Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1910-11-22
LOVE IN ESPERANTO
Mr.. Arthur Baker A Chicago
Editor And Esperantist
Lectures AT Mcdowell
Hall
"A. MIS- THE ROOT OF LOVE
TIL. The Universal Language lis
Simplicity Illustrated Annapolis
First To Legislate Its Use

Mcdowell Hall was the scene of &C.
tion of the first public lecture on the
universal language, called Esperanto,
to be given in Annapolis, which was
held last night.
The lecturer, Mr. Arthur Baker,
author of several books on Esperanto
and editor of one of their newspapers,
was introduced by President Fell, of
st. Johns College. Mr.. Baker gave
resume of world languages and told
of the only other universal language
which had ever been seriously taken
up, which was known as "Volpek, "
a language gotten up in one night,
as Mr.. Baker described it. by man
suffering from insomnia, probably
plausible to over indulgence Volpek
is contraction of world speech. Vol
PEEK has since died a natural death
due possibly to the same complaint
as its author.
Esperanto has been in existence
only about five years, and although
our country has been slow in TAX
ing up its study, those living in
foreign countries where it is only
necessary to make a days journey
to get into and out of four different
nations with as many different
tongues have appreciated its value
and are joining classes or studying
at home in large numbers. In Paris
there are over seventy classes study
ing this language.
Mr.. Baker claims from actual ex-
perience that it is possible for a
student of Esperanto after two
month work to be better able to
make himself understood to a for
eigner than after two years study
on any of the foreign tongues.
Strange as it may seem the pro-
nunciaton of Esperanto is such that
the brogue of the Irishman, the gut
teral of the German and the nasal of
the French are lost, and it is impos-
sible to tell the nationality of the
speaker of Esperanto by his words.
So that you might learn it in Sweden
and your friend in South America,
but it is all the same.
At the Paris convention twenty
four countries were represented, but
every one felt quite at home and
could thoroughly understand every
one else. Mr.. Baker sang a very
pretty little song in Esperanto to
show the quality of the language
when put to music aud on request
told clever story in Esperanto,
which he afterwards translated into
English for the benefit of those who
were not familiar with Esperanto.
To illustrate the simplicity of the
language, .Mr. Baker had a small
chart with the letters "A. M" on it,
the root of the Esperanto word for
Glove" by the simple adding of sin
gle letter at time the word was put
through the PAGES, that even the
heart of tickle maiden seldom en-
joys.
Is not this simplicity dangerous
with such word,a hurried note from
lover to his sweetheart might be
all changed by carelessly dotted
''I'' or any of the many Fother little
slips that the writer often makes.
Suppose you intended to say Il do
love you" and a passing fly, after
stopping long enough on the ink
we'll to get wee drop of ink on his
foot, should alight on the letter and
change the meaning to II might
love you." The candy store, the
florist and theatre would enjoy a
great business while this swain was
endeavoring to get himself square
again with his Am?
At the close of the lecture Pres
ident Fell thanked the speaker on
behalf of the audience. The Rev.
j. L. Smiley made a few remarks,
saying that there was already a
class in Annapolis and that the
public schools of the State were
holding classes for the instruction
of Esperanto as authorized by an
Act of the last State Legislature.
and said that he would be glad to
see any one desirous of knowing
more about tbs language.