\t\t *\tI thought it died out in the 50s.<\/p>\n
\t\t *\tGreat idea–too bad it never caught on.<\/p>\n
\t\t *\tI remember reading about it somewhere.<\/p>\n
\t\t *\tWasn’t your granddad into that?<\/p>\n
\t\t *\tI sort of wish it was still around.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t IT IS!! <\/p>\n
\t\t READ ON–AND SATISFY YOUR CURIOSITY ABOUT<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t ESPERANTO<\/p>\n
WHAT IS ESPERANTO?<\/p>\n
\tEsperanto is a language developed to make it easier for people of dif-
\nferent cultures to communicate. Its author, Dr. L. L. Zamenhof (1859-1917),
\npublished his “Lingvo Internacia” [International Language] in 1887 under the
\npseudonym “Dr. Esperanto” [one who hopes]. What’s so special about it? What
\nmakes it any more international than French, English or Japanese?<\/p>\n
\tEsperanto is specifically intended for international\/intercultural
\nuse, so those who use it meet each other on an equal footing, since neither
\nis using his native language. With national languages, the average person
\nisn’t able to express herself as well as the native speaker or the gifted ling-
\nuist. Thanks to its simple, logical, regular design, anyone can learn
\nEsperanto fairly rapidly.<\/p>\n
AN EMERGING GLOBAL CULTURE<\/p>\n
\tBecause Esperanto has been promoted for over a century as a language
\nfor international understanding and communication, those who learn it tend to
\nbe people who “think globally”–and global thinking has never been more impor-
\ntant than in this Electronic Age when the “Global Village” is beginning to
\nlive up to its name. A sense of community has begun to emerge as the media
\nflash audio\/visual images from the other side of the planet right into our
\nliving rooms. And we find that people on the other side of the planet have
\nmany of the same hopes and fears and wants that we do–even if their basic
\nculture is very different. Indeed, a global culture has begun to coalesce on
\na level distinct from the national or regional ones.<\/p>\n
A UNIVERSAL NETWORK<\/p>\n
\tThe growing Esperanto movement, comprised of local, national, and
\nglobal segments, is one manifestation of this universal sense of community.
\nUniversala Esperanto-Asocio (UEA) is the global association, based in
\nRotterdam, The Netherlands. UEA has a consulting relationship with UNESCO in
\nregard to language problems and planning, and administers a network of 2,300
\ndelegates who provide services to UEA members and information to the public
\nin 70 countries. National and regional associations, as well as groups based
\non common interests from art to vegetarianism, provide services and contacts
\nto Esperantists. There are also hundreds of international meetings each year
\nwhich use Esperanto as a working language. The annual Universala Kongreso de
\nEsperanto (or “UK”) attracts an average of 1750 people from between 40-50 coun-
\ntries–the 1986 UK in Beijing was the largest international meeting in China’s
\nrecorded history.<\/p>\n
\tThousands of people use Esperanto-speaking travel services every year
\nto visit old friends and make new ones in foreign countries. There are a num-
\nber of reciprocal hosting programs where Esperantists receive travelers in
\ntheir homes. Thousands more get to know each other through correspondence.<\/p>\n
WORDS AND MUSIC<\/p>\n
\tThe personal contacts people make through this network are only one
\npart of the picture. Periodicals from the educational to the esoteric reach
\na worldwide audience–a fact recognized by advertisers such as Mitsui & Co.
\nand Siemens AG. UEA’s book service catalogue boasts thousands of titles, and
\non average, a new title is published in Esperanto every day. Esperanto litera-
\nture includes not only original works and translations of well-known classics,
\nbut also important translations of works originally written in languages (e.g.
\nLithuanian or Swahili) which would not afford them an audience outside their
\nown culture. In Esperanto translation, everyone can enjoy easy access.<\/p>\n
\tEsperanto is also used in broadcasting and in the performing arts.
\nShortwave radio stations from Berne to Beijing, as well as local AM and FM sta-
\ntions in Europe and South America, broadcast several thousand hours of
\nEsperanto programming annually. Stage productions of “La Eta Princo” [The
\nLittle Prince] and “Kato Sur Varma Lado-tegmento” [Cat On A Hot Tin Roof] were
\nenthusiastically received at the 1989 UK in Brighton, England. And the popular
\nCzechoslovakian rock group TEAM’–whose 1988 debut album went gold overnight,
\nplacing them at the top of the Eastern European charts–performs selections
\nin Esperanto at concerts, and has released an Esperanto album (with another
\nin production). Many other talented artists perform and record in Esperanto.<\/p>\n
A LIVING LANGUAGE<\/p>\n
\tEsperanto is a living language, used for everything people use any
\nother language for. But it’s much easier to learn than a national language.
\nEven people who can’t remember a word of a language they studied for years in
\nhigh school or college need only months to become fluent in Esperanto. It is
\nalso more useful than national languages if your goal in learning a language
\nis to get to know people from different places, since virtually everyone who
\nspeaks Esperanto has learned it for this reason.<\/p>\n
\tFor more information on Esperanto in the United States, the address
\nof your local group, and the first lesson in a free postal course, write or
\ncall the Esperanto League for North America:<\/p>\n
\t\t\tELNA
\n\t\t\tPost Office Box 1129
\n\t\t\tEl Cerrito CA 94530
\n\t\t\t(415) 653-0998<\/p>\n
\tFor information about the Esperanto movement in Canada, write to:<\/p>\n
\t\t\tKanada Esperanto-Asocio
\n\t\t\tC.P. 126
\n\t\t\tSuccursale Beaubien
\n\t\t\tMontreal, Quebec H2G 3C8<\/p>\n
\t\t ESPERANTO–LA INTERNACIA LINGVO<\/p>\n
Another file downloaded from: NIRVANAnet(tm)<\/p>\n
& the Temple of the Screaming Electron 415-935-5845
\n Just Say Yes 415-922-1613
\n Rat Head 415-524-3649
\n Cheez Whiz 408-363-9766
\n Reality Check 415-474-2602<\/p>\n
Specializing in conversations, obscure information, high explosives,
\n arcane knowledge, political extremism, diversive sexuality,
\n insane speculation, and wild rumours. ALL-TEXT BBS SYSTEMS.<\/p>\n
Full access for first-time callers. We don’t want to know who you are,
\n where you live, or what your phone number is. We are not Big Brother.<\/p>\n
