Nome

In Search of a Common Language

For centuries, legions of clever linguists have attempted to creatc a world lansuase. With this univcrsal lanurragc, they hopcd to foster gooclcomrrlercc artd lealnitrg. will as r,vellas serve the causeso{'intc-'rnationzrl None of these langtrageshas bccn as successlirl:rs Espcranto. Althorrsh pcoplc ASSurne ttrat it was an experirnent that {ailed, l,spcrantists,cstimated to nrrmber betrveeneight nrillion and sixteen million, arc fiuncl throtrghout the worlcl. In lB87 Lazarus Ludwis Zantcrtlto{'prrblis}rr:dLingTtoIntcrnrttiu rlr lrt (lntcrrtati,onalLanguugc b,-I)otlor Holteftrl).lli:rlvstok, RrrsDohktrolisNnrrt,n,lo sia (now part of'Poland), rvhcrc Zarncrtlrof{rrcw u[), was a plact'nhert' ltolcs,(]c:rrrrzrns, r)llrner()lls languagcswcrc spokcn. As a rt:srrlt, Rrrssians, Estoni:rns,and Latvians profoundly rnistnrsted ancl nristrnclerstoorl c:tch other. Zarnenhof's drearn \'vas fashion a l)ew langrurgelhrorrglr whic'h to his neishbors could leirrn to coexist.His initial goals lirr the nascentlanlt:arrt it, grragewere lbr it tcl be so sirnpler and logical thal anvone c'orrlrl and to bc so ncutral in 1;olitic:ilanrl crrltru-ul corrrrotutions th:lf it r-orrld grragt'. bcc:onrccvcrvorte's ser:ortrll:rn Zamcnh<lf succr--c--dcdat lcast or)c \'v2r)'. ccntr:rl tenets o1'Iispt'ranlo in Tlrc are its elegant sirnplicity ancl its relentlesslop;ic.In contlirst to Englislr, with its sornctirnes bewilderina spcllinu:rrrrlpronrrnci;rtion,!,sperirntois as strictly phonetic. Evcry word is pronollr)('cd exar:tl,v it is spcllcd. Ftrr. thcrrnrlrc, grarnlnar zrndsyntax hal'c bercn rcrhrc:cdto sixtccn rrrlcs th:rt h:rveno except.iorrs. For cxarnple,everv norrn enclsirr -o,t'vcrv arljcctivc -a, ancl everv adverb in -r,.L,xperts clnirn th:rt evcn a novice can lcarn in the language in one hrrndreclhorrrs or less. Furthernrore, in keeping with his prosaic :rpproach to languagc, Zarnctthof scarched clictionarics of- thc Werstcrnr,orld, c'hoosing ll'onr each the: most comrnon roots on which tr) qr-afi his ncr,vlanguage. Frortt ortly 2,000 roots, plus a varietv clf prefixersancl srrfflxes,llsperantists ltavr: vocabulary. accessto a 10,000-worcl Zamenhof's dream of establishinuEspcrant()as a univcrsal sccond language never completely caught on. By the end of Worlcl War II, Enelish had becorne the lansuase of brrsiness, diplomacy, and sciencc. On a smaller scale,however, Esperanto is doing the work its creator intcndecl. Countries like.fapan and China use it to facilitate discussionsbetween speakers of clifferent dialects. In this way, Esperanto l-relpsto expancl communication among people who might otherrvise never commrrnicate at all.

facilitate foster legion nascent novice profound prosaic relentless syntax tenet

Context Clues: Reoding in rhc ltr*

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Each word in this lesson's word list appearsin clark $pe in the selectiorr you just read. Think about how the vocabulary *o.d i, ,r.J i., rhe serec_ tion, then write the retter for the best answer to each question. l. Which words coulcl best replace legionsin line 1? (A) reduced quantities (B) secretorganizations (C) limited groups (D) large numbers 2. Which word could besr replace fosterin line Z? (A) promote (B) conquer (O) transfer (D) commrrnicate 3. Which word coulcl besr replaceprofounrt\ in line l2? (A) remarkably (B) cleeply (O) rarely (D) selectively 4. A na.scent language (line: l4) can best be clescribecl as one that is (A) expressive (B) corninq into beins (O) rcjected as roo clifficult (D) imposed on spcakers
5.

l.

3.

4.

The word tenets (line lg) can best be explaineclas (A) speculations (B) followers (O) strange twists (D) principles

5.

6. Which word cotrlclbest replace relentl,ess in line l9? (A) inadequare (B) arnusins (O) steacly (D) rnandatory 7. Syntax (line 22) can besrbe explaincd as a (A) way words are put (R) complicared

6.

l.

rheory

together to fbrrn senterlccs (C) sysrem for rranslating (D) clemonstration of' how lbreign languages something
works

8 . Which word or words could bestreplace nouir:e line 24? in

(A) expert (C) teacher (B) participant (D) beginner

8.

9. Which word could besr replace in Ntrosaic line 26? (A) fictional (B) straightforward (C) obscure (D) gentle 10. Which word or words could best replace in facititate line 3b? (A) complicate (B) record (C) make easier (D) confuse

9.

10.

86 Contexf Clues:Reoding in rhe Humonities

Nome

Follow the directions below to write a sentenceusing a vocabularyword. l. Describehow a visitor to Washington,D.C., might react to seeinga historical monument for the first time. Use any form of the word prrfound.

2. Describethe weather on a typicallybleak November day.Use anv fbrm of the word rel,entless.

Describea crowd of people at a sporting event or concert. Use any fiorm of the word legion.

Explain how you learned a new task or pursued a new interest.Use any frrrm of the w<trd nouice.

Write a sentencedescribing how a gardener might help his plants grow Use any form of'the word foster

Each question below contains a vocabularyword from this lesson.Answer each question "yes"or "no" in the spaceprovided. 6. Would a professional writer be familiar with grammar and syntax? 7. Is televisionregardedas nascent technology? 7.
Confext Clues: Reoding in the Humonities 87

6.

move its audience to take action becauseof its 8. Would a prosaicspeech imaginative and persuasivePower? memorization of difficult material? 9. Do mnemonic devicesfacilitate s()me1hingthat you can acquire at a store or through 10. Are tenets catalosueshoPPing? For each question you answered"no," write a sentenceusing the vocabularyword correctlY.

8.

9. 10.

Mastering Meaning
to Supposea proposal has been made to adcl F-sperallto the school letter to your school board, urging the currictrlunr.Write a persuasive members to support your stand on the proposal. Use some of the words vou studied in this lesson.

88 Context Clues: Reoding in the Humqnities