Language/Esperanto/Culture/History

Esperanto or the story of an invented language

Esperanto is the one and only language invented with the aim of facilitating international communication. It is said to be spoken in more than a hundred countries spread over five continents. If no official figure exists, between hundreds of thousands and five million people would speak this artificial language. According to the Zamenhof foundation, there are "a little less than a million" Esperanto speakers.

A universal language

The language was put together in 1859 by the Polish Ludwik Zamenhof. This ophthalmologist lived in an area of ​​the former Russian Empire, where people spoke Russian, Belarusian, Polish, German and Yddish. He himself, born into a Jewish family, was brought up in a world where Russian, Polish and Yddish were spoken. Sensitive to the suffering caused by the incomprehension between his neighbors, he initiated, at the end of the XIXth century, the creation of a new universal language: Esperanto. The noble objective was to facilitate communication between people who do not speak the same language.

The recipe for "Doktor Esperanto"? Based on the Romance language (especially Italian and French), incorporate some Germanic grammar (mainly German and English). Mix well. Add a hint of ancient Greek and finally, a tear of the Slavic language (Russian and Polish). Mix it up and you have a universal language that is meant to be understood by as many people as possible. It was official from 1887 with the publication of a Russian grammar of this international language.

Very quickly translated into several languages, Esperanto grammar traveled through Europe before the end of the 19th century and even penetrated the Far East (by the vector of a Russo-Japanese war around 1905). But its international status does not allow it to be taught in the same way as other languages. In France, for example, it is not taught and cannot be presented as an option for the bac. In Hungary, it is the third most learned language after German and English. A large number of associations aim to transmit Esperanto and offer courses, seminars and other initiations.

Esperantist culture

Esperanto is not just a language. It is a communication tool according to the Esperantists and a commitment to peace between peoples. "The interest of the language is that it is not attached to a nation, nor to a policy, nor to an economy. It makes it possible to go beyond borders", explains Jean-Yves, member of the Esperanto-France association. For Axel, a member of my same association, "at a time when we are talking about globalization, it is a way of communicating throughout the world". And a whole culture is taking shape around this language. In addition to Esperantist literature, there are music groups. And finally, in the 2009 European elections, 41,000 Europeans voted for the Europe Democracy Esperanto party.

Source

https://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/societe/l-esperanto-ou-l-histoire-d-une-langue-inventee_778985.html

Other Lessons

• National Esperanto Associations