Zamenhof’s Esperanto (1887)
“Esperanto estas plej bona lingvo por kompreneco internacia“
(“Esperanto is the best language for international understanding”).
Dr L.L. Zamenhof.
As we approach the centennial year
Of Esperanto’s publication, we
Should seek advancement of its great ideal.
The pure simplicity inherent in
That language’s construction seemed to be
A guarantee of universal use
As ‘second language’ for humanity;
And yet, its sheer plain logicality
Has hindered the success of its own cause!.
Zamenhof created his new language —
Governed by only sixteen basal rules —
From the most common root-words that are used
In all the European languages.
He simplified the spelling (phonetics),
Grammar and syntax so that all verbs, nouns
And adjectival forms, (et cetera),
Have common affixes and suffixes
That indicate — without exceptions — tense,
Function and degree within a sentence.
Because affixes and inflected words
Are so regular, Esperanto sounds
Rather like Spanish or Italian
Though, (on the page), it looks quite different
To either of those languages, in part
Because its diacritic marks, dipthongs
And syntax follow other principles
Described within the fundamental rules.
Each natural language is replete with words
And phrases that embody nuances
Of meaning, shades of thought and emphasis,
Which can substitute for one another —
In particular slight variations
Of tone and mood — and so give ample voice
To subtlest of linguistic differences
Turned, (through time’s accretions of historic
Experiences), into suggestive,
Forceful symbolic associations
With powerful subliminal effects.
Denied such bases, (since Esperanto
Has no history), it can sometimes fail
Fully to satisfy its users’ needs.
To fill its hoped-for rôle — as bridge between
The peoples of all nations — there need be
Adopted three important steps by which
The dream can be brought to reality.
First, the language’s vocabulary
Should be expandable — within its rules
Governing grammar, syntax and the like —
Indefinitely, so that it has scope
To keep abreast of new developments
In all the fields of human interest,
As Zamenhof himself had wished it to;
For comprehensiveness and flexible
Expressiveness are key criteria
For any language that aspires to be
A global lingua franca.
Secondly,
Keen Esperantists must promote the cause
To governments around the world, (as well
As the United Nations), so that funds
To introduce this simple language, (from
An early age), in schools and colleges
Will be provided. If it is not learned
In childhood, there is very little chance
That Esperanto can achieve its aim;
For other options, more familiar —
English, French, Spanish, German and the like —
Will be adopted as more practical
Alternatives to supplement the first,
Maternal language. Then Zamenhof’s dream
For Esperanto’s universal rôle,
Will still be unfulfilled. The cost of this —
In terms of multiplex translation-needs,
As in the European Union
Where more than twenty versions are required
For each important document or speech —
Will be substantial.
Esperanto’s claim
To be — like Latin, though far easier
To learn — free from acquired colonial
And Chauvinistic undertones, should be
Promoted as the third step to reduce
Resistance to its international
Adoption, because natural languages
All have political and cultural
Associations which often impede
Acceptability by those whose past,
(Historical), experience has not
Made them receptive to the tongue(s)
That their oppressor(s) or aggressor(s) spoke.
If these three steps are taken there would be,
Within the space of twenty years at most,
Such understanding and facility
In Esperanto that Zamenhof’s dream
Would find, at last, its hoped-for destiny
And Esperanto speak for all the world.
As we approach the centennial year
Of Zamenhof’s ideal, the time to act
Is now. The longer we delay, the less
The likelihood that Esperanto can
Become the lingua franca of the world!.
