NEWSLETTER News of the Language Problem and Esperanto as a Solution Mar-Apr 1987 [ Making News This Month Invitation from Poland The Polish ambassador to the United States has formally extended his country's welcome to U.S. esperantists to the upcoming World Esperanto Convention of the Universala Esperanto-Asocio this summer. For the full text of the invitation see page nine. The New Director of the CO. Mark Stephens became the Director of ELNA's Central Office in January. Originally from Houston, TX, Mark will be a welcome and energetic addition to ELNA's work in the United States. See photo on page two. SFSU Needs You! This year's Esperanto Work- shops at the San Francisco State University promise to be the best yet. Attending these world-famous courses could be just what you're looking for as a way to celebrate Esperanto's Centennial. See story on page seven. In This Issue Esperanto in the Media 2 Regional Reports: Esperanto in the U.S. 3 Book Review: La Maja Pluvo by Modest 10 And Much, Much More to Delight and Inform You! Zamenhof Slept Here! The 1987 Convention: 1910 Revisited Readers will remember that the Nov-Dec 1986 ELNA Newsletter cover carried a photo of Dr. and Mrs. Zamenhof at the 6th World Esperanto Convention in Washington, D.C. in 1910. Dr. J. Lieberman has provided us with copies of pages from The Washington Post of August 14 to 22,1987, giving accounts of the convention attended by 1,000 people from many lands. Article headings said "Strange Tongue Spoken in the Streets of Washington," "Delegate to Language Congress Learns Lesson in Brotherhood," "Nothing Like Babel in Gathering," "Special Service at St. Paul's Church in New Language," "Shakespeare's As You Like It Enacted in New Tongue Delights," "Foreign Representatives Visit Government Department." Daily events included a sail on the Potomoc River, an excursion to Mount Vernon, post office officials, financiers, and Theosophists met at George Washington University. The Suffragists held a meeting at which the main speaker was Marie Hankel, a noted poet and author of Dresden, Germany. Delegates from 35 countries were treated to a baseball game at American League Park between Washington and Cleveland teams. They quickly understood the umpire's call of frapumo. Georgetown University, as seen from the Virginia side of the Potomac will be the site of the 35th ELNA Convention, July 18-22,1987. The ELNA Newsletter 1 U.S. News & World Report, March 2,1987, Esperanto: A Language That Won't Die is the way an article by John Lee with Joseph P. Shapiro (Rome) is listed in the index. It reports on the week of cultural events which will be presented in a London theater this summer. One evening, Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Ernest will be staged in an Esperanto translation by William Auld. Universal Language Could Help Science. Opinion poll results published in Industrial Research & Development, 2/81 reported: Nearly three out of four R&D scientists and engineers believe that a universal language could help science—at least if more than 2,500 respondents to the poll on this subject are typical of the industry. Seventy-two percent of the respondents believe that universal expression for classroom instruction; coherent, standardized nomenclature; and the possibility of worldwide TV classrooms would be among the benefits of a universal language. Although 94% listed English (or American) as their first language, 27% say that they speak at least one other major language fluently. Considering Esperanto, often offered as the ideal universal language, three percent report that they can communicate fluently in Esperanto and another three percent claim some Esperanto skills. However, only 18% said that they would not learn Esperanto, even if they believed that it would provide universal communication between scientific workers. Fully 62% said they would learn Esperanto and 20% were undecided. Stamp Collector, March 21, 1987 carries a letter by Robert J. DuBois, of Pottstown, PA who writes: "No doubt several nations will issue stamps to commemorate Esperanto's 100th anniversary. The Postal Service's Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee reviewed proposals for the issuance of such a stamp on numerous occasions but did not recommend that such a stamp be issued. This is unfortunate short-sightedness," he writes. "What greater cause can they commemorate in this troubled world than the lighting of 'one small candle' that could move mankind closer to international peace and understanding?" Linn's Stamp News, 2/23/87, p.3, reports: Surinam marks 100 years of Esperanto with three stamps issued Feb. 4. The 600 stamp repeats the inscription 100 Jaar Esperanto with the star emblem. The 1100 carries a symbolic representation of Esperanto as a world language, promoting unity and peace with two doves holding a banner across a map of the world. The 1200 