Basic European Language

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 42, 19 February 1938, Page 8

Basic European Language

INTERNATIONAL ADVANTAGES OF ESPERANTO That Esperanto is the ideal international language and as such would break down the political and national barriers of tho world was the considered opinion expressed by Mr. C. j. Adcock, M.A., to members of the Citt zons' Lunch Club yesterday. Mr. Adcock traced the failures of the great ancient empires, such as that of Alexander the Great, to the lack ot communication. Unity amongst communities increased with the march of invention rather than the success oi such great-conquerors as Alexander the Great or Napoleon. It was the progress of inventions such as the railway which brought greater communication and consequently greater unity of such countries as the United States of America. In New Zealand we had the example of the provincial assemblies set up by Sir George Grey, giving place to a central Government when means ot transport and communication were sufficiently developed, thus making New Zealand more of a unified dominion. At the present time the most distant parts of the globe are not so far apart as places 100 miles distant were before the advent of recent inventions.

The world is still divided, however, into watertight compartments; the divisions are intellectual, and the great barrier language. In the world to-day about 3000 languages are in existence and more than 300 in general use. Au important step in history would be tile breaking down of the language barrier. By constant contact people might bo forced to understand tho language ot another, but linguists were necessary to translate the various languages at international conferences, which could be done only after a clumsy fashion. At such conferences it usually happened that delegates who could not follow the speeches would talk amongst themselves in little groups and would read the speeches in the paper next morning, making their reply a day after the speaker had addressed them. The only way of getting over this difficulty was to have some form of international language. It had been suggested that one national language be adopted by all. But then there was no body to decide which language was to be adopted and national prejudice would never allow such a decision. In 1922 the League of Nations considered the question but decided that no national language would be suitable, at though English, German, French, Spanish and others were suggested. We might be prepared to have a national language, the speaker said, as long as it was English, but would we adopt Japanese or Russian. English was an excellent language in some ways. but disadvantageous in others. A large portion of school life is spent in learning to speaK and write our own language, as every word has its separate pattern of spelling and the grammar is most complicated. Foreign peoples might spend two or three years learning English, but it would be ths style of English employed by the average child of standard three, rather than the language of Shakespeare, Shelley or Shaw.

Another suggestion, the speaker continued, was basic English, which was greatly simplified. But, although restricted in vocabulary, this language was still difficult as it still possessed the original spelling and grammar. Be ing so restricted, basic English coulJ not serve its purpose adequately and fresh words would gradually creep in until the old form of English would have returned. The same could be said of basic French or German. It would not do, the speaker said, to patch up a language which had grown with usage, but what was required was a new, scientific language, simplified to give words to express ourselves wed and adequately—a language that could express literature. Esperanto is just such a language. It is a basic European language rather than a oasic national language, with a grammar built from the beginning and covered by a mere 16 rules. It is very exact and precise and can be studied to any degree of knowledge. New words would have to prove their worth before they could gain recognition. Tracing briefly the history of Esperanto, the speaker stated that it had been known more than half a century, but was developing slowly. It took mankind many centuries to abolish slavery. It will not take so long for Esperanto to develop now that conditions are becoming more suitable. Its growth will be encouraged by presentday international need, brought about by the use of radio, cinematograph and rapid means of long-distance transport. In 1921, the Paris Chamber of Commerce investigated Esperanto, when they had three legal documents translated from French to Esperanto and then back to French by two different groups. When this was done they were so satisfied they recommended the language to the Chambers of Commerce throughout the world. The same year Esperanto was introduced into the schools at Geneva. In 1922 the League of Nations proposed that Esperanto was the best known artificial language. In 1923 Italy called an international conference at which 23 countries were represented, when it was resolved that Esperanto should be introduced into all commercial schools. Since then continued progress has been made until to-day that language can be studied at Oxford, Liverpool and London universities, is used at the International Transport Union and has also progressed as far afield as Japan.