NationStates Jolt Archive

Welcome all Esperanto speakers, learner, and the curious. Feel free to discuss Esperanto in English or Esperanto. Discussion not random phrases proving you know Esperanto. No crude jokes in Esperanto or other inappropriate material. :)

I am learning it currently through Montagu Butler's book and lernu.net. More the book though.

i started to learn esperanto about 15 months ago through a german internet course. but unfortunately i hit the abitur, the german end-of-school exams soon after that and so i had to drop it for time reasons and then.. i never picked it up again. wouldn't ahve time with uni and all now either. but it's this really cool concept and i wish more people learned it! it's so depressing, most people i talked to about it IRL when i did it never even knew what it was.. eh. so how long have you been doing it now?

Welcome all Esperanto speakers, learner, and the curious. Feel free to discuss Esperanto in English or Esperanto. Discussion not random phrases proving you know Esperanto. No crude jokes in Esperanto or other inappropriate material. :)
I don't really see the point in artificial languages such as Esperanto. The argument that everyone will be equal in learning it may be noble (but ultimately flawed, as Esperanto belongs very much to the European families of languages), but it ignores that fact that the influence of English is such that most people will find it easier to learn English than Esperanto - it's the 'network effects' argument from economic theory. The only way an artifical language could succeed would be if it was compulsory to learn and use it.

What The Hell Is Esperanto.

What The Hell Is Esperanto.
It's a goofy language developed by goofy people in a misguided effort to develop a single goofy global language.

It's a goofy language developed by goofy people in a misguided effort to develop a single goofy global language.
What pray tell would you be talking about?

What pray tell would you be talking about?
Esperanto

1. What is Esperanto?
Esperanto is a language designed to facilitate communication between people of different lands and cultures. It was first published in 1887 by Dr. L. L. Zamenhof (1859-1917) under the pseudonym "Dr. Esperanto", meaning "one who hopes", and this is the name that stuck as the name of the language itself.

Esperanto is considerably easier to learn than national languages, since its design is far simpler and more regular. Also, unlike national languages, Esperanto allows communication on an equal footing between people, with neither having the usual cultural advantage favouring a native speaker.

Esperanto's purpose is not to replace any other language, but to supplement them: Esperanto would be used as a neutral language when speaking with someone who doesn't know one's own language. The use of Esperanto would also protect minority languages, which would have a better chance of survival than in a world dominated by a few powerful languages.

Thankers but do you have an example of this language?

Thankers but do you have an example of this language?
No, I haven't bothered to learn it.

Thankers but do you have an example of this language?

http://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%88efpa%C4%9Do

I was a good idea, but unfortunately the only Esperanto-speaking people I've met so far also knew other foreign languages, and learnt it just 'for the fun of it'. A shame it wasn't ever taken seriously as a language.

so how long have you been doing it now?
About a month.

I don't really see the point in artificial languages such as Esperanto. The argument that everyone will be equal in learning it may be noble (but ultimately flawed, as Esperanto belongs very much to the European families of languages), but it ignores that fact that the influence of English is such that most people will find it easier to learn English than Esperanto - it's the 'network effects' argument from economic theory. The only way an artifical language could succeed would be if it was compulsory to learn and use it.
Esperanto is very easy to learn. It is based on almost every language. From French to Welsh, Hindustani to Swahili, and even some Chinese and Vietnamese thrown in. English is hard as hell to learn with this exception and that.

It's a goofy language developed by goofy people in a misguided effort to develop a single goofy global language.
Get a hobby.

I was a good idea, but unfortunately the only Esperanto-speaking people I've met so far also knew other foreign languages, and learnt it just 'for the fun of it'. A shame it wasn't ever taken seriously as a language.
Really? Then please explain the Esperanto Congresses every year. The as many as 1 million speakers and as many as 1000 NATIVE speakers.

Anyone read this: http://www.xibalba.demon.co.uk/jbr/ranto/ ?

I wouldn't mind learning it...

Though it would have to wait until the summer when I have time off school.

May I ask: why is nobody on this thread actually posting in Esperanto?

mi nur uzi a translation - mi fari ne paroli Esperanto

Anyone read this: http://www.xibalba.demon.co.uk/jbr/ranto/ ?

I have to finish reading that site, but it is bullshit. Sexist language? wtf do they do with their life?

I agree with what someone said earlier; good idea but since it didn't catch on I feel there are languages more worth my time to learn, currently spanish and arabic...

It sure certainly has caught on. There are hudreds of books, movies, plays, musics, and as many as 1 million speakers and as many as 1000 NATIVE speakers. If schools provided it, people would take it once they know it is easier than other languages. Its use would grow. IDEA! I should petition my school to add it next year! :D