portrays Dr. L.L. Zamenhof, founder of Esperanto. For information on how to order the set, contact the Postal Administration, Philatelic Dept., Paramaribo, Surinam. Note: Cuba has also issued a commemorative stamp with photo of Zamenhof and the wording Centenario del Esperanto. San Mateo (CA) Times, 3/10/87 carries a letter by Louis W. Jones protesting a proposed admendment to the U.S. Constitution making English the only "official" language. Jones, not an Esperanto speaker, writes further: "English is the popular choice of Californians. ...Esperanto is the choice of world peoples who want intercommunication in a culturally neutral language." El Informador, 2/2/87 carries a cartoon strip Records Mundiales de Guinness with a drawing of Dr. Zamenhof and characters discussing the merits of Esperanto. Mark Stephens ELNA's New Director! Introducing the new Director of the ELNA Central Office, Mark Stephens (far right in photo). Mark began his Esperanto studies with the Postal Course. He took advanced studies at SFSU. He comes to us from Houston where he actively promoted Esperanto and worked in the local group. One of the first acts any new Director must do is to find reliable volunteers for the CO. Mark has done just this and would like to thank the following for their generous contributions to the Central Office: Angela, Don, and Sybil Harlow, Dan Mason, Bruce Taylor, and Stephen Gerrie. 2 The ELNA Newsletter \t mp@M United States CALIFORNIA Berkeley The Arts Magnet School, a public school, has invited Stella Cope to teach Esperanto to 15 youngsters, ages 10-12. Mrs. Cope has adapted the Cseh (direct) method for the class which meets from 1 -.30-2:00 p.m. Ben Keh arranged for this class which will continue until June. Foreign Language Assn. of No. California held its Spring Conference March 21 at St. Mary's College in Moraga. Don Harlow and Rod Stanley staffed the Esperanto display. Napa Valley College—Andrew McConnell, a Napa teacher, has arranged for an Esperanto presentation on April 11, followed by an excursion to a local winery which puts out an Esperanto label under the brand name Harmonio. BEL member Angela Harlow, is teaching a new class at Oakland Main Library. Senkrok/Ski Weekend, April 3-5 was organized by the Berkeley Esperanto League. San Diego Alberta Casey on March 8 hosted a reception for Lin Xiang-fei, a famous musician from China. Mr. Lin gave a concert on a Chinese-style violin and flute. Beatrice Acers spoke at the American Assn. of University Women March 26 and at the Optimists on April 1. Mrs. Acers also arranged for exhibits at libraries in La Mesa, Lemon Grove, and Tierra Santa. Children's classes at various schools are being taught by Charlotte Kohrs. A basic course for adults is beingtaught by John Atkinson while the continuation group is under the guidance of Frank Helmuth. ECSD introduced aTostestra program at its March meeting similar to Toastmaster's Table Topics. The Esperanto Club of San Diego has printed a large supply of attractive book marks. Libraries will display quantities of book marks. If your club would like to do something similar, send a S ASE with your request to: Frank Helmuth, 12925 Pomerado Road, Poway, CA 92064. San Francisco SFERO for its Spring Esperanto Centennial event, invited noted composer, Lou Harrison, to speak at the March program. Harrison is one of the first American composers to meld Eastern and Western musical forms and instruments. A long time esperantist, Mr. Harrison uses such titles on his albums as Pacifika Rondo, Ludado de I'Delfenoj, Malamopri la Malpuregaj Bomboj. For the SFERO program he played La KoroSutro which premiered at the Post-Convention at SFSU in 1972. TheKoro Sutro has been acquired by the American Music Heritage Library thus making it forever available. San Francisco Main Library is the locale for a beginners' class taught by Gigi Harabagiu. Classes taught by Charles Galvin and Minerva Massen continue at the Baha'i Center. Henry Kruse, the mayor of Albany, CA, and a long-time esperantist, spoke at the 233rd monthly program, April 4, on the topic "Vidpunkto de Loka Registaro." ILLINOIS Governor James R. Thompson made a proclamation for International Friendship Week, Feb. 22-28, with the following text: WHEREAS, 1987 marks the 100th Anniversary of the Esperanto language; and WHEREAS, Esperanto promotes worldwide friendships as it is based on the most common words in important European languages, and is the best documented, most promising attempt at forming a universal language acceptable to peoples of different cultures and backgrounds; and WHEREAS, Esperanto can also serve as a language preparation course for foreign languages because of its systematic, streamlined grammar; and WHEREAS, the World Esperanto Association has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize this year. The nomination is appropriate because the original goal of