The international language
Esperanto was created with the aim to be a fair communication tool.
It is the most appropriate language to eliminate language barriers and to allow international communication for everybody on a basis of mutual respect and understanding. The aim of Esperanto is not to replace the other languages but to be a “bridge” between different language communities.
Easy and rich
Esperanto is easier to learn than other languages because it is based on logical constructions:
- Spelling: Esperanto is completely phonetic. Each letter can only be pronounced one way, and each sound can only be spelled one way
- Grammar: there are few rules and no exceptions, for example no irregular verbs
- Vocabulary: learn just 500 word roots and you’ll have a vocabulary of over 5000 words, including for concepts that cannot be expressed in other languages
Because of its easiness, we can quickly learn Esperanto, use it and even teach it, that way it has a large, enthusiastic community.
It has never been so easy to travel and to communicate internationally.
- We have multicultural events: It is wonderful to meet people from all over the world and to be able to communicate fluently with them: we can debate, we can visit new countries, we can play and dance together. The most important event is the “Universala Kongreso” which brings together thousands of Esperanto speakers from all over the world for one week every year. There are many other events as well, such as the IJK, dedicated to the youth. Every day there is an Esperanto event somewhere in the world.
- The internet is for us: we are a worldwide community that likes to communicate.
Unlike most languages, Esperanto does not belong to a specific country or ethnic group: it is politically and socially neutral.
Esperanto is not the tool of any nation, national group, political party or social class. It belongs to the whole humanity. Every person who uses Esperanto is on an equal linguistic footing with all other users of the language. The result is an impressive spirit of friendship and fellowship among Esperanto speakers.
Esperanto is not intended to replace anyone’s native language, it simply serves as a lingua franca, a language of communication. Esperanto speakers are regrouped in many associations. The biggest association for Esperanto speakers is UEA (the creator of this website). The aim of UEA is to promote the Esperanto language as a tool for a better society (see the Prague Manifesto) and to organize events and cultural life for the community.
The history of Esperanto
Esperanto was created by Ludwig L. Zamenhof, a Polish doctor who lived in a city where the different language communities always misunderstood and fought each other. That is why he created Esperanto as a language they could learn quickly in order to communicate better. He created it in 1887, a time when few people traveled or spoke with people in other countries.
The first Esperanto Congress took place in the French town Boulogne-sur-mer in 1905. Already then, more than 600 people from more than 20 countries came together.
Due to the ease of international travel nowadays and the invention of the internet, Esperanto is only now seeing great success. It is spoken by two million people worldwide. Last year, more than 400,000 people started to learn it anew.