Flag of Esperanto (varients)

A Natural Negative Viceral Reaction

I imagine that if your have read this far you most likely do not fall into this group, but assuming that you are one of the few whose emotions do take charge and determine your reaction this is normal for many, but I am hoping that we can look beyond that potential irrational thoughts to see the logical value that Esperanto holds for humanity. Many of the psychological reasons for a negative reaction to Esperanto have been covered in depth by Claude Piron in his article titled “Psychological Reactions to Esperanto. If that is not enough then perhaps you may consider the Dunning-Kruger Effect. I am bringing these two articles up so that hopefully we can bypass emotions and take a look at Esperanto from a logical point, since emotions and irrationality are a lot of what has kept Esperanto from being accepted world wide. I am hoping to help you, my humble reader, to bypass this into enlightenment. =)

Neutral Language

Esperanto is a neutral language in that it does not have any specific ties to a religion, culture, or nation. All other languages such as Japanese, English, Swahili, French, Russian, Hebrew, etc all have national, religious, cultural, political, and/or historical connotations, and baggage associated with them. Americans want English to remain the lingua franca, the Japanese want Japanese, the Russians want Russian, and many will oppose a language other than their native language simply because it is not their language or because there is national (French), historical (German), or political (English) problem from some countries which would keep it from being accepted. French was the international language prior to World War II for a long time and then English took over after showing its economic and military dominance throughout that war. This change is imminent especially as world’s political and economic landscape changes. What will be the next International Language? Whose will it be? For native English speakers who do not speak Hindi or any dialect of Chinese learning these languages can can be quite the daunting thought.

The Culture of Esperanto

The culture of Esperanto is is not identified in quite the same way you would identify the culture – mostly, directly or indirectly, by geography – of the rest of the world. Normally culture is seen as being inherent to a country such as France, a region such as the Southern United States, or an ethnicity such as Russian. People from these cultural backgrounds will find musical, linguisitic, literary, idealistic, and historical commonality that they can share and collectively identify as their culture. Esperanto has musical, linguisitic, literary, idealistic, and historical commonality that all who join the movement share, but it is not identified or contained within geographical boundaries. It is identified by the idealistic boundaries of equality, freedom, openness, and dignity. There are original musical and literary works written in Esperanto. There is history surrounding Esperanto that stems 120 years and growing from 1 speaker to over 2 million speakers even in the face of having its speakers exterminated at the hands of Stalin and Hitler. And, of course, there is a linguistic commonality of all speaking a common and easy to learn second language. Esperanto is a language unlike any other language in that it really is capable of bringing people together on even footing from all different parts of the world and allows them to communicate easily and simply. This is something that no other language, natural or constructed, can claim to do. Esperanto and its speakers are unique in their desire to unify the world in peace and to break down cultural and linguistic walls so that we can understand each other better.

Interesting Social Multi-Linguistic Terms

The original term krokodili may have been chosen as an allusion to the phrase “crocodile tears” or because the crocodile has a small brain and a large mouth. Other terms followed using other types of similar reptiles. Wikipedia has more info (in Esperanto only =( ).

“aligatori” (alligator)

to speak a national language which only some of those present understand in an Esperanto environment

“gaviali” (gavial)

to speak Esperanto when another language would be more appropriate

“kajmani” (caiman)

to speak a national language which is native to none of the participants in an Esperanto environment

“krokodili” (crocodile)

to speak one’s native language when Esperanto would be more appropriate

Constructed Language

Some would say that the fact that Esperanto is a constructed language is a disadvantage, but I will argue that this is a distinct advantage when applied to an international audience and learning the language.

