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Week 13: Esperanto



I would like you to read/watch and comment on/discuss the presentation Esperanto.
 Comment on  it here.

Comments

Tomek said…
I hear Esperanto mentioned from time to time but never as something that could replace English. It’s more of an interesting experiment for me than a potential replacement to the languages we use nowadays. Sure, It’s easier but it still requires work to speak fluently and eventually master. I think English is already simple enough and many countries want it to be the second language children learn. It would be a very long and difficult process to change this situation.
Sylwia said…
Basically I agree with Tomek. Learning any language takes time, even such simple one like Esperanto. I would be hard to make all people now learn language, which is not used on regular basic in non of the countires, which economy or at least culture is influential for bigger part of the World. I'm aware that before English there was Latin and Franch and propably some others, so it is possible to change the trend, but I think it is impossible in case of artificial language as Esperanto.
Answering questions asked by the author of text, to me learning Esperanto is a waste of time. Learning any foreign lanugange when you are a child make simple to learn other in future. More languages you know the easier and faster you learn new ones. If you choose to spend time and money on learning any, it is wise to choose the one, which is also usefull. In my opinion Esperanto is not, so I wouldn't like to learn it.
I also do not agree that conflicts are caused by lack of understanding and one common language would prevent from wars. Conflicts are based mostly on beliefs and culture. These are more influential than language. However I agree that sometimes language issues may cause misunderstanding, which are base for other problems, but these are usually easier to overcome than culture and beliefs. On the other hand language is not only a tool of communication, but it is also part of culture. Some of meanings just can't be translate or when they are translated they lose some emontional, hidden contents. I also believe that, because of globalisation, in every country we should learn obligatory not only national language, but also one other, commonly spoken on this part of World to make life easier together. English is good option ,but not the only one. For example in the USA it would be usefull to learn Spanish.
Esperanto is an artificial so from definition it will never be a common spoken language worldwide in my opinion. Teaching Esperanto in kindergartners is not a very good idea. This language is that kind of knowledge that will probably never be used in the future. You should rather teach kids other foreign languages, because that will become handy in the future, and kids usually learn nonnative languages very fast.

As for the misunderstanding of two people speaking different languages its rather obvious. But even if the speak in the same language but the come from two completely different cultures such misunderstanding are also obvious. We tend to underestimate the influence of our environment on the way we articulate our thoughts. And creating some imaginary universal language of communications will not change that. This kind of links to question number 6. Of course that language is something more than a way of communication. It’s an integral part of our culture. For example in some cultures there are many words describing the same thing or emotion. That shows that this particular thing is important for this culture but can be totally irrelevant in other cultures. And that’s only one of the example.

As for the one worldwide language. Nowadays it’s no English but Chinese and Spanish, if you consider only the number of people speaking that particular language. But I agree that English is the most universal platform of human communication nowadays. And I think that it will remain as such in a foreseeable future. If nothing unrespectable will happen in the future (global war or something like that..) I really doubt that this will ever change.
Natalia said…

I don't think that teaching Esperanto would increase ability to learn other language, besides as Tomek said English is easy enought and to widely spread to even thinking that it would be replaced. I think that most conflicts are caused by lack of good will by that I mean if two persons wants to communicate and reach an agreement they will and language is not so big problem. In my opinion main barrier is different cultures for example in some countries if you will not take off your shoes at the apartment someone would think that you are the most rude person in the world.
alt_pl said…
I agree with people above. Esperanto couldn't become lingua franca of modern world because of it's complexity. English is the most common foreign or native language for most people because it has simple and good usage in everyday life as well as corporate and business language. I think that Chinese can become next common language because of quantity of people using it and many Chinese companies are present in Western world.

