Re: Esperantist lies (Re: Learning a language)

From: Dmitri (uiesperanto_at_aol.com)
Date: 07/03/04 

Date: 03 Jul 2004 16:49:35 GMT

>From: Nathan Sanders

>English has simpler noun-adjective agreement (lack of agreement is
>simpler than forced agreement, yes?). Which of these wins out and
>decides which language is "simpler"?

When it comes to poetry, I'd much rather have such things marked rather than
having to guess (and probably get it wrong).

>> Is it only a lie or a matter of fact
>> that a fully regular conjugation is simpler than an irregular one?
>
>No. It's a lie that you can measure the simplicity of languages as
>entire units to be compared with each other.

No it isn't.

>Which language has simpler anaphora, Esperanto or English? Simper
>quantifier scope interaction? How do you even begin to QUANTITATIVELY
>compare such things?

Tell me what an anaphora (in linguistic terms anyway) is and also a quantifier
scope interaction, and I'll give you an answer.

>Somebody who learns Esperanto can
>> learn twice the whole conjugation in the time he would need to
>> learn the conjugation of the present time of "to be" and "to have"
>> in English.
>
>Twice, eh? I suppose you've done experiments, or someone else has?

Just take a look: be, am, are, is, having to remember which form goes with
which subject, was, were, have, has, subject/form correspondance again, had

Contrast: esti, estas, estis, estos, estus, estu. 11 things to remember (and
that's just two verbs) verses 6 for ALL verbs.

>Perhaps Esperanto should take a few pointers from natlangs and
>learn how to evolve...

Because you can't (or refuse to) see something natrually means it doesn't
exist?

Wow.......you must be REALLY powerful!

Dmitri
Iowa City, IA

Views expressed in this post are not necessarily the official views of the
Eastern Iowa Esperanto League, the Esperanto League for North America or even
the Esperanto movement as a whole. Supposed rudeness is mine alone. (DRM)

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