Planned Language

The native languages that people speak have naturally and organically evolved through happenstance and serendipity much to the chagrin and frustration of a person who is trying to pick them up as second languages. No one sat down and said this is how we are going formulate our language so it makes sense and is usable. Native languages evolved throughout humanity’s history to be complex, inconsistant, exception ridden, and only easy to learn if you learned it natively. If you try to pick up a second “natural” language you have to deal with many grammatical inconsistencie, homphones and homonyms, and exceptions inherent in most organically evolved “natural” languages, slang, as well as colloquial usage and pronuncuation. Esperanto spares you pretty much all of this, because it is a non-organic constructed language built with the intent to be consistent, phonetic, and easy to learn and speak naturally. Italian born American polyglot (fluent in 30+ languages) and linguist, Dr. Mario Pei, extols the virtues of Esperanto as a primary and real answer to the International Language problem in his 4rth and final response in theJuly-September, 1963 issue of International Language Review.

Is Difficult for Some Group?

The ‘is hard for this group of people’ arguments are not really valid arguments, in my opinion, since this argument is not helpful to discriminating between better or worse languages since it applies to all. No matter what language you use whether natural or constructed some group is always going to be at a disadvantage. There are significantly less people – as a matter of orders of magnitudes less – that are at a significant disadvantage when learning Esperanto. Esperanto is strongly influenced by Chinese, Greek, and Turkish in its grammar – see famed psycholinguist, Claude Prion’s article titled “Esperanto, a Western Language? orEsperanto: European or Asiatic Language for more information a to where its grammar is really pulled from. Almost all of the problems that you will find with all natural languages, in one form or another, are not found in Esperanto. Save Lives, Save Money

Airlines (Kent Jones)

Esperanto has been constructed to be consistent, phonetic, and easy to learn avoiding the pitfalls and difficulties of native languages, which can also save lives. Kent Jones, a former airline pilot, has been a strong advocate of having Esperanto as the default language for all airline positions. English is difficult to learn and is fraught with inconsistencies that have resulted in many unwarranted deaths due to misccommunications (Plane Speaking, News Briefs – Aug. 1999, HongKongTV News Talks About Air China JFK Incident). He argues that Esperanto relies on our innate instincts for word formation once the language is learned making it easier and far more intuitive.

Pharmaceuticals

Two major pharmacy chains have agreed to translate prescription drug instructions into customers’ primary languages in more than 2,000 stores across New York. Pharmacies agree to translate drug instructions, Forbes, November 2008

More money and lives to be saved by Esperanto. The way to protect US interests, save lives, and to level the playing field for all is to adopt Esperanto which has no cultural or national ties. It is orders-of-magnitudes easier to learn and gain a conversational understanding – somewhere in the realm of a little over 1 year of active study verses 4-6 years for a “national” language.

Gateway Language

Esperanto will serve as a gateway language which will make it easier for people to more quickly learn other languages. Learning Esperanto prior to learning another can help reduce the amount of time to achieve conversational fluency by two years. It has also been proven to increase understanding and proficiency of your native tongue as well. Invest a year in learning Esperanto and your can decrease the time to fluency in a foreign language as well as join the world as one of its citizens. (Propaedeutic value of Esperanto) Dr. Mario Pei talks about the many merits of Esperanto as a gateway language while speaking at Columbia University on 16 May 1973. Here is a excerpt from the Springboard 2 Languages pilot program in Britain in which they are teaching Esperanto as a prequel for learning other languages:

Springboard and the National Languages Strategy

Many schools used to teach children the recorder, not to produce a nation of recorder players, but as a preparation for learning other instruments. Springboard uses Esperanto, not to produce a nation of Esperanto-speakers, but as a preparation for learning other languages.

Why does Springboard use Esperanto?

Esperanto is an ideal ‘apprentice’ or ’starter’ language bringing together elements from other languages and with structures and word-building features which appeal to young learners. Many of its words and phrases are instantly recognisable (e.g. la suno brilas = the sun shines). Its regular grammatical structure helps learners to develop a feel for nouns, verbs and adjectives, etc. It is used in some 90 countries round the world and is perfect for learning about other cultures and lifestyles. Springboard 2 Languages , Britain

Here is a quote from Mondeto, a second language for all children, an Australian project that introduces Esperanto in a similar fashion and means in their schools:

Why My Child Should Learn Esperanto?

