13 years
I've dabbled with it. But it's never caught on.
An international backpacker language -- great idea! But it won't catch on. :(
Esperanto for Backpackers
Hostels for Good
Does anyone here speak Esperanto? Is an international language that was created about a hundred years ago with the intention of becoming a second language that people around the world could use to communicate with each other. There are currently about 2 million Esperanto speakers around the world, mostly in Eastern Europe and East Asia.
Studies have shown that it's much faster to learn Esperanto than most other languages. It took French high school students 150 hours to reach a level of Esperanto that would take 1500 hours to reach in English or 2000 hours to reach in German.
Another study showed that one year of Esperanto study plus three years of French brought the students to a higher level of French than four years of French alone.
I'm fascinated by the concept of an international language. English works to some extent, but not everyone speaks English, while Esperanto is very easy to learn.
I'm wondering how many backpackers speak Esperanto. It seems like it would be a great language for backpackers to adopt in order to communicate with each other. There are many backpackers who don't speak any English, but could learn Esperanto in a month or two. I think it would open up new doors of communication for many travelers.
Esperanto also has something called Pasporta Servo -- a network of free accommodation around the world for people who speak Esperanto. It's something like Esperanto couchsurfing.
There are some tutorials here if anyone is interested in checking it out:
http://en.lernu.net/
- Comments
13 years
I used to think that it was a failed experiment that would never work, and that it didn't really serve a practical purpose. Then I discovered that the headquarters of the US Esperanto organization is just a few miles from where I live, so I started looking into it.
The language is incredibly easy to learn. The people who do study it are highly enthusiastic about it. The Pasporta Servo concept is very interesting, and I think it would appeal to travelers who want to do something different.
I don't think that Esperanto has to be adopted as the international language in order to be successful. It only needs a critical mass people who are willing to speak with each other in the language.
One possible scenario:
- some of the popular travel bloggers/writers become interested in the idea of Esperanto as a language for backpackers and working tech nomads.
- backpackers could advertise that they're willing to communicate in Esperanto by putting Esperanto flags on their backpacks and laptops (see attachment)
- hostels could let people know that they support the project by putting an Esperanto flag at the front desk
The language is really easy to learn. One or two months of study from a book should be enough to start communicating.
The purpose would be to open up new opportunities for international communication on an individual level. Esperanto's success wouldn't necessarily depend on its being the main international language.
I'm going to try to make it to the Lernu meetup in Nitra, Slovakia, if anyone wants to go... :)
13 years
I've decided to go forward with this "Esperanto for Backpackers" project. I'm fascinated by international communication, and I think that learning Esperanto will open up doors while traveling.
Some people have told me that this idea is a waste of time, but there have been enough enthusiastic responses to the idea that I think it is a reasonable goal to try to bring together a group of 50 travelers who speak or will learn Esperanto. I've already found more than 10 people that have expressed interest.
I picture that this community of Esperanto-speaking backpackers will be able to meet up at different spots as they travel around the world.
I'm going to be in Slovakia for an Esperanto meetup in July and August. If anyone else is interested in this idea, hope to see you there. :)
If your hostel is interested in helping to promote this idea, even with just a simple flyer on the wall, please send me a private message.
Here are some places to learn Esperanto online:
Lists of Esperanto organizations around the world:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Esperanto_organizations
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Esperanto_organizations
I'll more news on this project soon...
In the video below, there is a former UN and WHO translator discussing the benefits of Esperanto. I'm not picking it up because I think it will be the world's main secondary language -- my only goal is to bring together some people who otherwise wouldn't be able to communicate. The language is incredibly easy to learn...
[video=youtube;_YHALnLV9XU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YHALnLV9XU[/video]
13 years
The language is really easy to learn. One or two months of study from a book should be enough to start communicating.
I'm going to be in Slovakia for an Esperanto meetup in July and August. If anyone else is interested in this idea, hope to see you there. :)
That gives everyone in this forum almost three months from now to pick it up. According to you, that should be enough to develop a strong base, right? I like languages too. I very well may join you in Slovakia! Anyone else interested?
The video you posted mentions that there is an Esperanto version of Google, but I can't translate this site into Esperanto with the dropdown menu at the top of the page. I'm disappointed.
13 years
According to you, that should be enough to develop a strong base, right?