Esperanto was to demolish the language barriers that interfere with international friendship and peace; and WHEREAS, on February 28, a chemistry textbook, translated into Esperanto by Esperanto-speaking chemists from nine countries, will be dedicated to the youth of the Third World in the name of Dr. Linus Pauling, a famous esperantists and twice Nobel Prize winner; THEREFORE, I, James R. Thompson, Governor of the State of Illinois, proclaim February 22-28,1987, as FRIENDSHIP WEEK in Illinois, in recognition of the 100th Anniversary of the Esperanto language. The ELNA Newsletter 3 The Economist: A Response In your note on Esperanto (p. 130, Dec. 20), you ask "Why should a non-Anglophone student devote language-learning time and resources to Esperanto rather than to English?" The real question might be "Why do many non-Anglophone students in many parts of the world do this?" But even more interesting is the phenomenon I encountered in China. Among the several hundred thousand esperantists who have appeared in that country since the Cultural Revolution folded its tents are many who have not studied, are not studying, and will never study English. But there is also a large subgroup of university students who, after studying English as a first foreign language, with varying degrees of success—some of them speak excellent English!—have gone on to learn Esperanto as a second foreign language. If English, which these people have effectively mastered, satisfies their needs for international communication, why should they bother to waste time on Esperanto, a language with at most a few million speakers and no "practical" value of note whatsoever? I might quote the example of my best friend as a first stab at finding the answer. She studied English for nine years, at high school and university level, and today makes a living teaching the language at a major Shanghai university. She studied Esperanto for one semester in her last year of university, and for six weeks at San Francisco State University in 1982-1983. She speaks excellent English, although with occasional lacunae in her usage. She speaks good, though not flawless, Esperanto. When we speak together, we invariably speak in Esperanto. Once on the phone, I offered to speak with her in English...she thanked me and began to speak English...and within three minutes she, not I, had switched to Esperanto. Apparently she preferred not to "speak uphill." Incidentally, while Esperanto is no less — and no more — Eurocentric in its vocabulary than is English, it is not at all Eurocentric in its structure. It more closely resembles Asian languages than it does the languages of the Indo-European family. Sincerely, Donald J. Harlow P.S. In spite of your comments, English has not been one of the "two working languages" of the United Nations since 1948. While English and French were given special position as "working languages" as opposed to Spanish, Russian, and Chinese, which were made "official languages" at the time of the signing of the UN Charter, Spanish was upgraded to "working" status in 1948, Russian in 1968, and the distinction was effectively abolished in the early 1970s with the upgrading of Chinese and the adoption of Arabic. Esperanto Documents: A Resource Esperanto Documents describe the work, organization, culture, and history of the movement for the adoption of the International Language Esperanto as a second language for international use. #34A (.The Language Problem in Tourism) deals with numerous aspects of the language problem for tourists and focusses on the potential of Esperanto in facili- tating international travel. It includes a list of 191 international Esperanto events. #35A (A History of the World Esperanto Youth Organization) covers the history of TEJO and its significance for the Esperanto movement as a whole. It is a valuable resource for historians of the movement. #36A (A Lingua Franca for Africa) treats the conflict between colonial and African languages in modern Africa, and Esperanto as a possible solution. It also treats the issue of the internationality of the Esperanto language, which can be useful for those who have to deal with the criticisms from linguistics and other academic types. #37A (The Contribution of the Universal Esperanto Association to World Peace), written by Ulrich Lins, considers the the general stance of the Esperanto movement to problems of peace and under- standing, and sketches the relief work done by esperantists since World War I. The nomination of the Universala Esperanto-Asocio for the Nobel Peace Prize this year makes this an invaluable contribution to any complete Esperanto library. Published in Esperanto, English, or French, they contribute to a better understanding of the world language problem and inter- national relations in general." They are published in Esperanto, English, or French. Subscribe through ELNA ($17.50 