- Aleksander Towcik
armandstanczak said…
Do you think that teaching Esperanto at kindergartens or primary schools could really help children to learn other languages?
I'm a...... loss of words. Why should we again?
Isn’t a designed language just a waste of time?
Sign language?
Do you find Esperanto as much worth learning as a national language?
Do you agree that most conflicts are caused by lack of understanding? Would a common language help in preventing from wars?
Do you think that one of national languages should be a worldwide language? How about English, or the so called Globish English?
In your opinion, is a language only a tool of communication or is it something more?
Loosing me here buddy.....
Would you like to try to speak Esperanto? Why yes/why not?
.....
Ok, tough one but I'll try to do my best. It's a language. Nothing more, nothing less. Like sign language. I don't really see it as something global. English, French, Chinese - that's all that we need at this time. Unless we are invaded by aliens, then yeah, maybe we'll need esperanto then.

comment by: blimpiehunter
lukasz-anwajler said…
1. Do you think that teaching Esperanto at kindergartens or primary schools could really help children to learn other languages?

I think it's better if they learn something more valuable = more frequently used than Esperanto, like English or Chinese.

2. Isn’t a designed language just a waste of time?

I think it is, one can learn it for fun, but I can't see any specific benefits.

3. Do you find Esperanto as much worth learning as a national language?

I don't think so. When you go to different country - are you going to use it?

4. Do you agree that most conflicts are caused by lack of understanding? Would a common language help in preventing from wars?

Communication is the key to everything, but I think bad intentions and actions lead to wars, not problems with languages, we don't live in dinosaurs times anymore.

5. Do you think that one of national languages should be a worldwide language? How about English, or the so called Globish English?

I don't think that it's going to happen, but that would be very nice.

6. In your opinion, is a language only a tool of communication or is it something more?

It's part of the culture, understanding their language you can learn a lot about people/nations.

7. Would you like to try to speak Esperanto? Why yes/why not?

For me it's a waste of time.
Learning languages is always a good idea, as with every new language learned, the next one will be easier to master as well. A part of the fact that during the course of learning a language we also can learn much about the cultures and traditions connected to it. Although I believe the best language in the world is English (for many different reasons) any new language squired is a benefit.
That said however, I also believe that the first languages learned should be those, that will come in handy in the modern world (which today would mean Chinese, huh? xD). I don't mean to degrade Esperanto as a language, but I don't think there are many languages out there that have a better chance of being useful in an average person's life.
Unknown said…
1.Do you think that teaching Esperanto at kindergartens or primary schools could really help children to learn other languages?
Learning any language is good for children so I think that could help in theirs further education and increase accelerate whole learning process
2. Isn’t a designed language just a waste of time?
Waste of time? Maybe a bit :)
3. Do you find Esperanto as much worth learning as a national language?
For me Esperanto is useless, for now at least.
4. Do you agree that most conflicts are caused by lack of understanding? Would a common language help in preventing from wars?
Language don’t cause wars… People do and say terrible things and language is not important here. Common language can’t help with that for sure.
5. Do you think that one of national languages should be a worldwide language? How about English, or the so called Globish English?
That would be useful and very convenient for us but that won’t happen soon.
6. In your opinion, is a language only a tool of communication or is it something more?
For sure language is something more than a communication tool. It part of culture and way of expressing things.
7. Would you like to try to speak Esperanto? Why yes/why not?
I would not. Why? Simply because I don’t have time for language which usefulness is doubtful.
Seisyll said…
1. Do you think that teaching Esperanto at kindergartens or primary schools could really help children to learn other languages?
Not really. Learning something that is really easy won't help in learning more complicated things. Children catch things up really fast so they should learn something more useful.
2. Isn’t a designed language just a waste of time?
It's a good idea to make a language that is easy to learn for everyone. Problem is no one wants to use it.
3. Do you find Esperanto as much worth learning as a national language?
I would find it worth learning. If anyone used it.
4. Do you agree that most conflicts are caused by lack of understanding? Would a common language help in preventing from wars?
Common culture yes, but only common language not really. It would rather help to understand when they are insulting each other.
5. Do you think that one of national languages should be a worldwide language? How about English, or the so called Globish English?
It would be useful. But nobody wants to abandon his culture.
6. In your opinion, is a language only a tool of communication or is it something more?
Language is part of our lives. We learned it from when we were really small and used it our whole lives.
7. Would you like to try to speak Esperanto? Why yes/why not?
I would rather upgrade my English first.

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