Probably once every heard about Esperanto - the universal language, designed to become a world-wide.And though the world is still most people speak Chinese, this invention Polish doctor has its own history and prospects.Location happened Esperanto, what kind of innovation in linguistics who uses it - read on and we will answer all these questions.
hope for understanding
Probably, since the construction of the Tower of Babel humanity is experiencing difficulties related to the lack of understanding the speech of other people.
Esperanto was designed to facilitate communication between people of different countries and cultures.It was first published in 1887 by Dr. Ludwik Zamenhof Lazarus (1859-1917 gg.).He used the pseudonym "Dr Esperanto", which means "one who hopes".And there was the name of his creations, which he carefully developed over the years.The international language Esperanto is to be used as a neutral in conversation between people who do not know each other's language.
It even has its own flag.It looks like this:
artificial language Esperanto is much easier to study than the usual national languages that have evolved naturally.Its design is streamlined and straightforward.
Vocabulary
is no exaggeration to say about Esperanto, it's a hodgepodge of the major European languages.Dr. Zamenhof took as a basis the very real words for his creation.About 75% of the vocabulary comes from Latin and the Romance languages (especially French), 20% are German (German and English) and other expressions taken from the Slavic languages (Russian and Polish) and Greek (mostly scientific terms).Widely used common words.Therefore, people who speak Russian, even without training can read about 40% of the text in Esperanto.
The language inherent in phonetic writing, t. E., Each word is pronounced exactly as it is written.No unpronounceable letters or exclusions, which greatly facilitates its study and use.
How many people speak Esperanto?
This is a very common question, but in fact no one knows the exact answer.The only way to reliably determine the number of people who speak Esperanto - a world provedesti census, which, of course, almost impossible.
Nevertheless Professor Sidney Kulbert the University of Washington (Seattle, USA) made the most comprehensive study on the use of this language.He conducted an interview with native Esperanto in dozens of countries around the world.On the basis of this study, Professor Kulbert came to the conclusion that it is used by about two million people.This puts it on par with languages such as Lithuanian and Hebrew.
Sometimes the number of Esperanto speakers exaggerate or, conversely, minimize, the figures range from 100,000 to 8 million.
popularity in Russia
Esperanto has many ardent fans.Did you know that in Russia there is a street Esperanto?Kazan became the first city in what was then the Russian Empire, which was to open a club dedicated to the study and dissemination of the language.He founded several activist-intellectuals who enthusiastically embraced the idea of Dr. Zamenhof and began to promote it.Then the professors and students of the University of Kazan opened their small club in 1906, which could not long survive in the turbulent years of the early twentieth century.But after the Civil War, the movement resumed, there was even a newspaper about Esperanto.Language has become increasingly popular since the concept consistent with the Communist Party calling for the unification of different peoples in the name of world revolution.Therefore, in 1930, the street on which was the Esperanto Club, received a new name - Esperanto.However, in 1947 it was renamed again in honor of the politician.At the same time participation in the study of the language it has become dangerous, and since then its popularity has dropped substantially.But Esperantists did not give up and in 1988, the street got its former name.
total in Russia there are about 1,000 speakers.On the one hand, it is a little, but on the other hand, if we consider that is taught only in the clubs of enthusiasts, it is not that small number.
Letters
alphabet is based on Latin.It contains 28 letters.Because each of them corresponds to the sound, they also 28, namely: 21 consonant, 5 vowels and 2 semi-vowel.
Esperanto letters familiar to us from the Latin, sometimes in twos and are written with a "house" (the inverted check mark from the top).So Dr. Zamenhof introduced new sounds that were necessary for his language.
grammar and construction proposals
Here, too, confesses the main principle of Esperanto - simplicity and clarity.The language has no birth, and the order of words in the sentence is arbitrary.There are only two cases, three times and three moods of verbs.There is an extensive system of prefixes and suffixes, which can be used to create many new words from a single root.
flexible word order allows representatives of different language families to use the structures with which they are most familiar, but at the same time talking on a completely understandable and grammatically correct Esperanto.
Practical use
New knowledge will not be denied, but what specific benefits you can get from learning Esperanto:
- This is an ideal second language that can be learned quickly and easily.
- opportunity to correspond with dozens of people from other countries.
- It can be used to see the world.There are lists of Esperanto speakers, free ready to host other speakers in your own home or apartment.
- international understanding.Esperanto helps break down language barriers between countries.
- opportunity to meet people from other countries to the conventions, or when Esperanto speakers, foreigners come to visit you.It is also a good way to meet interesting fellow.
- international equality.If you are using a national language one person should make an effort to learn unfamiliar it for yourself, and someone only uses knowledge from birth.Esperanto - a step towards each other, because both men have worked to study it and to make communication possible.
- translations of masterpieces of literature.Many works have been translated into Esperanto, some of them may not be available in the native language Esperantist.
Disadvantages
For more than 100 years, the most common artificial language emerged as the fans and the critics.They talk about Esperanto, it's just another amusing relic of the Victorian era, such as phrenology and spiritualism.Throughout its existence, it did not become a global language.Moreover, mankind does not show much enthusiasm for the idea.
also about Esperanto critics argue that this is not simple, but difficult language to learn.Its grammar has a lot of unspoken rules, and writing letters is difficult on a modern keyboard.Representatives from different countries are constantly trying to make the amendments to improve it.This leads to disputes and differences in educational materials.Also called into question its euphony.
But fans of this language argue that to the whole world spoke the same language, 100 years - it is too small, and given the current number of native speakers of Esperanto have at their future.
