Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-01-31
LANGUAGE THAT
ALL GAN LEARN
Prof. Christen Gave interest
ing Discourse Last Night.

If anyone went to the lecture by
Prof. A. Christen in the high school
auditorium last night entertaining
the idea that English would eVentz
[ually become the universal language,
he must have been thoroughly disil-
|lusioned when he went away. Seldom
has a .'mother tongue" been held up
to such ridicule as was the English
Language last night. But English
was not alone. French, German and
all the other modern languages came
In for criticism and were made the
source of much merriment.
In the first place, Prof. Christen
made 1t plain that Esperanto was
not intended to be q universal lam
guage, taking the place of all mother
tongues. 1t is to be the information
al language, but the mean of which
every man, no matter OF what nation
ality, or what language he speaks,
can communicate with everyone else.
After showing that such an interpa-
tional language is bound to come,
Just as surely as the aeroplane, the
telephone and the wireless telegraph
has come, and after presenting con-
vineing arguments that the dead
languages are iinpracticable and the
modern languages + impossible for
the purpose, he proceeded to show
that, In his opinion, Esperanto saould
not help but be adopted AS the one
universal means of communication.
His reasons for his conclusions are
that Esperanto is SO perfect yet so
simple that anyone can learn 1t In a
few hours. Its vocabulary Is made
up of words taken from all the other
languages so that, no matter what
nationality a person may be, he can
not help but feel at home with Es-
peranto. Again, Esperanto is MAX
ing such great progress that today a
person can travel around the world
and use no other language than
Esperanto. The language is being
In many Of the leading uni
xersities OF the world and In some.
countries 1t is being Taught in the
public schools. -
PROF Christer by follows his
lectures with a course in Esperanto,
giving a working knowledge OF the
language In four lessons. The rudi-
ments of Esperanto ITS given and
from what was given In the lecture
HlBAts NJ WAC R1Afkt thut s4AS
could easily be accomplished. After
Prof. Christen'g Instructions a per-
son Is we'll able to read or speak
Esperanto, not finently, perhaps, but
sufficiently to carry on the rest of
the training alone without assistance
For the four lessons the fee is 81. A
class Is now being formed. A num-
her presented their names last night.
Anyone desiring to take the course
OF four lessons under Prof. christen
can send their name to the EVEN
ING NEWS and they will be properly
enrolled. Through the Kindness of
the Board Of Education, the usenof
the high school has been secured for
the class. The first lesson will prob
ably BIO held next Tuesday night.
Prof. Ghristen says there Is very
little work involved on the part Of
the students. be doing the work and
the class getting the instruction. In
cities WHARF, Prof. Christen has
spoken he has had classes with az
many as 400 members composed of
representative citizens, many Of the
pupils being school teachers 1t is
the desire Of those representing Prof.
christian here that as large d class
as possible be formed.