Elefen is not as regular as Esperanto?
Yes. This is true if we consider the way of spelling and pronouncing.
- Esperanto marks differently the vowels 'i','u' and the semi vowels 'j', 'ux'. Elefen use 'i', 'u' for both. (Though in some proper names 'y', 'w' are used to denote semi vowels.)
- Esperanto has a very simple rule for the stress, which makes many words sound a bit unnatural. Elefen wants to sound like a Romance language. Therefore it has a richer stress system, which is also more difficult to remember - at least in the beginning. Moreover: Elefen has a few exceptions to its stress rules!
- In order to know the "right" way of pronouncing, you must know whether a pair of vowels form a diphthong or not. Here the different letters for semi vowels makes the thing more easy. Though Elefen has clear criteria for diphthongs, Esperanto is a bit ahead in this respect.
Should Elefen be as regular as Esperanto?
In my opinion no, not necessarily! The regularity is just one point of view. If you want to reach a perfect regularity, you may lose some other virtues like elegance and recognizability. Where Esperanto is stiff, there Elefen is flexible: the rules of Elefen are not like laws, more like recommendations.
An experiment in "Lingwa Franca Nova"
Let us see how our dear language looks like, if we use systematically 'y' and 'w' for semi vowels and a hyphen to denote an unorthodox stress. I shall gather here all the stress rules in my own way denoting the stressed vowel underlined.
Note: I shall emphasize the words which are in a new form! For example "Ewropa" and "cwando".
A) The basic rule: stress the vowel before the last consonant or semi vowel
* falda, integra, matematica, albatros, ranur
* abaya, ciwi, bonsay, cacaw
* linya, folya, lingwa, sangwe, estingwi
* asentua, jelosia, rituo, alio (See also chapter D)
B) The plural ending does not change the stress
* un falda, du faldas
* un joven, jovenes
* ambos (This determinant is considered as plural)
C) If no vowel precedes the last consonant or semi vowel, the first vowel is stressed
* te, trae, fea, tio, proa, jua
The vowels 'i' and 'u' can be called "chameleons" because they can become semi vowels. This concept gives us the rule:
D) If the word ends with two vowels, either both of them chameleons or none of them a chameleon, the stress lies on the first of them
* produi, construi
* coneo, idea, sutrae
(Note: sinifia, because 'i' is a chameleon, 'a' is not.)
E) Compound words retain the original stress of the latter component
* para-rio, media-dia, a-si, a-la, per-ce
An extract of "La aventuras de Alisia en la pays de mervelyas"
En la momento segwente, Alisia entra pos lo, no considerante an pico como posible el va sorti denova.
La tunel estende direta a ante tra alga parte, como un tunel comun, e alora desende subita, tan subita ce Alisia ave an no un momento per considera para se, ante trova se en cade tra lo cwal va aveni aora. Prima, el atenta regarda a su per persepi do el va ariva, ma loca es tan oscur ce el vide no cosa; alora el regarda la lados de la poso, e trova ce los es plen de armarios e scafales de libros: a-si e a-la, el vide mapas e pitures pendente de caviles. El estrae un jar de un de la scafales en pasa: lo ave la eticeta "MARMELADA DE ORANYA", ma a sua delude grande, lo es vacwa: el no desira cade la jar, par causa de teme ce lo va mata algun a su, donce el susede pone lo en un de la armarios cwando el pasa.
The conclusion:
I must say that I like more the (old) "aventuras de Alisia en la pais de mervelias".
Maybe I'm just accustomed to the "classical" romance look, but that is also one of the reasons why I fell in love with Elefen. Some of the rules become simpler with 'y' and 'w' but I don't like the new look of the texts. Hmm. But: why not? People can adjust...However: I have been too much a revolutionist in many years. Now I have no interest to force changes to a language, good enough even without my genious ideas😉
