Esperanto Language Blog

An article published last year in the New Scientist Technology Blog suggests that Esperanto is fundamentally different from other languages. Astonishing! To be frank, I have no idea what multi-fractal analysis has to do with linguistic comparison, but the author of the post seems to draw a conclusion the rest of us missed. If you can follow it, I’m sure it’s an interesting read. In the meantime, however, I find the commentary from equally confused or unreceptive readers far more amusing!

In the meantime, I’m testing the Esperanto features (spell-check and character support) of the latest build of Sun Microsystem’s freeware office software suite, OpenOffice. The overview and examination will be posted in a forthcoming article. Until then, stay cool!

Autumn is on its way! The stint of cooler weather in my part of the country has me in a mode of nostalgia for seasons past.  So, I thought I’d share one of William Auld’s fall-themed poems, entitled “Septembra Mateno” (September Morning). Not only is it a great, short piece, but it also illustrates examples of poetic omission of suffixes in Esperanto poetry. Of course, you don’t need to contemplate all the technical aspects to appreciate the poem. Enjoy!

Kartonajn siluetojn de uzinoj
ĉe l’ horizonto iluminas suno.
Ĉi aŭtobuso glisas tra l’ scenejo
kun plena ŝarĝ’ de plusrolantoj fuŝaj.
Leviĝas la kurteno. Sur fotelo,
cinika karapaca kritikisto –
Dio — la manojn plektas sur la sino
kaj lace atendadas la kutimajn
replikojn netrafitajn, troajn gestojn,
parolojn forgesatajn, de ĉi trupo,
kiu sensuke ludis jam milfoje
gurditan dramon de verkisto Dio.
Diablo! — (ĝemas Dio sur fotelo) –
kia rimedo perlabori panon:
ĉeesti tiajn aĉajn komediojn!
Kaj dum la teatraĵo disvolviĝas,
Li forŝteliras al tavern’ apuda.

(As featured on Don Harlow’s Esperanto-Literatura en la Reto.)

I foresee a day when universities across the globe will offer ”Esperanto Studies” as a major field of research. We’re still a ways off right now – so far, I know of no US universities that offer an Esperanto degree, and only NASK seems to provide any college credit for advanced Esperanto study. However, that certainly does not mean Esperanto is forgotten in the academic realm!

Today I discovered another article for your viewing pleasure, entitled “Esperanto Studies: An Overview.” After reading it, I realize what a broad and fulfulling discipline Esperanto studies could be. As a combination of history, linguistics, literature, and philosophy, such a field could have almost no ceiling! Until it finally surfaces, I think two trends must continue. First, the Esperanto community needs to produce material worth studying; secondly, what already exists in Esperanto should be more fully examined through works like the aforementioned overview. Who knows – maybe we will see it enter the academic canon within the next few decades! Wishful thinking, I know…

Also, don’t forget to take a gander at the article’s parent directory, Esperanto Documents, for some further readings.