| The Esperanto language was developed by Dr. L. | | | | and Esperanto can communicate fully with each |
| L. Zamenhof in Europe over a hundred years ago. | | | | other. With email and the internet, I can and do |
| No one knows exactly how many people speak | | | | write to people in China, Mali, Russia, Italy, France, |
| any language fluently. Some estimates put the | | | | Korea, and any other country in the world where |
| speakers of Esperanto at more than a million. | | | | someone speaks Esperanto.The subtitle of this |
| They live everywhere in the world. Zamenhof`s | | | | article says that Esperanto can be good for you. |
| idea came from his experience in European | | | | Here`s how: Esperanto is so much easier to learn |
| communities which were made up of separate | | | | than a national language that you can be speaking |
| groups who gathered together because they | | | | and writing it within months. Because of its logical |
| spoke the same language. Next door to them | | | | organization of roots and affixes, what you learn |
| was another enclave of people who spoke only | | | | about Esperanto transfers easily to your study of |
| their own language. There may have been ten or | | | | other languages. It is estimated that a person |
| more different groups clustered near each other, | | | | who studies Esperanto first, can learn another |
| yet they could not communicate outside their little | | | | language in about half the time it would usually |
| language zones.This led to great difficulties in trade | | | | take.You can find more information about |
| and social interaction. Zamenhof felt that he could | | | | Esperanto at this site: the word, is made up of |
| create a simple language which everyone could | | | | the root -esper- hope, the noun ending -o-, and |
| learn as their second tongue. Then they could | | | | the suffix -ant- doer. So the word means - one |
| peacefully and productively communicate.As you | | | | who hopes.Dr. Zamenhof published his book under |
| can imagine, there was great resistance. Learning | | | | the name, Dr. Esperanto, one who hopes for a |
| another language is time-consuming and difficult. | | | | better world through increased communication.All |
| But many people did learn Esperanto and | | | | Esperantists have the same hope and invite you |
| communication did improve.Today people around | | | | to learn more.Jack Wilson is an Esperantist and |
| the world who speak only their native language | | | | translator working out of Tempe, Arizona. |