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From: elna@netcom.com (Esperanto League N America)
Subject: studying Esperanto  
Message-ID: <elnaDwvE2o.654@netcom.com>
Organization: Esperanto League for North America, Inc.
References: <4v08hq$9ss@sunburst.ccs.yorku.ca> <3216B4EE.4FBC@gold.tc.umn.edu> <elnaDwLuzr.1v5@netcom.com> <3222DD74.56D@gold.tc.umn.edu>
Date: Wed, 28 Aug 1996 22:49:36 GMT
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Sender: elna@netcom16.netcom.com

bunda002@gold.tc.umn.edu writes in a recent posting (reference <3222DD74.56D@gold.tc.umn.edu>):
>Esperanto League N America wrote, in reply to my earlier reply to
>another participant:
>
>> Most potential students of other languages are never given the option of
>> enrolling in an Esperanto class. 
>
>Most language learners don't learn languages (mostly) in "class."
>Ironically, you are confirming the hypothesis that Esperanto is little
>used outside of artificial settings.
>
Not so ironically (nor surprizingly) you are reaching a false conclusion.
Most Americans (and many residents of other lands) *do* have their first
exposure to a second language during school in "class". The lucky few
who have a chance to practice what they have learned are more likely
to retain their skills than those who neither have nor create such
opportunities. European Esperantists are *far* luckier than we New Worlders
in that every weekend of the year, some sort of Esperanto camping trip,
conference, festival, etc. is only a train ride away! It takes a pretty
intentionally narrow definition of "artificial" to brand these diverse
events with this adjective.
The excitement of Poles, Hungarians, Spaniards, Britons, Russians, etc.
coming together to party, confer, work, make love, etc. etc. is perhaps
unimaginable to you; but I assure you it does not feel "artificial".
t

>> There are *massive* industries supporting
>> English, French, German and other languages; while Esperanto is mostly 
ignored
>> out-of-hand.
>
>Why is that?
>
I honestly do not know.

-- 
Miko SLOPER                   elna@netcom.com         USA  (510) 653 0998
Direktoro de la          ftp.netcom.com:/pub/el/elna   fax (510) 653 1468 
Centra Oficejo de la     Learn Esperanto! Free lessons: e-mail/snail-mail
Esperanto-Ligo de N.A.      Write to above address or call 1-800-828 5944