for 10 issues). Some of the more recent issues deal with subjects of considerable interest: Note: All documents in this series carry a serial number keying them to the relevant section in the reference book Esperanto en Perspektivo. This book is available from ELNA. 4 The ELNA Newsletter Gathering Information on the Language of Esperanto Gathering information about Esperanto from the average library can be difficult. Much of the material on Esperanto in many libraries is out of date or inaccurate. The same is true even of many encyclopedias. The most reliable encyclopedia entry on Esperanto is probably that in the Encyclopedia Americana. You will find a good introduction to the language in K Katzner, The Languages of the World, revised edition, (London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1986). A reliable intro to the language itself is also provided in J.C. Wells, Esperanto-English Dictionary (London: English Universities Press, 1969). A. Lyall, Lyall's Guide to 25 Languages of Europe (New York: Pyramid Books, 1971), includes a glossary of Esperanto words and a brief introduction. Large's view of Esperanto is skeptical. R. E. Wood's article "A Voluntary Non-Ethnic, Non- Territorial Speech Community" is highly recom-mended. It can be found in F. Mackey and J. Ornstein, ed., Sociolinguistic Studies in Language Contact. See also H. Tonkin, "Equalizing Language," Journal of Com- munication, 29 (1979), 124-33, and M.Boulton's biography, Zamenhof, Creator of Esperanto (London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1960). Recent articles on Esperanto include J. Fallows, "Esperanto Lives," Atlantic Monthly, December 1986, pp. 14-24, and Israel Shenker, "Doing Away with All Babble from the Tower of Babble," Smithsonian, January 1987, pp. 112-125. Both focus on international meetings of Esperantists. U.S. News and World Report, March 2,1987, Much of the material on Esperanto in many libraries is inaccurate or out of date Two recent books that deal with Esperanto and the movement are P. G. Forster, The Esperanto Movement (The Hague: Mouton, 1982) and A Large, The Artificial Language Movement (Oxford and New York: Basil Blackwell, 1985). Both are fairly reliable though featured "Esperanto, the Language That Wouldn't Die" by John Lee with Joseph P. Shapiro. For further information write to the Esperanto League for North America (ELNA), PO Box 1129, El Cerrito, CA, 94530. Dipping into the Past Elna's 1987 Convention in Washington, D.C., will not only highlight the Esperanto Centennial, but will dip back into history, recalling Dr. Zamenhof s visit in 1910 (see cover story). There will be contacts with some embassies, a visit to Mt. Vernon, and more. The World Esperanto Convention theme will be 100 Years of Esperanto Culture. A brainstorming session is planned to get U.S. activists to tape their recollections of the U.S. movement's contribution to that culture. As we have no written history of Esperanto in the United States, this will be exciting to join in on. Esperanto and Youth 30th Internacia Seminario On December 27-January 3,350 young people from 23 countries took part in the 30th world-famous IS of the Germana Esperanto- Junularo. Particularly successful was the lack of participation in discussion groups and other formal meetings. The IS, it seems, has become somewhat "deseminarized." Perhaps we should rename it. For example: Internacia Svatfesto or Internidea Saturnalio. (GEJ welcomes any suggestions.) The rooms of the convention center received their traditional satirical christening: the room called "Fina Venko" was situated, of course, on the highest story and was unattainable, while the room "Jarlibro 1986" was to be found on the second floor according to the map, but in fact did not exist. The next IS will occur in Krakow, Poland. Stay tuned for more information. JENBulteno The official organ of USEJ, the youth branch of ELNA, has ceased publication due to lack of support from the members. Youth and Culture The theme of the Jubilee Convention in Warsaw will be "100 Years of International Culture." We young esperantists have also helped create this culture. Many of you probably plan to travel to Poland. So get started and get involved! Send your suggestions for contributions to the program to: Jarek Parzyszek, DS-II, p. 816, u. Gagarina 33, PL-87-lOOTorun, Poland. Esperanto Restores Youth! Scientists report remarkable restorative power and new interest in life for students in the SFSU Esperanto Workshop. Sign up now! Do you think you'll live forever? Call 415-342-1796 for a brochure The ELNA Newsletter 5 Donations to ELNA From January 1986 to March 1987 TV Fund Elwyn Pollock $60.00 Ellen Lewis Fund Noah Lewis 200.00 Florence Mack 1000.00 Ralph Murphy 100.00 Thompson Fund Thomas A. Johnson 120.00 Esp. Travel Service 1000.00 SFSU Fellowship Fund Alberta Casey 600.00 James F. Cool 50.00 Ralph Dumain 