WHO, WHAT, WHY? The Magazine answers... The advert is set on a desert island where Esperanto is spoken
WHO, WHAT, WHY? The Magazine answers... The advert is set on a desert island where Esperanto is spoken
Littlewoods Direct is using a language constructed in the 19th Century, Esperanto, to launch a new clothing range. Who still learns this language, and why?
Littlewoods Direct is using a language constructed in the 19th Century, Esperanto, to launch a new clothing range. Who still learns this language, and why?
"Mi superfantazia eltravo alporti plu vesoiji."
"Mi superfantazia eltravo alporti plu vesoiji."
This is the Esperanto for "Behold my fantastic invention to bring us more beautiful clothes."
This is the Esperanto for "Behold my fantastic invention to bring us more beautiful clothes."
Perhaps not a phrase language students will have much use for, but this forms the dialogue in Littlewoods Direct's latest advert featuring the queen of a desert island speaking Esperanto.
Perhaps not a phrase language students will have much use for, but this forms the dialogue in Littlewoods Direct's latest advert featuring the queen of a desert island speaking Esperanto.
"We believe it is a language that not only sounds beautiful, but exists to create harmony in the world, making this the perfect choice," says a Littlewoods spokesman. THE ANSWER To speak to others in a "neutral" second languageTo improve language skills
"We believe it is a language that not only sounds beautiful, but exists to create harmony in the world, making this the perfect choice," says a Littlewoods spokesman. THE ANSWER To speak to others in a "neutral" second languageTo improve language skills
When it was created, Esperanto was intended to become everyone's second language, to bring equality to international communications.
When it was created, Esperanto was intended to become everyone's second language, to bring equality to international communications.
There are estimated to be more than 2,000 Esperanto speakers in the UK and anything between 500,000 and two million worldwide. But why learn it?
There are estimated to be more than 2,000 Esperanto speakers in the UK and anything between 500,000 and two million worldwide. But why learn it?
"If you want to travel the world and speak to people on equal terms then learning Esperanto is the way to do it," says David Kelso, 63, from Lanarkshire, who has been speaking it for more than 45 years. "You'll never achieve that through English." People who learn it tend to be idealistic - there's a vast number of poets in Esperanto and there's a lot of vegetarians David Kelso
"If you want to travel the world and speak to people on equal terms then learning Esperanto is the way to do it," says David Kelso, 63, from Lanarkshire, who has been speaking it for more than 45 years. "You'll never achieve that through English." People who learn it tend to be idealistic - there's a vast number of poets in Esperanto and there's a lot of vegetarians David Kelso
As a 14-year-old he taught himself with the help of a correspondence course and it was two years before he met another Esperanto speaker. But his linguistic skills has since earned him hundreds of friendships around the world.
As a 14-year-old he taught himself with the help of a correspondence course and it was two years before he met another Esperanto speaker. But his linguistic skills has since earned him hundreds of friendships around the world.
He gets in touch with Esperanto speakers in any country he plans to visit, and writes daily e-mails in Esperanto to international friends.
He gets in touch with Esperanto speakers in any country he plans to visit, and writes daily e-mails in Esperanto to international friends.
"People who learn it tend to be idealistic. There's a vast number of poets in Esperanto and there's a lot of vegetarians, a high ratio of pacifists and Quakers." Politically, he says, they tend to be left-of-centre.
"People who learn it tend to be idealistic. There's a vast number of poets in Esperanto and there's a lot of vegetarians, a high ratio of pacifists and Quakers." Politically, he says, they tend to be left-of-centre.
Easier than French
Easier than French
The language itself sounds rather like Italian or Spanish and its grammar is very simple so it's easy to learn, with no irregular verbs. LISTEN TO ESPERANTO
The language itself sounds rather like Italian or Spanish and its grammar is very simple so it's easy to learn, with no irregular verbs. LISTEN TO ESPERANTO
Lazar Zamenhof created the language in 1887, in response to the ethnic divisions in his native Bialystok in Poland. He believed that language barriers fostered conflict and therefore set about promoting a "neutral" second language that had no political baggage.
Lazar Zamenhof created the language in 1887, in response to the ethnic divisions in his native Bialystok in Poland. He believed that language barriers fostered conflict and therefore set about promoting a "neutral" second language that had no political baggage.
In the 1920s there were attempts at the League of Nations to make it the language of international relations, but the French were among those to resist. And Esperanto speakers were persecuted in Nazi Germany, where Hitler viewed the language with deep suspicion.
In the 1920s there were attempts at the League of Nations to make it the language of international relations, but the French were among those to resist. And Esperanto speakers were persecuted in Nazi Germany, where Hitler viewed the language with deep suspicion.
