Subj:	On English Case and Gender, et. al. From:         jampal /c`e/ DELPHI.COM  When using English I just can't remember. All the proper words for great ideas I'd like to render. For instance, consider those concerning gender. Of all there are, start simple. Let's try 'he' It's gender opposite is simply 'she'. Behold, my friend, for there it is -- the key.  Did you perchance perceive that pleasant whim? Let's use that key again, this time on 'him'. The gender opposite, here, should be 'shim', But 'shim' it's not, instead the word is 'her'. But that's not all on this, for if it were, It could be cast aside as nothing but a slur.  Possesive case: Let's try that out for 'hers'; Its opposite not 'hims' (there goes the verse); Nor is it 'heze', but 'his'. Oh well, it could be worse. NExt try the case of these words: 'who', 'whose' and 'whom' Reflected, well almost, in 'he', 'his' and 'him', For consistency, it should be 'he', 'heze' and 'heme'.  Continue -- now try 'you' with 'youm' and 'yous', "God no, it's 'you', with 'you' and 'yours', you use." You say, it's clear, at last, what I confuse? No, let's go on, there really is much more Of silly nonsense, here, for you in store. Don't treat it yet as nothing but a bore.  For on communication problems, right? This treatise well can shed some useful light! And bring solutions clearly into sight! Try 'it', with 'itm', then, and also 'its' Oh ho! There's one, the 'its', at least, that fits! Still 'itm'? Bad! Well, good sense comes in bits!  Again to gender, 'steward' / 'stewardess', And 'mister' / 'mistress'; 'seamster' and 'seamstress'. But 'father' ho, 'mother'?  Tell me, where's the '-ess'? Then 'brother' / 'sister', 'son' and 'daughter' too, 'Uncle' and 'aunt'.  Don't say "It ought-er do!" Confusion's there!  Enough to slaughter you!  For on to beasts: 'mare', 'nanny', 'duck' and 'cow', 'Bitch', 'vixen', 'doe', 'hen', 'goose' and yes the 'sow'. Which to which species? Know you well? Well how? Then let's try 'colt', 'kid', 'cub', 'pup', 'kit', and 'calf'. Then 'whelp', 'fawn', 'chick', and 'pig'. I'd bet the staff Of many a school would only know but half!  And what's a 'predecessor' do? Does he 'predecease'? Oh heavens no! To live he does not cease. But merely to 'precede', his status to increase. "Go on", you say, "but what's the silly point?" Well I'm too spoiled, with friends to suffer this disjoint! Esperanto know I well, and others I annoint.  'He', 'his', and 'him' are 'li', 'lia' and 'lin',  'She', 'hers' and 'her' are 's^i', 's^ia' and 's^in'. 'It', 'its' and 'it' are 'g^i', g^ia' and 'g^in'. 'You', 'yours' and 'you' are 'vi', 'via' and 'vin'. 'We', 'ours' and 'us' are 'ni', 'nia' and 'nin'. 'They', 'theirs' and 'them': 'ili', 'ilia' , 'ilin'.  And female of the spec', is always formed by '-in-'. Just as the English fem' of 'Paul' so well can be 'Pauline'. And 'Gerald', 'George', and others, each in turn takes '-ine'. Try 'dog' and 'bitch', then: 'hundo' and 'hundin'', And 'hog' and 'sow', then: 'porko' and 'porkin''. The 'ox' and 'cow' are 'bovo' and 'bovin''.  And 'whale' and 'cow': 'baleno', 'balenin'', And 'cat' and just whatever it is, are 'kato' and 'katin'', And 'mouse' and, well, the female mouse, are 'muso' and 'musin''. Try now the young of each. Of 'dog' it is 'hundid''. 'The cat and kit'' become 'la kato kaj katid''. 'Kid', 'calf', and 'lamb': 'kaprido', 'bovido', 's^afid''.  'The tiger and the cub' become 'la tigro kaj l' tigrid''. While 'bear and cub' are 'uros kaj ursid''. And 'chicken hen and chick': 'kokino kaj kokid''. A child, besides 'infan'', can well be called 'homid''. Of Esperant', I tell you here I hope to plant a seed. For this is something all the schools so very badly need.  Another language kids can learn, and really learn it well! It's four-to-ten times easier! That really rings a bell! And still a pleasant language! Great! Then what else shall I tell? Oh use it? Yes! To correspond with kids in lands afar, And not just one or two, you see, but almost all there are! And thinking skills development? No better base to star!  But schools are not alone in this, United Nations too, Could benefit, but handsomely, plus toursits, traders -- you. What must one do, to thus persuade recalcitrants to do The teaching to the kids in school, in parks, in fields, and home; To parents too, and other folks, to help them when they roam To other lands across the seas, from Tokyo to Rome.  by Allan C. Boschen 585 Shaw Road Windsor , MA  01270  Teacher of Esperanto