20.00 Audrey Jan sen 20.00 Dr. David K Jordan 20.00 Pauline Ledeen 10.00 Holly Lewis 50.00 Carmen Maniscalco 50.00 E. McLarnon 5.00 Cecelia Peterson 180.00 Esp. Soc. Portland 800.00 David Rutan 6.00 Frank Smith III 10.00 Robert Swenson 500.00 Eugene Thompson 150.00 Permanent Endowment Fund Charlene Baker 31.00 Garry Cobbum 50.00 PrendaCook 500.00 Ges-roj Culbert 100.00 Dale Diefenbach 25.00 Armin F. Doneis 26.00 R. E. Dyson 9.00 Ellen Eddy 45.00 Charles Galvin, Jr. 25.00 Joe Gamble 50.00 Thomas Goodman 50.00 Hazel Heusser 50.00 D. Holland-Kaupp 100.00 Marguerite Hughs 10.00 Carmen Maniscalco 75.00 John Mathews 50.00 Helen S. Merrick 10.00 Cecilia Peterson 190.00 Douglas Swett 25.00 Jerry Veit 20.00 John M. Weeks 50.00 D. Vallon Wheeler 100.00 Wayne Wysocki 15.00 Peggy Zarchy 10.00 General Fund Georgia K. Abrams 10.00 Forrest J. Akerman 5.00 Mrs. Theo D. Allen 5.00 Ges-roj1 Atkinson 50.00 J. R. Baker, Jr. 20.00 Paul H. Beach 5.00 Naomi Beard 5.00 Mr. J. A. Behymer 25.00 F. J. Belinfante 35.00 Helen Bradley 15.00 Paul J. Burke 10.00 Alberta Casey 400.00 Prenda Cook 60.00 James F. Cool 45.00 Ges-roj Culbert 175.00 Joseph H. Cyr 5.00 Armin Doneis 5.00 Mack K Dougherty 40.00 William Ford 15.00 Seattle Foundation 210.00 Ges-roj Gibson 100.00 H.J.Gibson 15.00 MaryGivson 150.00 Thomas Goodman 45.00 Gordon W. Go wen 5.00 Vincent A. Griffeth 20.00 Dr. Horace B. Hand 15.00 Doris Harder 5.00 Don Harlow 9.00 Lucille Harmon 32.50 Hazel Heusser 50.00 Elizabeth Hickman 5.00 D. Holland-Kaupp 50.00 Mrs. H. S. Hoskins 20.00 Adrian Hughes 12.00 Mark Hunt 5.00 Dr. Roger D. Irwin 10.00 James E. Jenkins III 5.00 Dorothy Jones 10.00 Emma M. Jungston 10.00 Nan McHenry Karel 10.00 Fr. S. Klimowicz 5.00 S-ino Sonoko Kuzume 15.00 Pauline Ledeen 30.00 ZeonghuLee 5.00 Moshe Lewin 15.00 Kathleen Loftus 10.00 Arthur Maass 5.00 Florence Mack 5.00 Keven Mahaffy 339.23 JohnB. Massey 210.00 Roy McCoy 25.00 Roberta McFarland 5.00 Edith C. McLean 5.00 Mrs. F. P. Murphy 5.00 Ralph Murphy 100.00 Diane Neff 10.00 Dorothea Nell 10.00 Ges-roj Neuman 5.00 Gertrude Novak, MD 10.00 Victor Palermo 15.00 Wesley Parks 20.00 W. Patterson 5.00 Cecelia Peterson 200.00 Albert Puechl 10.00 H. Elwin Reed 10.00 Julie Regal 9.60 Edward Reynolds 40.00 Jaquline Reynolds 100.00 Joseph Schilman 5.00 Bruce A. Sherwood 360.00 Judith Sherwood 50.00 Werner Simon 20.00 Hope Smith 5.00 Scott Smith 20.00 William E. So 5.00 Helen Starr 10.00 John Starling 5.00 Florence R. Steinberg 10.00 Sigourney Street 15.00 Adopt an Esperantist! Your contribution to the Fellowship Foundation could help a promising but impoverished young student to real fluency. Call 415-342-1796 for a brochure Humphrey Tonkin 12.50 Alfred Unterberg 160.00 Juan D. Vega 10.00 Jerald Veit 10.00 Esp. Travel Service 1000.00 Donald Walling 10.00 Richard Wedekino 5.00 Pearl Wegher 20.00 Harry I. Weiner MD 10.00 Mary Wheeler 5.00 Jack Wright 100.00 Peggy Zarchy 32.50 Ellen Lewis Scholarship Fund. This fund was set up as a memorial to Ellen and her work for Esperanto. Ellen's parents appreciate the contributions. 6 The ELNA Newsletter SFSU Summer Classes 1987 What are you doing for the Centennial Year? If you won't be in Warsaw, how about San Francisco? And if you won't be in San Francisco, how about sending your stand-in? By David Jordan The Problem The opening line of Zamenhof s original publication of Esperanto reads: "For a language to be universal, it's not enough to call it that." In other words, Esperanto exists to be spoken, not to be spoken about. One important step that you can take to improve your fluency (more effective than any alternatives I know about) is to attend the three-week summer Esperanto Workshop at San Francisco State University. What You Get Nowhere else in North America will you find such a fluent collection of people so devoted to helping each other acquire the skills to get the most out of their Esperanto. Nowhere else can you use the same materials, many of which are prepared each year for use only in the summer workshop, You'll also meet some of the nicest people around. You'll even like the teachers! Why This Year Is So Special In honor of the centennial, this year's SFSU "intermediate" class features a review of 100 years of Esperanto literature—there's a good reason why the "great" writers are called "great"—plus new vocabulary building materials designed to make vocabulary expansion actually painless! (Yes!) The "advanced" Verducci Hall houses the Esperanto contingent for three memorable weeks of international living. It is an experience you will not forget. class will center on "Esperantology." That is the study of Esperanto as a language. If you have ever been interested in the "linguistics" of Esperanto—why Zamenhof made Esperanto the way he did and what effects that has—this is the best program we have had in years for yoy. Don't look to find any of this in your local college. SFSU has an exclusive