Thread: Learning a second language

Originally Posted by Wintchase

That was really well written. Interesting poi on the Brit Soldiers. One i have found to be true from Amerrican Soldiers also...When they speak a different language it is usually in the feminine because they learn the language from females. Except of course Russian...Which is easier if you just take all the tenses out...makes me wish Esporanto vwould have taken off....Easy to use but without the nationality hang ups.

The problem with Esperanto is precisely that it has nothing attached to it.

For example, suppose I got really interested in Japanese bladesmithing. If I learn Japanese I can immerse myself in everything that is written about that topic by the people who are experts. I can learn to understand the culture. I can talk with everyone who matters (at least if they will see me etc). And everything I can want to talk about has an extensive vocabulary and terminology.

If I were to learn esperanto, I could... pretty much only talk to other language-o-philes. It will be very hard to find one who is also an experienced Japanese blacksmith. I would say the chances are nil, even if esperanto had taken off. On top of that, there would be zero literature and historical information available to me because that would still be in Japanese. And even if I were to find a Japanese blacksmithing expert who would speak esperanto, or perhaps talked to one via an interpretor, esperanto simply does not have the topical vocabulary to talk about in-depth about traditional bladesmithing.

Esperanto is an interesting thing from a language point of view, and perhaps useful as a common language for getting by in a foreign country. Ordering food, asking directions, etc. Things that are applicable regardless of which country you are in. For real practical applications it was doomed from the start.

Mind you, 'just getting by and asking directions' is what most people would need when traveling. It would have been a major accomplishment had that happened. The reason it didn't happen imo is the issue I explained. People wanting to learn another language usually have a specific reason for doing so, and Esperanto would not help them with that.