WHAT IS ESPERANTO?

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2766, 22 March 1910, Page 2

WHAT IS ESPERANTO?

TRAINING IN SCHOOLS ADVOCATED.

COLONEL POLLEN’S VIEWS

“Esperanto is language of hope, and hope is our guiding star. 111 my opinion, it is not taking up too liopefu] a position to express the confident opinion that within 25 years all civilised nations will recognise Esperanto as the second language of mankind.” So spoke Coloncd John Pollen, M.D., C.1.E., prc. sident ci : the British Esperanto Association to a “Star” representative upon his arrival in Auckland, last week, by the P. and O. steamer, Mongolia. Esperanto, the Colonel contends, will never interfere with the spread of any other language. Foreigners find they can learn English through Esperanto more quickly than by any other means. Dr. Zamenhof. the creator of this common language, followed English as far as grammar is concerned and the formation of sentences. The sixteen rules any man of average ability can master in an hour. The ordinarv Englishman, of course, says: “English is good enough for me, and if any blooming foreigner wants to talk to me, lot imu learn English.” This has been due to the fact that Englishmen have had great difliciiity in mastering anv foreign language and speaking it like natives. When they learn Esperanto, -however, they can boast of their ability to speak it as well, or better, than “any blooming foreigner.” The idea of Esperanto is the adoption of the root word common VO most languages, expressing any thought, idea or thing. By a marvellous system of affixes and suffixes of liis own invention, Dr. Zamenhof lias succeeded in giving every poss.bie shade of mean to any given word. “The result,” eon_ tinned Dr. Pollen,'-“has been a language perfectly clear and euphonious, one letter and one sound, the accent following the Italian system, and always on the second last-sellable of the word, and capable of expressing every thought connected not only with eommeic.al, bat with scientific and philosophical affairs Esperanto is not a dream or a v.sion but a great, accomplished fact, and is in tiie fullest sense cf the word a living language. •‘The strides Esperanto lias macic throughout Britain, the British Empire, America, Japan, Asia, and the Continent in the last five years is marvellous,” added Colonel Pollen. “4 here is hardly a town of any importance in •;,he civilised world which does not now possess its Esperanto consulate. It is gratifying to know that New Zealand :s baking a keen interest in the movement ui favor of Esperanto, and in this connection I would like to express my appreciation, as r>resident of the British Association, ot the clear foresight and active interest the Prime Minister of this Dominion has displayed in the spread of the language since it first name prominently before the public. We look really to the younger countries of the Empire to push the movement on more rapidly than is possible in the Ohl 'xiuntrv, where conservative interests and old traditions are hard to break, and wihere .the average Englishman .thinks that it is the duty of other nations to learn English. Hie difficulties confronting the movement have been great, but we claim for Esperanto that it is an easy means to intercommunication of all races of the civilised world. When this is realised, the Governments of different countries will be bound to take it up, and see that it is taught in the schools. _ That Esperanto can bo spoken and easily understood by nil peoples is proved by the fact that the five annual congresses m the p-ast have been, attended by representatives of nearly every civilised country and that at the next congress, to be held in. Washington on August ITtli next, tiheie will be representatives of 42 different nationalities, including China and Japan.” . , ~ Colonel Pollen, who is staying at the Grand Hotel, remains in Auckland tor a few days, and then proceeds on a visit to Rotorua.