on this stuff! Some Suggestions If you would like to do something extra for Esperanto in the centennial year, how about inviting a friend to share the SFSU course with you? If you have the means, how about subsidizing the course for a teacher you know? Or for a high school or college student? Perhaps a member of your local Esperanto club, or your church, or some other organization you belong to. This summer will be the 18th year of the SFSU Esperanto Workshop (which even carries college credit). People who've been through it keep telling us that it was the Workshop that really made the difference between "just puttering around" and real fluency. What better year to make the leap? For more details about housing, fellowships, and costs write or call: Cathy Schulze, 410 Darrell Road, Hillsborough, CA, 94010, (415)342-1796. Uncle Zam Wants You! Sign up now for the SFSU Esperanto Workshop in San Francisco. Call 415-342-1796 for a brochure. The ELNA Newsletter 7 Gaja Paĝo La Veto (amuza anekdoto por progresantoj—we have underlined some parts to help you spot roots and affixes) Juna oficiro estis neordinare sukcesa, kiam li vetis kun siaj kamaradoj. Oni eĉ diris pri li, ke li neniam perdis iun veton. Tiu lia fama flugis ankau al alia urbo, al kies regimento li baldaŭ translokipis. Liaj novaj kolegoj aranĝis malgrandan feston je lia honoro kaj por bjmvenigi lin. Gin ĉeestis ankaŭ lia nova majoro, kiu post la mango demandis la novan oficiron, ĉu estas vere, ke li gajnas ĉiujn vetojn, kaj kiel li faras tion. "Nu, mi scias legi la homajn vizaĝojn, kaj mi konsentas nur pri vetoj, kiam mi scias, ke mi ilin gajnos," respondis la juna oficiro."Cetere, oni ne bezonas esti tre kapabla por povi konstati, ke vi, sinjoro majoro, diskrete suferas pro iam vundo sur via dekstra piedo. Ankaŭ nun ĝi doloras." La majoro forte protestis, dirante, ke li neniam havis vundon sur la dekstra piedo. Sed car la juna oficiro persiste asertis, ke la majoro havis vundon, kaj ke la cikatro ankoraŭ estas videbla, ili ambaŭ interkonsentis pri veto. La vetsumo estis 100 dolarcj. ĉiuj ĉeestantoj axigis ĉirkau la majoroTCi tiu dfiprenis siajn botojn kaj ŝtrumpetojn. Ciuj konstatis, ke nenia cikatro aŭ vundo estas videbla. La juna oficiro do perdis la veton, esprimante sian ĉagrenon pro tio, ke liaj kolegoj ĉe la alia regimento eble ekscios pri lia malsukcesa veto. Triumfante, la majoro, kiel eble plej baldaŭ, sciigis la antaŭan major on de la oficiro, ke li venkis la nevenkeblan vetemulon. Kelkajn tagojn poste alvenis jena respondo: "Kara amiko! La menciita oficiro estas ejifitexordinare ruza. Antaŭ ol li fjoxiris de ĉi tie, li vetis kun mi je mil dolaroj, ke li post nelonge sukcesos igi vin depreni la botojn kaj Itrumpetojn en la ĉeesto de multaj personoj, kaj ke vi mem informos min pri tio. Oni devas konfesi, ke la famo pravas." AmFrenezeco Afiksa Ekstravaganco Iam estis ulo kiu ade emis ami, do, amademulo. Sed eĉ ne ero de prefero li montris pri fraŭlino krom ke ŝi estu bela kaj eta kaj bela kaj bruneta; do certe li estis, tute klare, sen nebulo, Helbrunetbelulinetamademulo! Mi Junulo Kvindekjara.. Vladimir Gazda Kvindeko mia pasis jam, ho, sed restis al mi mia gajo; en koro mia ardas flamo ja kvazaŭ ĉiam estus majo. Forsonis jam la voĉtumulto, forgesis mi jam la gratulojn; denove mi en mia stulto min trudis inter la junulojn. Konvinkis mi min kun kuraĝo (kaj eĉ kun iom da memflato): "Juneco ja ne estas ago, sed ĉiam nur la animstato." Sed al ĉi kredo—kia dramo!— hieraŭ venis aĉa fino: sidlokon al mi en la tramo proponis —juna belulino! El la slovaka: E. V. Tvarozek Tongue-Tied? You can unknot your tongue in just three weeks at the SFSU Esperanto Workshop. Call 415-342-1796 Konversacia Vortaro Konversacia vortaro estis verkita de gelernantoj en la kursoj de Andreo Ce. Estas tre amuza legado kaj ni publikigas kelkajn vortojn. Amas = la plej bela, grava, kaj interesa vorto. La unua vorto, kiun ĉiu homo serĉas en la vortaro. Bela = la plej grava kvalito, la spegulo diras gin al la sinjorino. Cerbo = Griza, mola objekto en la kapo, tre grava dum la vivo. Ĉambro = skatolo de la homoj. Diskuto = homoj parolas pri objekto, kiun ili ne konas. Edzo = malfeliĉa viro, kiu havas ringon. Facila = kvalito de Esperanto. Grama tiko = moderna labirinto, el kiu la homoj ne povas eliri (Esperanto ne havas gin). Ĝisrevidohoro = la nomo de tiu horo, je kiu la konversacio finiĝas. Hejmo = dolĉa loko, kie la homoj estas dum la nokto. Instruas = metas objektojn en la kapojn de la homoj. Juna = kvalito de tiu homo, kies koro estas varma. Koro = malgranda domo kun kvar ĉambroj en la homo. Ludas = la infano laboras. Muziko = bildo, kiun oni vidas per la oreloj. Nubo = la griza vesto de la ĉielo. Okuloj = la fenestroj sur la kapo. Paco = la popoloj estas amikoj. Redaktoro = homo, kiu kritikas la tutan mondon. Salutas = faras etiketan fimnastikon. losilo = la plej malgranda gramatiko en la mondo. Tondras = la ĉielo parolas. Universo = ĉio, kio estas. Vejno = sangrivero en la korpo. 