Dear MEL Topic Readers,
The invented language that found a second life online
Have you heard Esperanto before? It is a constructed language created by a Polish eye doctor in 1887 to be used as the second language for people all over the world. Esperanto means “a hopeful person” in Esperanto. Though the language is easy to learn, the number of its speakers is small and uncertain. Since the language isn’t particularly popular in any country or region, people try to learn it mainly for interest, not for practical purposes.
However, the Internet has been helping the speakers and learners of the language. There are online communities and exchanges that connect people beyond borders and languages.
The language survived two world wars in the last century. Will it survive another century?
Enjoy reading and think which is and will be more popular as an international communication tool, Esperanto, English, or Emoji.