One of the benefits of second language learning is the effect it has on brain function. Modern optical imaging technology captures brain activity and research has shown that the bilingual brain behaves differently to that of the single language learner. Studies show that bilingual children demonstrate greater creativity, cognitive development and divergent thinking than monolingual children. The work of researcher Andrea Mechelli of London’s Wellcome Department of Imaging Neuroscience discovered that the brain of bilingual people develops more densely which gives it an advantage in various abilities and skills. Mechelli’s research explains the nature of the two types of tissue visible to the naked eye, termed grey and white matter. Bilingual speakers had denser grey matter (or volume and intellect), especially in areas of language, memory, and attention compared with monolingual participants (Hitti 2004). Mechelli’s work showed that this was especially evident in participants who had begun their second language learning at or before age five. This is due to the fecundity of neural networks and greater plasticity of the young child’s brain. The University of Cologne’s, Dr Claudia Riehl 
 purports that a second language should be acquired as early as possible and that language learning in the classroom can be improved through programmes which consider that languages are connected (Riehl 2006). Learning a second language assists proficiency in first language learning. The investigation of tructures and the application of strategies for accessing language establish a set of connected and complementary understandings which leads to an enhanced mastery of both languages. Several studies show that people who are competent in more than one language outscore those who are speakers of only one language on tests of verbal and non verbal intelligence. (Bruck, Lambert, and Tucker, 1974: Hakuta, 1986: Weatherford, 1986). Australian research (Clyne et al. 1995:8) showed that exposure to as little as one hour per week of a second language in the earliest years of primary school advances the age of reading readiness in English. Ellen Bialystock of York University, Canada, found that pre-school children who are bi-lingual are quicker to understand the symbolic function of letters and score twice as high as monolingual children in recognition tests of written characters (Bialystock 1997). Studies also show that learning another language enhances the academic skills of students by increasing their abilities in reading, writing and mathematics (NCSSFL 2002). Why My Child Should Learn Esperanto?, Mondeto – Australia

Use, Quotes, and Recognition

I cannot necessarily verify the quotes for all of these people, but I have found them on the web and aggregated them here. If you can find sources they would be appreciated. =)

• Adolf Hitler (Mein Kampf):
  
  

  As long as the Jew has not become the master of the other peoples, he must speak their languages whether he likes it or not, but as soon as they became his slaves, they would all have to learn a universal language (Esperanto, for instance!), so that by this additional means the Jews could more easily dominate them!

• Albert Einstein, physicist and German mathematician:
  
  

  In Kassel, in 1923, is chaired by honor of Albert Einstein IIIe congress of the Worldwide association Anationale (SAT), organization in sociocultural matter and vocation émancipatrice founded with Prague in 1921 and whose working language is Esperanto. Forty-two scientists of the Academy of Science express the same year a wish in favor of its teaching as “a chief of work of logic and simplicity”. History of Esperanto

• Bialystok, Poland – Bialystok, Poland which is near the Polish and Belarussian border, and home of L.L. Zamenhoff, still has a strong Esperanto presence. Books stores still carry books in Esperanto and there are even train tables in Esperanto too. In 2009 it was the home of the World Esperanto Congress. (Travel Pod.com Blog)
• Chuck Smith
  
  

  Would you like to learn the “secret” underground language of the world? There are actually hundreds of thousands of people who speak a language, you have probably never heard. This is the language your mother didn’t tell you about! Esperanto is an easy to learn, totally regular, international language, so we can better understand everyone and their mom.

• Cristovam Buarque, a President of Brazil and a leading figure in brazilian education, proposed a law to make Esperanto one of the school subjects in brazilian public schools. (2009)
• Fidel Castro:
  
  

  I consider myself a soldier of Esperanto. It is not important that you have small numbers, your idea will succeed. It will succeed because it is just. Each nation has its language, humanity should have its own, Esperanto.