8 The ELNA Newsletter Anoncoj Locations of Future World Esperanto Conventions Following the Centennial Convention in Warsaw this summer, there are projections for Rotterdam (1988), Brighton, England (1989), and the possibility of Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Africa (1990). (—from July newsletter, UEA, New York City) Contributions to the work of UEA at the United Nations maybe sent to UEA, 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017. Metropolitan Toronto Reference Library On the occasion of the 1987 Esperanto Centennial, the Languages and Literature Department of the Metro Toronto Reference Library has recently published a revised edition of its attractive Esperanto bibliography. This work can be obtained free of charge by writing to the Metro Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge St., Toronto, Ont., M4W 2G8, Canada. Esperantist Toastmasters in the USA This group is within two members of the required number to apply to TM International for a charter. John Mathews has initiated this project to set up an oratory contest at the 56th TM International Convention in Chicago during August. Mr. Mathews recommends that, in the absence of a local esperantist TM club, people join a local TM club for the training and to talk about Esperanto. With this training, they will be able to set up a local esperantist TM chapter. For further info, send a SASE (long size) to John Mathews, PO Box 60860, Sacramento, CA, 95860. World View Day Jim Deer has launched a novel bulletin. In the Feb-Mar issue of Mondvida Bulteno, Deer explains that MVD is celebrated on the Spring and Fall equinox and the Summer and Winter solstice. Those four dates are . .an increased need for a common lansuase. Official Polish Welcome to UK It gives me great honor to be able to address the members of the Esperanto League for North America and congratulate you on the occasion of the Esperanto Centennial. The idea of universal language, conceived and implemented by Ludwik Zamenhof, was one of the first significant attempts to bring the peoples of the world together. Growing numbers of Esperanto followers, both in my country and in other parts of the world, including the United States, prove that there is an increased need for the people to find a common language and reach for solutions in our troubled world. I welcome your efforts in this sphere and wish you success in promoting international understanding through Esperanto. I hope that your forthcoming 1987 Congress will contribute towards that aim. We are looking forward to have representatives of your organization at the Congress of the Universala Esperanto-Asocio in Warsaw. Zdzislaw Ludwiczak Charge d' Affaires a.i. Embassy of Poland Washington, D.C. acknowledged by the world's people as phenomena shared by all and because of their neutrality can be ideal holidays. The Portland Esperanto Society has enlisted two non- esperantist organizations in their celebration of this event, thus introducing them to Esperanto culture. The Portland club makes it an occasion for letter exchange with individuals and Esperanto clubs in sister cities. ESPO, under the guidance of Mr. Deer, has developed an effective, beautiful program. To receive a sample of the MV bulletin, send a SASE (long size) to Jim Deer, Mondvida Asocio, 11905 SW Settler Way, Beaverton, OR, 97005. Institute for Social Ecology The ISE announces a rich summer program offering, among others, a semester called "Sense of Self, Sense of Place," August 9-22: A wilderness experience to explore our relationship with nature and the importance of that relationship in building new communities. For a full catalogue write: Institute for Social Ecology, PO Box 384, Rochester, VT, 05767. College credit and a graduate study option are available. 12th International Conference on Computational Linguistics The conference, August 22-27,1987, is sponsored by the International Committee on Computational Linguistics, organized by the John von Neumann Society for Computing Sciences. Papers are invited on substantial, original, and unpublished research in all aspects of CL in a broad sense. For details on procedure write to the Chairman of the Program Committee, Dr. Eva Hajicov, Charles University, Faculty of Mathematics, Linguistics, Malostranske n. 25,118 00 Praha 1, Czechoslovakia. The deadline for abstracts is December 10,1987. Fokuso—Internacia Komputado This magazine is the successor to Internacia Komputado. It will maintain the good qualities of IK while focussing on current topics. The 76-page first issue contains many articles about microelectronics. Subscriptions are available through ELNA. $12 per year. The ELNA Newsletter 9 Book Review Modest, Julian. Maja Pluvo. Chapec6: Fonto, 1984. Fonto-Serio 4. 