🚀 go-pugleaf

Karl.Odent@student.kulak.ac.be writes in a recent posting (reference <32AD3A68.3CAC@student.kulak.ac.be>):
>
>What if everyone started to learn English...   Wouldn't that be a better
>option than Esperanto?  I guess that it is maybe me being a Belgian
>citizen that already has to learn 4 languages to come around in my own
>country that I can take these things so easily...  What if I spoke
>esperanto now...  WOuld you understand me?  I guess not, so why not
>stick to the 'good old english'...  Then everybody understands
>oneantoher...
>
The largest figure I have ever seen for English-speakers is 15% of the
world's population. Since this figure included *every* citizen of India
(where English is an "official" language), it is certainly a HIGH
estimate. 
It is decidedly *not true* that "everybody understands" English!
Of course English is more widely used than Esperanto; but to be a truly
UNIVERSAL language, all six billion people must learn the same one.

I maintain that it would be more efficient for six billion to learn a
regular language like Esperanto than for five billion to learn English.
And it is more fair for nearly everybody to start "from scratch" than 
for Americans, Brits, Aussies, Canadadians, et alii to start with a 
built-in advantage.

It is worth noting that almost everybody who supports English as the 
Universal Language already speaks English!! "Let's all learn the same
language: you learn mine!"

Cetere vi demandis cxu mi komprenus se vi parolus Esperante-- tutcerte
jes! Kaj ankau multe da la partoprenantoj de tiu cxi konversacio 
komprenus tian esprimometodon. [You asked whether I would understand
you if you spoke Esperanto-- certainly yes! And many other participants
of this conversation would understand that mode of expression.]

-- 
Miko SLOPER              elna@netcom.com              USA  (510) 653 0998
Direktoro de la          ftp.netcom.com:/pub/el/elna   fax (510) 653 1468 
Centra Oficejo de la     Learn Esperanto! Free lessons: e-mail/snail-mail
Esperanto-Ligo de N.A.   Write to above address or call 1-888-2-ESPERANTO