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From: elna@netcom.com (Esperanto League N America)
Subject: Ignorant assertions = Rubbish-Speak
Message-ID: <elnaDnFC2o.837@netcom.com>
Organization: Esperanto League for North America, Inc.
References: <4fff1v$3kh@copland.udel.edu> <rte-2202961339370001@mac-118.lz.att.com> <4gigg0$qqk@netsrv2.spss.com> <312D8BB5.2E21@eurocontrol.fr>
Date: Tue, 27 Feb 1996 07:42:24 GMT
Lines: 42
Sender: elna@netcom22.netcom.com

Peter Hullah <Peter.Hullah@eurocontrol.fr> writes in a recent posting (reference <312D8BB5.2E21@eurocontrol.fr>):
>
>This begs, therefore, the question as to why anyone in their right mind
>bothers to learn esperanto as, given that a previous poster informed us
>that the total number of "native" speakers in the world was equivalent 
>the population of my (small) village, it is probably the world's least
>spoken language and definitely not needed by anyone "to get by".
>
Mr Hullah does not bother to consult a basic encyclopedia, nor read the
daily newspaper! There are hundreds of languages whose *total* number of
speakers is counted in tens or hundreds. "World's least spoken language"!
What a brashly public display of ignorance!

And as for "not needed by anyone 'to get by'" I can readily refute that from
personal experience, in addition to mountains of anecdotal evidence. I have
many friends with whom I share only one common language, and have several
times been saved from complete isolation in a distant country because I could
find folks who had studied the international language Esperanto. Perhaps Mr
Hullah will twist the definition of "need" or "to get by" so that it excludes
such normal language-functions as social interaction with friends or 
alleviation of loneliness during a journey. Or literature. Or direct-access
journalism. Or any of the other normal functions of language which humans
seem to "need" to fulfill.

[stuff omitted]  
>
>Exactly, and if his parents speak English, as well as Esperanto, he will
>drop Esperanto since no-one else within 500 miles speaks it. 

Another silly piece of a priori "reasoning" which is easily refuted by a
glance at the real-world facts. I defy you to find anyplace in Europe where
there are no Esperanto-speakers within 500 miles. This is likely still 
possible in Africa, but not for long! There are *plenty* of Esperanto-speakers
whose parents taught them English as a native language-- often one of three!



-- 
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
