International Language | Page 2

PAGE
I. Some Existing International Languages already in Partial
Use . . . . . . . . . 74 II. Outline of History of the Idea of a Universal
Language--List of Schemes proposed . . . . . . . . 76 III. The Earliest
British Attempt . . . . . . 87 IV. History of Volapük--a Warning . . . . . .
92 V. History of Idiom Neutral . . . . . . . 98 VI. The Newest Languages:
a Neo-Latin Group--Gropings towards a "Pan-European" Amalgamated
Scheme . . . . . . . . . . 103 VII. History of Esperanto . . . . . . . . 105 VIII.

Present State of Esperanto: (a) General; (b) in England 121 IX. Lessons
to be drawn from the Foregoing History . . . 131

PART III
THE CLAIMS OF ESPERANTO TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY:
CONSIDERATIONS BASED ON THE STRUCTURE OF THE
LANGUAGE ITSELF
CHAP. PAGE
I. Esperanto is scientifically constructed, and fulfils the Natural
Tendency in Evolution of Language . . . 135 II. Esperanto from an
Educational Point of View--It will aid the learning of other Languages
and stimulate Intelligence . . . . . . . . . 145 III. Comparative Tables
illustrating Labour saved in learning Esperanto as contrasted with other
Languages: (a) Word-building; (b) Participles and Auxiliaries . 155 IV.
How Esperanto can be used as a Code Language to communicate with
Persons who have never learnt it . . 161

PART IV
SPECIMENS OF ESPERANTO, WITH GRAMMAR AND
VOCABULARY
CHAP. PAGE
Note . . . . . . . . . . . 165 I. Pronunciation . . . . . . . . . 166 II. Specimens
of Esperanto: 1. Parolado . . . . . . . . . 167 2. La Marbordistoj . . . . . . . .
168 3. Nesagxa Gento: Alegorio . . . . . . 168 III. Grammar . . . . . . . . . .
189 IV. List of Affixes . . . . . . . . . 191 V. Table of Correlative

Words . . . . . . . 193 VI. Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . 194
APPENDIX A
Sample Problems (see
Part III., chap, ii.) in Regular Language .
200
APPENDIX B
Esperanto Hymn by Dr. Zamenhof . . . . . . . 202
APPENDIX C
The Letter c in Esperanto . . . . . . . . 204
* * * * *


PART I
GENERAL
I
INTRODUCTORY
In dealing with the problem of the introduction of an international
language, we are met on the threshold by two main questions:
1. The question of principle.
2. The question of practice.

By the question of principle is meant, Is it desirable to have a universal
language? do we wish for one? in short, is there a demand?
The question of practice includes the inquiries, Is such a language
possible? is it easy? would its introduction be fraught with prohibitive
difficulties? and the like.
It is clear that, however possible or easy it may be to do a thing, there is
no case for doing it unless it is wanted; therefore the question of
principle must be taken first. In the case before us the question of
principle involves many considerations--aesthetic, political, social,
even religious. These will be glanced at in their proper place; but for
our present purpose they are all subordinate to the one great paramount
consideration--the economic one. In the world of affairs experience
shows that, given a demand of any kind whatever, as between an
economical method of supplying that demand and a non-economical
method, in the long run the economical method will surely prevail.
If, then, it can be shown that there is a growing need for means of
international communication, and that a unilingual solution is more
economical than a multilingual one, there is good ground for thinking
that the unilingual method of transacting international affairs will
surely prevail. It then becomes a question of time and method: When
will men feel the pressure of the demand sufficiently strongly to set
about supplying it? and what means will they adopt?
The time and the method are by no means indifferent. Though a
demand (for what is possible) is sure, in the long run, to get itself
supplied, a long period of wasteful and needless groping may be
avoided by a clear-sighted and timely realization of the demand, and by
consequent organized co-operation in supplying it. Intelligent
anticipation sometimes helps events to occur. It is the object of this
book to call attention to the present state of affairs, and to emphasize
the fact that the time is now ripe