Why would/should someone learn to speak Esperanto?

Answer 1

I have no idea
Esperanto is not a very useful language

Answer 2

I started learning Esperanto in 2000 just as an experiment to see if i could learn a second language at the age of 40.

Esperanto was not invented to replace anyone's language, it was created to be an easy to learn second language for the world. Knowing Esperanto doesn't stop anyone from learning more languages, as a matter of fact, everyone I know who speaks Esperanto, also speaks at least two other languages. Many people like me are finding it on the Internet, and it strikes a chord within the hearts of the most intelligent and open-minded.

When I learned Esperanto I was very surprised to find that:

1. it doesn't sound artificial like other constructed languages because every concept and construct was taken from another European language.

2. It's not a dead language, as I first assumed, but a living and thriving language. The language is constantly evolving and changing (computer = komputilo or komputero, there is a debate about which word is best and the Esperanto community is still waiting to see which word will win out.)

3. It has a growing and vibrant, international community, large body of literature and music, and even a few movies. A new one was released last year in Brazil called "Gerda Malaperis", it's a based on a detective novel by the same name.

4. There are native Esperanto speakers. They are usually children who are born to Esperantists from different cultures, who meet through Esperanto and for whom the International Language is their common language, and therefore their home language, and their children grow up speaking the language as their first.

5. The most amazing thing I learned about Esperanto was when I learned about the international guest service, Pasporta Servo (Passport Service). If you learn Esperanto, purchase the book, a new one comes out each year and is available for just a few dollars, hosts from all over the world will open the doors of their homes to you usually free of charge, and you'll make friends in many countries. http://www.tejo.org/ps/ps_lingv/ps_en.htm

Learning Esperanto opened the world to me. I've corresponded with more people in more countries than I ever thought was possible before I learned it. And I know more about the English language than I did before I started learning Esperanto too. Things they tried to teach me in High School and College English classes suddenly became clear once I had a second language to see the comparisons. I wish all schools would teach Esperanto to children in the early grades, I think it would open the world to them also. As a matter of fact, I know and admire two teachers who are teaching Esperanto to children in schools. I intend to teach it to my grandchildren.

I recommend Esperanto to everyone. The language, the international community and the dream, a world united through communication in a common neutral language.

Anyone who says that Esperanto is a useless language is condemning the language based on assumptions, without bothering to actually learn anything about it.

Answer 3

My kids and I are learning it and we practice it every day. Why?
Well believe it or not, Esperanto represents the best chance for the survival of the multitude of dying languages since it's purpose is to provide an alternative to the monopoly of any one National tongue to the disadvantage of others.
Consider if you will, Esperanto is an easily learnt AUXILIARY language. This means that myself and those German, Japanese or Korean fellows over there needn't sink a lot of time and effort into learning each others mother tongues if they don't wish in order to communicate, where the speaker of the tongue we decide to communicate in will hold the advantage in any discussions; since the likelihood of the rest of us having a mastery of the second language will be remote at best. Each partner has exerted a similar effort in order to communicate; a linguisticly neutral hand shake if you will. Yet we are still free to talk in our mother tongues when and where we choose.
Further, I am now in a position to visit just about every country in the world and with the help of my new found Esperanto speaking friend (2 million plus) learn of his / her culture and language. This second facet is possible because in learning Esperanto I now have a firmer grip on linguistic principles. I will provide a link below on the benefits of learning tertiary languages after Esperanto.
However, if it is Culture you desire, then you've no need to look much further than the Internet. In music there are Folk, Jazz, Opera, Rock, Hip Hop, Rap, childrens' songs, etc. In literature there is multinational translations plus original works. The yearly Esperanto Congresses are a play ground for young and old alike for interaction.
The error it seems that most people make, is the assumption that a focus on one area or language will detract from other areas. Although it may be true to a point, it is extremely unlikely to effect an area to the point of destruction. There are simply too many people in the world to allow that to happen. None of this precludes learning another language.
Conversely, nobody would feel forced to learn it, especially if they've no desire to leave their comfort zone.
The fact is that like it or not, it's use is expanding exponentially. The last educated guess puts the number of functional speakers at 2 million plus and another 2,000 plus native speakers (those that were born to an Esperanto household; yes they exist).
Yet many people feel almost threatened by it, which is the last intention of the Esperantistoj (ehs-pehr-ahn-TEES-toy). It is simply a tool to allow those that might otherwise struggle to learn a new language, the option of expanding their horizons.
Finally, there is currently $600 million plus USD a year being spent on translation services at the UN, and a similar amount in the EU, because no one nationality wants to loose the prestige and advantage of owning one of the 'working' languages in each of those institutions. This a huge waste of resources that might otherwise go to feeding and housing those less fortunate. A single working language, easily learnt (less than a year to become fluent) would certainly go along way towards that goal. The Universal Esperanto Asociation (UEA) currently holds observer status (class B) at the UN and UNESCO. So there is some movement towards this goal.
Research and draw your own conclusions.

Ĝis!

Answer 4

no longer completely. you won't be able to with the help of no means talk a language besides as your community one, until you're fortunate sufficient to be bilingual provided that formative years. yet you could have dazzling consequences. Come on adult men, to those who say that that's possibile : it is not. No way. speaking completely means that no person has to notice which you at the instant are not an area speaker in that language. and that may no longer possible. you may get on the brink of perfection - yet a 9 years previous community French/German youngster will consistently talk extra effective than you, no remember what. there are particular issues like accessory, grammar blunders (even the tiniest) which you won't be able to easily have or dodge in case you have no longer grown up speaking and listening to that language each and all of the time. I stay with a Spanish community, he's been right here in Italy for two decades. in case you hear to him, you will no longer almost notice that he's no longer an Italian community - yet then, in case you pay interest, the accessory comes out or perhaps some grammar blunders (no longer huge ones). and that's for each and all of the foreign places human beings i've got met in my existence, residing right here for some years, graduated in Italian, been reading it for years (they understand grammar regulations extra effective than me,and that i'm an area! i won't be able to undergo in strategies them from uncomplicated college). And confident, they could understand pratically each and every little thing in all forms of circumstances, get the jokes,what radios and tv say, etc, yet there is often that imperfection of their accessory - you won't be able to do away with your accessory - or some doubts of the thank you to assert this or that subject (is that female?is that masculine?how is the 0.33 individual of that verb? all stuff i in simple terms understand as a results of fact i'm an area). So, quit asserting stuff that at the instant are not real. Perfection won't be able to exist.

Answer 5

It's an intellectual exercise but, for the life of me, I can't think of a legitimate reason to learn it.... If you're going to put that much effort into learning another language, then make it a USEFUL language.

Answer 6

i guess it looks good on the cv. but it is an exercise in futility, although it is a less political language.

Answer 7

They shouldn't, I've never even HEARD of that language that before.

Answer 8

to woo the ladies?