Re: Settling an Argument - Assembly *IS* a Language, Right?

"Raymond S. Wise" <mplsray@xxxxxxxxxxx> writes:
By what reasoning should "[t]he main point of an Esperanto
convention...be cultural exchange (which mainly involves language
exchange), with Esperanto as a handy backup language"? The point of
Esperanto conventions is to encourage the use of Esperanto.

But preserving the diversity of national languages is paramount, and
Esperanto should take a back seat to that. The only way that Esperanto
can coexist with language preservation is by reserving this artifical
language as a last resort.

Think about it: If you had Esperanto conventions where most people
spoke in national languages most of the time, then you would find
critics criticizing Esperantists on *that* score!

Again, you are showing that worshipping Esperanto is your biggest
priority. Think more about how you can practise national languages
with the foreigners you meet before you think determining the public's
view of Esperanto's capabilities.

I could say "Linguistics is a cult, simple as that," and make as much
sense as that statement of yours.

Linguists don't condemn and ostacize people curious about other
fields, botany and mathematics for example. Many Esperantists,
however, claim that wanting to practise other languages is a betrayal
of their values. Linguistics doesn't have hymn-like communal songs
about how great their pursuit is and how it's the salvation of
mankind, the Esperanto movement does.

Christopher Culver

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

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Relevant Pages

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