I've read that it can be useful in programing computers to translate idioms and such. Rather than translate directly from English to Spanish or Russian to French, many computer translation packages use some sort of intermediary language, like Esperanto, to help translate the real meaning of a phrase rather than a meaningless word-for-word recounting.
I don't really think it has much use for the rest of us, though.
Fascinating that they wrote a whole article about the language without ever using a single word in the language, except for the name of the language itself.
I learned it mostly for the novelty, but there are a number of other reasons to learn Esperanto. One of them is that it makes it much, much easier to learn a more practical language. If you study Esperanto for one year, and German for two, you'll be farther along with your German than someone else who studied it for three years without looking at Esperanto first.
Here is a serious list: http://marauder34.livejournal.com/121773.html
Here is a silly one: http://marauder34.livejournal.com/127684.html
Dave, I have no memory of writing this post! I will look at your links. I think you're the only person I've ever known who has actually studied Esperanto.
I've read that it can be useful in programing computers to translate idioms and such. Rather than translate directly from English to Spanish or Russian to French, many computer translation packages use some sort of intermediary language, like Esperanto, to help translate the real meaning of a phrase rather than a meaningless word-for-word recounting.
ReplyDeleteI don't really think it has much use for the rest of us, though.
In my experience, computer translations are very bad. Very. And now I think I understand one of the reasons why.
ReplyDeleteFascinating that they wrote a whole article about the language without ever using a single word in the language, except for the name of the language itself.
ReplyDeleteI learned it mostly for the novelty, but there are a number of other reasons to learn Esperanto. One of them is that it makes it much, much easier to learn a more practical language. If you study Esperanto for one year, and German for two, you'll be farther along with your German than someone else who studied it for three years without looking at Esperanto first.
ReplyDeleteHere is a serious list:
http://marauder34.livejournal.com/121773.html
Here is a silly one:
http://marauder34.livejournal.com/127684.html
Dave, I have no memory of writing this post! I will look at your links. I think you're the only person I've ever known who has actually studied Esperanto.
ReplyDeleteI strive to be unique and memorable.
ReplyDelete