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From: iad@cogsci.ed.ac.uk (Ivan A Derzhanski)
Subject: Re: ESPERANTO - SPAM SPAM SPAM, SPAM SPAM SPAM
Message-ID: <D5tH94.Iv2@cogsci.ed.ac.uk>
Organization: Centre for Cognitive Science, Edinburgh, UK
References: <3jnjmq$kpq@lyra.csx.cam.ac.uk> <D5An1q.Ly@news.cis.umn.edu> <hi96m8e.padrote@delphi.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Mar 1995 00:55:49 GMT
Lines: 34

In article <hi96m8e.padrote@delphi.com> John Ayala <padrote@delphi.com> writes:
>[...] I had decided to drop out of the Esperanto argument.

Hadn't we all?  :-)

>[...] one could draw an analogy - a weak one, perhaps - between
>Esperanto and another international system which was sold using
>similar arguments: the metric system. There the advantages of having
>an international system of weights and measures were quite clear to
>those whose job it was to be concerned with measurement: physicists, 
>engineers, manufacturers, etc. [...] Would even this partial conversion
>have taken place without pressure from the business and scientific community?
>I don't think so. And so where is the pressure from analogous groups for
>the use of an international language?

I'm not convinced that linguists are an analogous group.  In your example
you mentioned physicists, engineers and manufacturers, that is, people
who do more measuring than the average.  Linguists don't necessarily
do more talking than everyone else.  :-)  Maybe you could ask why
scientists in general, businessmen and diplomats haven't rejected
the languages they currently use in favour of Esperanto.

On the other hand, linguists could indeed use an auxiliary language,
one which would make it possible to explain the meaning of a word or
form precisely and concisely, without having to resort to a lengthy
explanation or search for close counterparts in other languages.
Needless to say, that would have to be a language with extranatural
expressive power.  I believe Lojban is the only one which would do.

-- 
`"Na, na ... ah mean, *no wey*, wi aw due respect, ma lady," stammers Joe.'
Ivan A Derzhanski (iad@cogsci.ed.ac.uk)    (J Stuart, _Auld Testament Tales_)
* Centre for Cognitive Science,  2 Buccleuch Place,   Edinburgh EH8 9LW,  UK
* Cowan House E113, Pollock Halls, 18 Holyrood Pk Rd, Edinburgh EH16 5BD, UK
