset anc A: ch, H: ch, ma ne recomendat; avan consonantes quam k. machine, marchar, chec; chloroform.	c before e, i, y = ts, otherwise as k. centre, reciver, cilindre, concert, acceptar, electric, electricitá. ch F, A: sh, G: sch, also permitted A: ch, H: ch, but not recommended; before consonantes as k. machine, marchar, chec; chloroform.
g avan e, i, y: AFI, G: dulci sch quam in generös, altriloc AFGHI (gn maxim possibil g-n, ne nye). gage, gigant, garage, gimnastica, guvernar, grisi, suggestion, magnific. gh in quelc rar paroles avan e, i, y quam g avan a. ghetto.	g before e, i, y: EFI, G: soft sch as in generös, otherwise EFGSI (gn as much as possible g-n, not nye). gage, gigant, garage, gimnastica, guvernar, grisi, suggestion, magnific. gh in some rare words before e, i, y as g before a. ghetto.
h sempre aspirat quam AG. hom, adherer.	h always aspirated as EG. hom, adherer.
j quam F, A: vision, G: dulci sch quam Journal, dunc quam Int g avan e. jurnalist, manjar, jokey.	j as F, E: vision, G: soft sch as Journal, thus as Int g before e. jurnalist, manjar, jokey.
k e kh quam c dur. kilogramm, Khedive. ph quam f (in grec paroles). telephon.	k e kh as hard c. kilogramm, Khedive. ph as f (in Greek words). telephon.
qu quam k, sempre sequet de tre curt u: AGI, F e H con u. quar, aqua.	qu as k, always followed by a very short u: EGI, F and S with u. quar, aqua.
r FGHI. radie, merce. rh quam r (in grec paroles). rheumatisme.	r FGSI. radie, merce. rh as r (in Greek words). rheumatisme.
s sonori inter vocales, dur in omni altri casus. cose, position, pos, es, roses, altesse, divers, sospirar, posta. ss quam s dur. casse. sh, sch quam A: sh, F: ch, G: sch (existe solmen in quelc paroles por conservar li natural aspecte). shrapnell, schema.	s sonorous between vowels, hard in all other cases. cose, position, pos, es, roses, altesse, divers, sospirar, posta. ss as hard s. casse. sh, sch as E: sh, F: ch, G: sch (exists only in some words to conserve the natural aspect). shrapnell, schema.
t es sibilant (quam ts) avan ia, ie, io, iu, si ne un s precede, altriloc quam AFGHI. tolerantie, tentar, tentation, hostie. th quam t (in grec paroles). theosoph, lithograph.	t is sibilant (as ts) before ia, ie, io, iu, if there is no preceding s, otherwise EFGSI. tolerantie, tentar, tentation, hostie. th as t (in Greek words). theosoph, lithograph.
v quam AFHI, G: w. venir, dever, nive. w rar, quam A, curt Int: u. west. x dur o dulci, quam AFG, H: examinar. examinar, extra. y consonantic quam A, F: yeux, G: j, H: ayustar. yes, rayon, antey. z dulci (ds), si possibil, altrimen dur (ts). zefir. zz dur (ts). plazza.	v as EFSI, G: w. venir, dever, nive. w is rare, as E, short Int: u. west. x hard or soft, as EFG, S: examinar. examinar, extra. y consonantal as E, F: yeux, G: j, S: ayustar. yes, rayon, antey. z soft (ds), if possible, otherwise hard (ts). zefir. zz hard (ts). plazza.
§ 6. Li experientie pruva que litt variationes in li pronunciation ne gena li comprension. Pro to it es permisset pronunciar li y vocalic quam F: u, G: ù, qu quam kw, ch quam tsch, j sempre e g sequet de e, i, y quam dj. cylindre, quadre, marchar, chef, jurnal, gengive. Qui have desfacilitá in li pronunciation de cert combinationes de consonantes final con li consonantes initial del sequent parol posse intercalar un demimut E, ma sin scrir it.	§ 6. Experience proves that small variations in in pronunciation do not encumber comprehension. Because of this it is permitted to pronounce the vocalic y as F: u, G: ù, qu as kw, ch as tsch, j always g followed by e, i, y as dj. cylindre, quadre, marchar, chef, jurnal, gengive. Those with difficulty in the pronunciation of certain combinations of final consonent with the initial consonants of the following word can insert a semimute E, but without writing it.
§ 7. Paroles extran es pronunciat maxim possibil quam in li lingue de orígine. Champagne, cognac.	§ 7. Foreign words are pronounced as close as possible as in the language of origin. Champagne, cognac.

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