Jes, mi pensas oni povas lerni Esperanton en tri monatoj. :)
(I've only been learning a little while and haven't spoken with anyone yet, so forgive my bad Esperanto.)
I think the answer is yes, and this will be an interesting experiment to see if it is possible.
The language was designed to have words in common with many languages so a lot of it will look familiar for anyone who speaks a European language, including English.
- "Jes" = yes
- "mi" = I
- "pensas" = think
- "oni" = one
- "lerni" = learn
- "tri" = three
- etc...
On top of those similarities, the grammar is very simple and perfectly regular:
lern-i = to learn
lern-as = learn
lern-is = learned
lern-os = will learn
lern-u = learn!
There are no irregular verbs or other major hassles. The only thing I've encountered so far that takes a little bit of thinking for English speakers is that you mark the object of the sentence with an -n suffix.
Ili lernas Esperanton. ("They are learning Esperanto.")
That makes the word order changeable:
Esperanton lernas ili. ("They are learning Esperanto.")
A feature of the language that makes it easy to learn is that it is based on root words that can be modified with prefixes and suffixes. All nouns end in "o", all adjectives end in "a", all verbs end in "i", and adverbs in "e".
rapidi = to hurry (verb)
rapida = fast (adjective)
rapide = quickly (adverb)
There are prefixes and suffixes to give root words other meanings:
lerni = to learn
lernejo = place of learning (school)
I very well may join you in Slovakia! Anyone else interested?
The video you posted mentions that there is an Esperanto version of Google, but I can't translate this site into Esperanto with the dropdown menu at the top of the page. I'm disappointed.
Unfortunately, Google hasn't programmed an Esperanto translator yet. There is a simple one here though:
http://www.kafejo.com/lingvoj/auxlangs/eo/tradukilo/index.php
I hope at least a few people can make it to Slovakia. I'm looking forward to trying to put Esperanto to use on this upcoming European trip. :)
13 years
I registered for the event. Here are some videos from previous years:
[video=youtube;5vga6pwgU6s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vga6pwgU6s[/video]
[video=youtube;rUV18REbwnI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUV18REbwnI[/video]
13 years
I'm interested.
If I had learned Esperanto years ago, I'm not aware of any occasion when it would have been useful to me in my travels. Maybe your efforts could be a catalyst to encourage people to learn it. With hostels displaying an Esperanto flag on their website and publicity, this might help to build up a critical mass that would favour development. I will do some study!
Josh, please send me a message saying when and where you are planning to travel in Europe. I am planning a trip in May/June.
13 years
If I had learned Esperanto years ago, I'm not aware of any occasion when it would have been useful to me in my travels.
My guess is that one has to seek it out. Check out all of these Esperanto organizations around the world which one could contact before traveling:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Esperanto_organizations
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Esperanto_organizations
...as well as Pasporta Servo, which appears to be something like Esperanto couchsurfing:
http://www.tejo.org/eo/ps_lingv_en
With hostels displaying an Esperanto flag on their website and publicity...
That is my hope. Hostels are typically interested in international communication, so it sounds like a good combination to me... :)
I want to help bring together at least 50 backpackers who already speak Esperanto or who are willing to learn it. When people see that there are actually modern, cool backpackers who speak this language, I think more will become interested.
If a few hostels are interested in the idea, they could put up a small Esperanto flag by the desk.
To make this project worthwhile, not everyone in the world would have to to take up Esperanto. If just 50 or 100 backpackers took up the idea, there would be a group of interesting travelers with something in common, a reason to have meetups, and a way to meet interesting locals.
They are probably many more than 50 backpackers who already speak Esperanto, but I don't know if they are connected in some way, and I think it would be great if a few hostels got involved in the project too.
13 years
I'm headed north towards Slovakia in a couple of days. If anyone else wants to go, it isn't too expensive (prices)...
Maybe see you there... :)
12 years
I'm still working helping to start an Esperanto for Backpackers project that will help connect hostels and Esperanto. There are many Esperanto speakers around the world, and they all like to travel, so it seems to be a perfect match.
This is an interesting documentary about Esperanto:
[video=vimeo;35699885]http://vimeo.com/35699885[/video]
The whole documentary is available online for USD $4.99 here:
http://esperantodocumentary.com/en/watch-it-now
If you want to learn Esperanto for free, the best place is Lernu.net:
http://en.lernu.net/helpo/kiel_komenci.php
More updates soon...
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