Re: unnatural languages


Christopher Culver wrote:
Padraic Brown <elemtilas@xxxxxxxxx> writes:
All the above languages, Esperanto and other constructed languages
included, are "real". They're real in that they are means of
communication and can, at least theoretically, be used as such.

In terms of its value for communication, Esperanto is hardly better
than hand gestures, and certainly nowhere near real languages.

Chris, I am nowhere near an Esperantist - I understand the language
about as well as any linguist - but to me your opposition to Esperanto
seems rather irrational and emotional. Are you sure you have solid,
rational reasons to hate it so much?

I readily admit that it isn't exactly perfect, but in my humble
opinion it is a moderately nice conlang and would do just fine as an
international auxiliary language and lingua franca. I don't think it
would be a disaster if it became one, as you seem to think. I hope you
won't get pissed at me if I say that your opposition to it is
basically due to your failing to score some chick at an Esperanto
gathering years ago, or some other personal grudge on the same level.

I wouldn't suggest this, if I were above such grudges myself. I
certainly am not. I used to speak Polish to beat the band, because I
loved the language and just about anything associated with it, but
then I stopped speaking it for years after a very disturbing
experience with a girl (not even a Polish girl), and I haven't yet
acquired my old fluency in it now that I have started to use it
actively again. Precisely for this reason I tend to think that your
dislike of Esperanto might have similar motives.

.

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