Since then, William Shatner helped raise the language's profile by starring in an Esperanto-speaking film called Incubus. And one of the lead characters in BBC Two's Red Dwarf, Arnold Rimmer, tried to speak it - indeed, Esperanto it was a recurring theme on the show. Esperanto was the name of a spaceship in Red Dwarf
Since then, William Shatner helped raise the language's profile by starring in an Esperanto-speaking film called Incubus. And one of the lead characters in BBC Two's Red Dwarf, Arnold Rimmer, tried to speak it - indeed, Esperanto it was a recurring theme on the show. Esperanto was the name of a spaceship in Red Dwarf
The advent of the internet has helped to harness interest and make it easier for people to teach themselves. But it has also made the community more invisible - the number of active Esperanto clubs in the UK has declined from about 80 to 10 in recent years. Next week a worldwide Esperanto congress meets in Rotterdam.
The advent of the internet has helped to harness interest and make it easier for people to teach themselves. But it has also made the community more invisible - the number of active Esperanto clubs in the UK has declined from about 80 to 10 in recent years. Next week a worldwide Esperanto congress meets in Rotterdam.
Four UK primary schools teach Esperanto, under a pilot scheme called Springboard organised by the Esperanto Association of Britain.
Four UK primary schools teach Esperanto, under a pilot scheme called Springboard organised by the Esperanto Association of Britain.
"It's a language awareness course that uses Esperanto as a tool to create interest in language and confidence in language learning," says teacher Stephen Thompson.
"It's a language awareness course that uses Esperanto as a tool to create interest in language and confidence in language learning," says teacher Stephen Thompson.
"This gives them a better start in their language learning in general. Too much French or Spanish or German or anything can provide continuity problems."
"This gives them a better start in their language learning in general. Too much French or Spanish or German or anything can provide continuity problems."
Esperanto gives children confidence and the sense "I can do this", he says.
Esperanto gives children confidence and the sense "I can do this", he says.
"Most people find problems of gender and irregular verbs and strange spelling just too much when learning a foreign language."
"Most people find problems of gender and irregular verbs and strange spelling just too much when learning a foreign language."
Language and culture
Language and culture
But the Department for Children, Schools and Families has yet to be convinced of the merits of Esperanto and does not class it as a foreign language that meets the needs of the national curriculum. WHO, WHAT, WHY? A regular feature in the BBC News Magazine - aiming to answer some of the questions behind the headlines
But the Department for Children, Schools and Families has yet to be convinced of the merits of Esperanto and does not class it as a foreign language that meets the needs of the national curriculum. WHO, WHAT, WHY? A regular feature in the BBC News Magazine - aiming to answer some of the questions behind the headlines
"Esperanto does not allow pupils to develop an interest in the culture of other nations or to communicate with native speakers as it does not have an associated culture or homeland," says a spokesman.
"Esperanto does not allow pupils to develop an interest in the culture of other nations or to communicate with native speakers as it does not have an associated culture or homeland," says a spokesman.
"There are no recognised qualifications in Esperanto so schools could not teach it at Key Stage 4 [age 14-16], where the requirement is to teach pupils a language leading to a recognised qualification."
"There are no recognised qualifications in Esperanto so schools could not teach it at Key Stage 4 [age 14-16], where the requirement is to teach pupils a language leading to a recognised qualification."
Thompson believes the language has encountered two enemies, ignorance and prejudice.
Thompson believes the language has encountered two enemies, ignorance and prejudice.
And he says Esperanto - which means "one who hopes" - has its own heritage, including a long tradition of literature.
And he says Esperanto - which means "one who hopes" - has its own heritage, including a long tradition of literature.
Add your comments on this story, using the form below.
Add your comments on this story, using the form below.
I was taught Esperanto at a comprehensive school in the 70s. It was a total waste of valuable time in education and I would have found French or German more beneficial. It is a minority thing and should never have been allowed to be taught in schools in the first place. But then again, looking back, education then was more about trends. Lorraine McKeown, Stockport
"If you want to travel the world and speak to people on equal terms then learning Esperanto is the way to do it," says David Kelso. Nonsense. All you are doing is using a hodgepodge of European languages rather than one of them. I struggle to see how an indigenous tribesperson would see this as any less culturally imperialist (unless, of course, the "world" only includes western Europe and the places where the local languages were replaced by European languages long ago).Andrew, London, UK
As an international language, Esperanto's main drawback is its similarity to European languages. It's simply not true that you can speak to people "on equal terms" in a language that is so much more like yours than theirs (if they happen to speak, say, Japanese or Arabic).Chris, Cambridge
In a world where international and cultural divisions still cause so much hardship, maybe it's actually time that we gave Esperanto a real shot. As a newcomer, I'm certainly intrigued.Matthew, Bristol
