American Esperantist
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
INTERLANGUAG F AMERICAN ESPERANTIST WORLD SPEECH—OPEN LETTER To an English-Speaking Friend By Francisco Azorin Gallup Poll on World Language 71 Per Cent Say “Yes” Former Quiz Kid an Esperantist Entirely Self-Taught La Ordinara Homo (Dua Parto) Henry Agard Wallace AMERIKA ESPERANTISTO OJkiala Organo de Ia ESPER/INTO ASOCIO de NORD-AMERIKO JAN—FEB. 1946 Twenty-five Cents 170 Address communications to: AMERICAN ESPERANTIST Vol. 61 G. ALAN CONNOR, Editor Nos. 1-2 114 West 16th Street New York 11, NY. Associate Editors: Dr. W. Solzbacher, Doris Tappan Connor, Pauline Knight, Viktoro Murajo. China: The Very Rev. Dr. John B. Kao. Eire: Lorchn 0 hUiginn, P.C.T. Italy: The Very Rev. Gabriel N. Pausback. CONTENTS — ENRAVO The International Language — Open Letter Francisco Azorin 1 Gallup Poll on World Language 3 Former Quiz Kid is an Esperantist Armin F. Doneis 4 Language-Learning and Esperanto Professor Frank Tomich 5 Why Not Basic Esperanto”? David M. Earl 6 World-Wide Book Circulation via Esperanto 8 World Charter and World Language 9 News Behind the News 9 Esperanto in Action 10 Around the World 11 The Editor’s Desk 12 EANA Honor Roll 13 Morto kaj Vivo — Rememoroj el Alia Mondo. W. Solzbacher 15 La Jarcento de la Ordinara Homo Henry A. Wallace 17 The Esperanto Student D,T.C.19 Al Mia Buistino — Poemo Raymond Schwartz 20 Kiel Pagi el Eksterlando’ 20 Legendo pri la Stona Elefanto Natalie Weiffenbach 21 Esperanto-Kroniko 22-23 New Esperanto Classes 24 Deziras Korespondi 24 American Esperantist puhi shed hi-monthly for the Esperanto Associ ation of North America, by the Esperanto Interlanguage Institute. Jarabono el iu lando, l.5O. Membreco. $2. El landoj kie estas neeble sendi monon, AE akceptos bonajn Espo-librojn, kaj etendas la abonon laüvalore. Make Checks Payable to Order of the Editor — G. Alan Connor, Library & Gift Subs, $1.00. Regular Sub, $1.50 With Membership in E.A.N.A. — $2.00 per Year AMERICAN ESPERANTIST Vol. 61 JANUARY-FEBRUARY. 1946 Nos. 1-2 “THE INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE” AN OPEN LETTER TO AN ENGLISH-SPEAKING FRIEND FRANCISCO Az0RIN This is a brief for all non-English-speaking peoples re the proposal that English be the world tongue. Francisco Azorin was former Councilor of the City of Cordoba, Spain, and Deputy of the Spanish Parliament. Among his published works is the important eight-language Architactisral Ternsznologv, with Esperanto as the text language. We reprint this article in English from the Esperanro original in the Mexican journal 1?enor’rgo. Yes, my friend, technology has ideas of the Encyclopedists and revo united mankind on the material plane. lutionaries infiltrated into universal Our post-war task is now to forge culture. And up to our present epoch, moral unification. Otherwise, peace it held sway as a language of tour will not endure! ists and diplomats. That task requires the consideration Now, the English language has of a great many social problems; not achieved first place. The English- only between governments, but be speaking peoples triumphed in the tween all of us as common citizens. recent world-war, thereby greatly ex Naturally, to facilitate direct inter panding their universal influence. As change of thought, we need an inter a consequence, admiring opportunists national language. will suggest that they should profit During the first centuries of our by the occasion and impose the Eng era the Latin language played that lish language as the international role. The Roman legions conquered language. Others, conscious of the the whole of the then-known world, difficulties and complexities of the and their language was disseminated English language, propose for that so thoroughly that during the middle rOle a form of clever extract called ages every document of universal im ‘Basic English”, as sufficient for us portance was written in Latin. Even — the inferiors — to make our today the Catholic Church still of selves understood before the English ficiates in Latin. metropolitans. The Spanish language became in I declare to you, dear friend, that ternational during the Renaissance. I have no antipathy to the English Spanish adventurers circled the globe, language. If, among other blemishes, and as a result their language be it has a confused phonetic system, came the chief instrument of inter- it undoubtedly has a rich vocabulary comprehension in Europe, Asia, Af for lexicographers. it is very expres rica and Oceania. It continues as sive when used by talented writers. the official language for more than and it is sweet when spoken by little twenty nations. girls. Neither do I disdain the Eng Napoleon swept through with his lish peoples, in spite of the accu armies from Gibraltar to Moscow. sation about imperialism, because I His French language, along with the would indeed wish for a basis for 1 AMERICAN ESPERANTIST the most intimate union of a/I ural