UNIVERSAL LANGUAG.

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20278, 21 August 1937, Page 27 (Supplement)

UNIVERSAL LANGUAG .

NOT UNIVERSALLY USED. (Times Air Mail Service.) LONDON, July 18. Men and women from all over the world will gather at Warsaw next month to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Esperanto—the ‘ universal language.” says the Sunday Express. In 1887 the new language' was introduced in a small book by Dr. Louis Lazare Zamenhof. He wrote the book os Dr. Esperanto,” Esperanto meaning ‘hope-in-being.” To-day there are not many more’ than a million people who speak Esperanto. There ore reputed to be 15,000 Esperantists in this country. Zamenhof, a Jew, was born In 1859 in the' Itussian village of Blelostok. To Bring Peace. He visualised a universal language as a means of bringing peace between nations and breaking 'down language barriers. Soon'after hts book had appeared he was surprised to receive letters from many countries, some of them written in his own language. At the first Esperanto conference, held in Boulogne at the beginning of ttie present century Zamenhof was astonished at the great reception given him. other countries Joined the move1, aler he came to London and was entertained at the' Guildhall. Taught In England. Esperanto was evolved from the Latin, but it also contains Teutonic and Slav words. Really it is Latin brought up to date. It Is taught In a few English schools and in many abroad. In Esperanto words are spelled as they are' pronounced. Esperanto for “I will” ts “Ml Tlon Vnlas." "Dankon” ts “Thank you.” “I desire” Is “Ml Destras.”