• Esperanto Republic of the Island of Roses (Esperanta Respubliko de la Insulo de la Rozoj): It is an independent micronation founded in 1968 on an abandoned oil rig off the Italian coast in international waters by an Italian Engineer later dismantled by the Italian government. (When Italy went to war with the esperanto micro-nation Insulo de la Rozoj, Republic of the Island of Roses movie)
• French Academy of Sciences (40 members in 1924)
• Gandhi, politician and Indian philosopher:
  
  

  I am for the same calendar for the whole world, as I am for the same currency for all the people and a world auxiliary language like the Esperanto for all the people.

• Humphrey Tonkin
  
  

  Ultimately Zamenhof’s language [Esperanto] was and is more than a proposed solution to the language problem: it is an attempt to confront the spirit of inequality, of intolerance, of hatred that is tearing apart our beautiful world.

• International Academy of Science (AIS’ website) in San Marino (Italy) has all paper and lectures in Esperanto (A University Mainly in Esperanto (PDF) )
• International Railroad Esperanto Federation [Internacia Fervojista Esperanto-Federacio] (IFEF) founded in 1948 and has spread throughout Eurasia.
• Jules Verne:
  
  

  The key for a common language, lost in the Tower of Babel, can only be found in the use of Esperanto.

• J.R.R. Tolkein: (A PHILOLOGIST ON ESPERANTO)
  
  

  My advice to all who have the time or inclination to concern themselves with the international language movement would be: “Back Esperanto loyally.”

• L. L. Zamenhof (1905)
  
  

  In our meeting there are no strong or weak nations, privileged or unfavoured ones, nobody is humiliated, nobody is harassed; we all support one another upon a neutral foundation, we all have the same rights, we all feel ourselves the members of the same nation, like the members of the same family, and for the first time in the history of human race, we -the members of different peoples- are one beside the other not as strangers, not like competitors, but like brothers who do not enforce their language, but who understand one another, trustfully, conceitedly, and we shake our hands with no hypocrisy like strangers, but sincerely, like people. Let’s be fully aware of all the importance of this day, because today among the generous walls of Bologne-sur-Mer have met not French wtih British, nor Russians with Polish, but people with people.

• L. L. Zamenhof (1906)
  
  

  We are not so naive as some think of us; we do not believe that a neutral base will turn men into angels, but we do know that evil people will always be evil; but we believe that communication and knowledge based upon a natural tool will prevent at least the great quantity of brutality and crimes which happen not because of ill will, but simply because of lack of knowledge and oppression.

• Leon Tolstoï:
  
  

  I found the volapük very complicated and, on the contrary, very simple Esperanto. It is so easy that having received, six years ago, a grammar, a dictionary and articles of this idiom, I could arrive, at the end of two early hours, if not to write it, at least with usually reading the language. () the sacrifices which any man of our European world will make, by devoting some time to his study are so small, and the results which can result from this so immense, that one cannot refuse to carry out this test. (1894)

  Six years ago I received an Esperanto grammar, vocabulary, and articles written in the language. After not more than two hours’ study I was able, if not to write the language, at any rate to read it freely…. I have often noted how men are brought into unfriendly relations merely through material hindrance to mutual comprehension. The learning and spreading of Esperanto is therefore undoubtedly a Christian movement, helping to create the Kingdom of God, which is the chief and only aim of human life.

• Ludmilla Nowvak, a Slovenia representative to the European Union has tabled three amendments promoting Esperanto as a possible common language of communication in the European Union. (December 1998)
• Manuel M Campagna
  
  

  Esperanto is very popular in Hungary, Estonia, Finland, Japan, China, Vietnam… The current [1995-1998] president of the Universal Esperanto Association is a Korean university professor of Economics. The most attended international meeting in 5000 years of Chinese history was the 1986 Universal Congress of Esperanto in Beijing, being the largest both by the number of delegates and the number of countries represented.

