My previous post had a comment from someone I don't know [thanks for stopping by Bill, it's lovely to know that someone has read something I wrote, especially as I only just started this blog! :-D]
He wanted to chat about Esperanto, and why not? I do remember that people used to [and may still] laugh at Esperanto. I think that much hilarity seemed to come from the fact that it was a 'made up' language - but what's wrong with that - aren't all languages 'made up'?
Anyway...he wrote:
"I am confident that people can and do succeed in intervening consciously to ensure the survival and expansion of particular languages. The birth and growth of Esperanto are examples. As most people know, Esperanto is a planned language which belongs to no one country or group of states."
Nothing wrong with a planned language in my opinion. No problems there then. He talks about the use of Esperanto and includes a link to http://www.esperanto.net/ and I have visited it and will go back for a more thorough inspection when I get time [more time, more time NEED more time!] but his last comment has me befuddled a bit:
"Esperanto continues to change - the word evolve seems to imply inevitability, so I won't use it."
Which brought me up short and confused. I thought that the word evolve meant to change gradually, over time. I suppose there are Darwinian connotations and maybe that's what he means by implied inevitability. But what's wrong with inevitable change in language? And anyway, maybe I'm being really obtuse [in which case please forgive me,] but isn't change inevitable in all languages? Even constructed languages?
And either way, what's wrong with the concept of inevitable change in language? I find it reassuring to know that as we change, our language will inevitably change to accomodate and reflect that. Maybe I'm just splitting hairs, or missing the point or, I don't know, failing in some way.
I genuinely don't know - I'm not trying to be cute or clever I just don't know. But inquiring minds want to know! Bill, if you're still reading, please do tell! :-D
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6 comments:
Multan dankon! Thanks for making such generous use of my thoughts.
Yes, it was precisely the Darwinian connotations I was trying to avoid. My suggestion, although it might have been better expressed, is that there is not a sort of pre-programmed direction of travel, and that people can and do chose to intervene in linguistic matters, large and small.
I'm also a speaker of Welsh, and I'm convinced that the activism of the Welsh Language Society in the 1960s arrested what seemed like the inevitable decline of Welsh. Anyway, diolch yn faer, and enjoy your blogging. I'm sure you'll continue to attract those who wanderer in the blogosphere.
Inevitability of change? Yes, but not the direction, witness Bill's comment about Welsh. And as to Esperanto, yes it is changing (inevitably) and is evolving with greater and broader use . More gatherings and activities in more countries, more translations, more original literature and more family life all contribute to its evolution. And let's not forget the activity on the Internet!
Sukceson al via diskuto - success to your discussion.
Living languages will always need to change and develop. As a professional translator this is a constant challenge - keeping up with language change and usage in the languages I work with (including Esperanto).
Helen is right that the internet plays a huge role in this. What is particularly interesting is how an international speech community, such as that which Esperanto has, self-regulates language change.
A fascinating read on this is a paper by Sabine Fiedler (University of Leipzig) on Standardization and self-regulation in an international speech community: the case of Esperanto (http://www.reference-global.com/doi/pdf/10.1515/IJSL.2006.005)
It seems pretty obvious that he wants to avoid the Darwinian association of "evolve," not that he's saying that the language doesn't. I don't think change is quite right, because it doesn't really change (1887 Esperanto is still understandable in 2008, though the reverse probably wouldn't be true). If it were to change, it would be a different language. It does evolve--slowly change to a more suitable form--though.
I noticed your comments on Esperanto and thought this might be a helpful resource:
Esperanto wiki browser
In principle, a good happen, support the views of the author
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