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From: elna@netcom.com (Esperanto League N America)
Subject: Re: languages & happiness!!
Message-ID: <elnaE66pJ4.175@netcom.com>
Organization: Esperanto League for North America, Inc.
References: <853605030.2652@dejanews.com> <7flo8i7wac.fsf@phoenix.cs.hku.hk> <AF3748C1966876071@max2-36.hk.super.net> <7fn2supksl.fsf@phoenix.cs.hku.hk>
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 00:33:04 GMT
Lines: 46
Sender: elna@netcom2.netcom.com

sdlee@cs.hku.hk (Lee Sau Dan ~{@nJX6X~}) writes in a recent posting (reference <7fn2supksl.fsf@phoenix.cs.hku.hk>):
>
>Can't  agree more.  I have  never  blamed French  for its  grammatical
>gender, nor German  for its case system,  and I've been interested  in
>learning these languages.  I'm  also  intersted in learning and  using
>Esperanto and considering it  nothing but another European language, I
>can accept its "weird" grammar.
>
Then why do you complain endlessly about the regular compulsory plural,
and the perhaps-overworked -n ending? If you don't blame French for
being French, why do you blame Esperanto for being Esperanto?
>
>I think  Esperanto is  very unsuitable for  being  an IAL.   It's  too
>European.  The claim that  Esperanto can be used  as a **fair** medium
>for international communication is flawed.  I find that Europeans have
>a non-negligible amount of advantage over other  people when they talk
>in Esperanto.  That's completely unfair.
>                      ^^^^^^^^^^
This is what I find amazing about your line of reasoning- you refuse to
see shades of grey, and you ignore the bigger context of the discussion.
Granted that many Europeans have a head start over many non-Europeans
with regard to Esperanto's vocabulary, this does not warrant dragging
out these adverbs "completely" "every" &c. Given that the current trend
is toward *English* as the world's  dominant language, and the 
unarguable advantage this gives to some Europeans and residents of their
former colonies, supporters of Esperanto offer a *more neutral* medium
of communication, only to be greeted by "completely unfair" and the like.
Also this tendency to criticize without offering a shred of positive
input about how you would encourage neutral communication-- this is a 
form of sniping which shows little willingness to wrestle with the topic.
Do you think English is a fair world language? Do you expect westerners
to master one of Asia's languages? [Given Japan's current economic muscle,
or China's future-- which should it be?] Are you working on an IAL? Have
you found one to support? Or do you just enjoy whining???

>So, while I enjoy learning  and using Esperanto,   I object to  global
>Esperanto Movement.

You object to a lot of things! What do you support??


-- 
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-ESPERANTO