• Martin Bormann, the chief of staff of Hitler’s deputy:
  
  

  Because the creation of an international hybrid language contradicts the basic concepts of National Socialism and ultimately can only serve the interests of supranational powers, the F�hrer’s deputy forbids all party members and members of organisations affiliated to the party to belong to all forms of artificial language associations.

• Neutral Moresnet (Amkikoj @Strange Maps) which was a tiny Belgian-Prussian condominium that existed from 1816 to 1920 between present-day Belgium and Germany, declared itself an Esperanto speaking country in 1908. A Dr. Molly proposed making Neutral Moresnet the Esperanto-speaking state, named Amikejo (“place of friendship”). with its national anthem being the Esperanto march of the same name. A number of residents learned Esperanto and a rally was held in Kelmis in support of the idea of Amikejo on 13 August 1908. The World Congress of Esperanto, meeting in Dresden, even declared Neutral Moresnet the world capital of the Esperanto community. Esperanto still plays a prominent role in the society of Kelmis.
• Nobel Laureates and other Famous Esperantists
• Esperanto was nominated for a Nobel Prize in 2008.
• Robert Kennedy, American politician, brother of John F. Kennedy:
  
  

  It is very probable that a neutral language would be more useful like means of communication between the various nations of the world. The Esperanto is already for a long time one of the principal candidates for this function.

• Stalin:
  
  

  [Esperanto is] the language of spies.

• Satir
  
  

  A lot of people have this impression of [Esperanto] speakers as crazy, naive idealists. We’re people with a desire to learn other cultures.

• Sylvan Zaft
  
  

  One Chinese Esperanto speaker described Esperanto as a linguistic handshake. When two people shake hands they both reach out halfway. When two people speak Esperanto they have both made the effort to learn a relatively easy, neutral language instead of one person making the huge effort to learn the other person’s difficult national language and the other person making no effort at all except to correct his/her interlocutor’s errors.

  Esperanto is an artificial language like the automobile is an artificial horse.

• United Nations: In October 1966, the UEA presented the Secretary General of the United Nations with a proposal recommending that the UN solve the language problem by supporting use of the International Language, Esperanto. The petition was signed by almost a million individuals and by 3,843 organizations representing 71 million more people from all over the world. Today, an Esperanto office operates across the street from the UN, staffed by a professional linguist and several volunteers.
• United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said that the language conforms to their ideals; see also UNESCO Presentation – Esperanto, A Fair Language, December 2008
• US Military Handbook FM 30-101-1: ESPERANTO THE AGRESSOR LANGUAGE (1961): The US Army used Esperanto as the foreign language of the fictional aggressor in combat practice in 1961 or 1962 and produced a field manual for Esperanto so that those who were the Aggressors would really be speaking a foreign language. We can consider this is neat oddity since the Esperanto contained is military centric and seems to be not very well done.
• Vatican via Jean-Paul II, pope: It pronounced its blessing Urbi and Orbi in 51 languages, whose Esperanto starting from 1994.
  
  

  The Holy Father sincerely greets the organisers and participants of the 78th Esperanto Congress and encourages them to continue their most honourable efforts for a world in which understanding and unity reign. At the same time the Holy Father asks you to make this meeting of people from different countries, cultures and denominations, who speak the same language, a witness of that brotherhood which should reign without any form of discrimination among all human beings as members of the great family of the children of God, and which encourages personal and collective compromise in order to build peace in their respective homelands. With these sentiments and asking for God’s protection on the work of the congress and its participants, the Pope gives the desired apostolic blessing.

• World Service Authority (WSA) aka World Government of World Citizens (WGWC) has their World Passport info in Esperanto

SpeedyLook Wapedia Encyclopedia VBXML Interesting Quotes about Esperanto Wikipedia entry for Esperanto