language, planlessly evolved nations which would be all-inclusive layer-upon-layer by peoples and writ in principle. ers, does not answer the purpose. But, consider! Let me call your We need an interlanguage produced attention to the fact that the English- by art, scientifically ellaborated, speaking peoples won the war with An international language must the help of the Russians, who in also be precise, complete, with tech their turn immediately imposed the nical terminologies, because the lan Russian language as official for inter guage needed is not a jargon or col national meetings and documents; lection of terms, but a most delicate also with the help of the Chinese cultural instrument. peoples, about 500,000,000, whose Finally, an international language language, therefore, implies some must be harmonious, euphonious; thing; and with the help of Spanish because it will be utilized not only speaking nations; etc, etc. for technics or dry commerce, but Besides all this, the languages for fluent song, poetry and love. which have played an international These conditions actually define role will not resign their God-given ESPERANTO. It is a neutral lan missions as cultural instrumentalities. guage, everybody’s yet nobody’s, and And the languages of the conquered it is simplified to sixteen rules which lands, undoubtedly, will strive to sur have no exceptions. It is precise with vive with the cultures which they technical terminologies, and it is symbolize. Even the most modest euphonious as has been demonstrat languages have the right to dream ed at twenty international congresses of sometime being heard universally. and in some thousands of literary Nevertheless, the English-speaking works. peoples can, in accordance with his Because of all that, many impor torical tradition, seek to impose their tant personages have expressed opin language everywhere (since they are ions favorable to Esperanto. Because the victors). In all probability, that of all that, Esperantist pioneers sup will humiliate friends and excite riv port propaganda associations in all als and, during the struggle, moral lands — including your own country, peace, justice and equity will suffer of course — associations which you — all those things which we wish should join. Because of all that, Es to establish. peranto has survived through the ter However, the language Babel is rible hurricanes which we have suf a problem readily solvable. It would fered, while all rival, soulless pro seem to be not unlike other social jects have wilted and died. problems! Therefore, the prime problem, the No language imposition, firstly. language Babel, has an effective so Let us adopt a neutral tongue. allow lution. It remains only that a highly ing the national languages to main responsible government .— why not tain equal status, to the end that we an English-speaking government? — can enjoy a non-partisan arena for propose it nobly and unselfishly to cultural deliberation. the others. And after the undoubted And a few technical conditions: agreement which would result, re An international language must be produce phonograph disks and Es simple and easy. so that the orocess peranto primers, and distribute them of learning will not over-burden the to all schools everywhere. In half mind. Because of that factor a nat- a year, more or less, the human THE INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE family would be able to begin direct I. come to a close, my friend. conversation one with another. Then, Everyone who sincerely desires to a condition not sufficient in itself, bring order out of the present con but absolutely essential for the moral fusion should bear in mind that, “in unity of Humanity, will reign! the beginning was the Word”. GALLUP POLL ON WORLD LANGUAGE 71% of all Americans believe that Esperanto; 6% of the replies were art international language should be miscellaneous”, and 19% indicated taught in schools, 60% think that no choice. the introduction of an international Most of’ those who replied to language would increase the chances this question never actually studied of maintaining world peace, and 2% the problem and were giving a good believe at present that the language guess rather than a considered opin to be taught should be Esperanto. ion. The 2% vote for Esperanto These figures, released by the Amer (3.6% of those who indicated a ican Institute of Public Opinion on choice or preference) means neither December 1, 1945, are the results of that only 2 % of the American people a nation-wide Gallup poll. They are willing to support Esperanto, should, of course, be accepted with once the case has been put before the same qualifications and reserva them in a sensible way. nor that tions as all public opinion polls. 2% of all Americans are now going The idea for the poll was in part to mail in application forms for prompted by President Truman’s re membership in the Esperanto Associ cent interview on the language diffi ation.