Esperanto
Esperanto is an exciting language introduced towards the end of the 19th century which is now spoken by people all around the world making it a full-fledged international language. Having a simple grammar and vocabulary that can be learned in half a year, Esperanto has grown in popularity. This is evident looking at the vast international literature (over 25,000 books) as well as regularly published magazines and many diverse styles of music.
What can I do with Esperanto?
There are many ways to use Esperanto. Imagine backpacking across Europe or North America. With the Pasporta Servo, you can stay with locals all around the world (over 1200 homes in over 75 countries) who host other Esperanto speakers for free. The hosts get the pleasure of meeting people from around the world, and travellers get free lodging.
There is an Esperanto event happening, somewhere around the world, every day of the year and they are more than just people speaking Esperanto. During the day you will find everything from interesting lectures to massage classes. The night comes alive with drinking and dancing. The World Congress of Esperanto draws anywhere from 2000-3000 people. The largest annual youth gatherings are for anyone under 30 and are attended by 200-400 participants. Whether you are looking to get to know people from around the world or are interested in an international romance, these conferences are a great place to meet others.
You can also use Esperanto right from the comfort of your home computer to enrich the way you experience the Internet. At gxangalo.com, you can get your world news from a politically neutral source. You can also use forums, discussion lists and chatrooms to hear the local point of view. Read the deep thoughts and everyday experiences of people living in exotic countries in their blogs. Downloading MP3 files is a different experience in Esperanto due to the vast number of cultures creating Esperanto music. Whatever your interests you will find something for you in Esperanto.
Where can I learn Esperanto?
- Lernu! - multilingual course available online
- NESTO - computer program with sound files (Linux/Windows)
- Esperanto Viva - lessons about the language and culture
- Free Esperanto Course - the classic correspondence course
- esperanto.net - learn about Esperanto in over 55 languages
Some other great places to learn more about Esperanto in English:
- Esperanto: A Language for the Global Village by Sylvan Zaft
- The Esperanto Book by Don Harlow
- About Language Problems by Claude Piron
