Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-04-04
THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE.

rs word-language feasibe?' is a
question in which the scientific world
seems to take an untlrlns interest. A
Lelpsic professor, William OSWALD, has
just issued a pamphlet on that subject,
in which he according to extracts from
1t given in the Literary Digest, express
es the belief that the so-called Esper-
anto has a great future, He thinks that
artificial language goes a long way to-
ward the solution OF the problem forced
upon mankind BY the folly of the build
ers Of the Tower Of Babel. and In proof
of this he mentions the fact that at a
recent international geological con-
gress held IN Vienna, three OF the dele
gates, a Norwegian, Rumanian, and
Il Belgian, none Of whom could UNDER
stand the language Of either OF the 9TH
ers, readily found medium OF ccm-
munlcation on all scientific subjects
through Esperanto. One of these gan-
tlemcn, we are told, assured the Leip-
sic geologist Dr. Gredner, that he had
acquired the Lew language IN about
three weeks time,
The objections, however, to "Esler-
anto,' or any other artificial tongue are
serious. Language is not artificial, but
a natural growth, and II Is only AS far
as It is natural that 1t fulhls It's pur-
pose OF being the medium through
which souls commune with souls and
with the Father Of ALL An artificial
language will always occupy, among
the living tongues, the position of an
artificial flower In a botanical garden.
II may be admirable II may be beau
tiful, II may be testimony to the skill
of the artist, but It can never take the
place Of the humblest flower that
blooms on the roadside, ~
The universal language will be a liv-
Ing tongue Education is becoming
general among the nations Of the earth,
and finally every school child will
know, besides the mother tongue, some
English. German, French, or Spanish,
and then scholars will find no difficulty
in holding intercourse with one another
on subjects OF international interest.
Language study It will be admitted, is
difficult and requires much time, But
when 1t becomes general the difficulties
will gradually be less. Practice renders
II easier for each succeeding genera
ton, This Is illustrated by the fact
that nearly all Hebrews, who for ages
have been scattered among the nations
OF the earth, are natural llnguists II
cores natural to them to pick up lam
guage, and many Of them speak dozen
modern tongues. The question Of a
world-language will be solved gradual
ly by universal education, and not by
artificial means.
The following will give some idea OF
the new language, This Is part OF
verb; Ami, to love; amanta, loving;
aminta, having loved amonta, about to
love; amata. being loved anita, having
been loved mi amas, love; vi amis,
YOU loved II amos. he will love; M
anus, We should love; III estas amata,
you are loveI These forms will hard
ly strike the average reader as any
loveliAr than those with which they
RAY be acquainted from old grammars.
II cannot be any more difficult TO leor
TO say "amo.' or, "lch 'iebe." or,
'Jalme," ,han It Is to say. mi amas"
Then, IN Esperanto, there are other
things such as feminnes In IN dim.
inutlvts in "et' ana an introductcr.
ecu" az question mark. These par
ticles.' we are told ARE particularly
useful IN constructing words For IN.
stance, "pli' means more "Pl bona"
Is better "malpl bona is less
good and "pll malbona" worse" Zig
means the art % making, and bona Is
good" so "bonigo" means making
good and "pli bonigo,' making bet.
ter" or Improvement"
HE Easter music was beautiful; the
Easter hats were divine,