94p. Paper. $3.25. During an unseasonably hot and dry May in Budapest, unwelcome news comes to the summer dwellers on Wolf Hill: the Communist government has viciously banned all watering of gardens. Mladen, a young Bulgarian expatriate living with his Hungarian wife and parents- in-law, is outraged. He and Emola, an old school friend of his wife with whom he has been carrying on a passionate love affair, lead a small band of ragged partisans in a partially successful attack on a Russian military unit. Tanks are destroyed, Russian bombers explode on the ground. Emola is killed. Mladen is in despair. The, as if by magic, Sylvester Stallone appears.... Well, no. It really doesn't go like that at all. But if you only want to read books written by American authors, aimed only at American audiences and pandering to American prejudices (better: conditioned reflexes), then you probably shouldn't read this book. At the very best, it is probably far too mild for the average American reader. The story chiefly concerns young Mladen, happily married to Anna, and his growing conviction that his life, already twenty-five years long, is not really going anywhere. The chief symbol of this stagnation is his father-in- law's summer cottage and garden on Wolf Hill, a former wasteland divided up by the government among city-dwellers who have evinced a desire to have their own place to grow things. Not too far away, on Pine Forest Hill, lives Emola, whose life—in other ways and for other reasons—also seems to be turning ever more and more meaningless. Modest, with a minimum of pyrotechnics (the only violence occurs offstage, in Chapter 13), attempts to show just how these two young people come to terms—in radically different ways—with the conflict between expectations and reality. As I suggested, many American readers would find the book a little hard to take, because it doesn't follow the patterns to which they have become accustomed. Far from having an aafair with Emola, Mladen—who encounters her exactly three times in the course of the story—hardly notices her as a woman. The local "militiamen" (Communist equivalent of policemen) who appear in Chapter 13 are as polite and well-spoken as British bobbies. The only official-type personage in the story is Viktor, who owns a neighboring garden, and he is shown, although not in the best of lights, as being guilty of superciliousness and officiousness, not of totalitarian tyranny. On the back cover William Auld describes this as "[Modest's] first novel," which is not quite correct—La Ora Pozidono appeared earlier, although there is really no way to determine the order of the writing. I would guess that, indeed, Maja Pluvo is a later work. The protagonist is older—Emil Vasev of Pozidono was in his late teens. Mladen is in his mid-twenties. Pozidono attempts to elicit the esperantist reader's sympathy by having all the main characters speak Esperanto; Pluvo does not even mention the language (though I suspect that both Mladen and Anna speak the language: they apparently have never had linguistic problems, though several times it is mentioned that Mladen learned Hungarian only after coming to live with his wife in Hungary). And the style and grammar of the book are somewhat better; I particularly noticed a better discrimination between the usage of adjectives on the one hand and adverbs on the other. Some lacunae remain. Modest, like many another esperantist, sometimes has trouble with the -ig- suffix after transitive verbs (p. 6: Mi deziris surprizigi vin). And when he has Anna's father on p. 56 tell Arpad that Mi estas mava komercisto, he is simply making the old man sound unreal—I have never heard an esperantist use this poetic synonym for malbona in ordinary conversation. But the main problem with the book is that it isn't longer. Although the characters are well described (particularly Emola and Anna's father), they simply don't have space for real development. I think that Modest's forte" will be in the long novel. Whether he will be willing to apply his time and abilities to such a (currently) thankless field is another question. The book is well put together and attractive. Typos exist, but are few and far between, and not really bothersome. Oh, yes...my introduction. In fact, at one point the vicious Communist government does ban all watering of gardens. And how do the people of Budapest react to this tyrannical edict? Just about like the people of California would (and did): they ignore it, and keep on watering their gardens. As to be expected.... —Don Harlow Alarm the Opposition by Quoting Esperanto Proverbs! You can be a startling conversationalist after a mere three weeks at the SFSU Esperanto Workshop. Learn about the vast literature of International Language. Call 415-342-1796 for information on how to sign up. 10 The ELNA Newsletter WOLA& IKQBEBPQMm Amlkeco trans HmoJ Warning: It is advisable not to send money to correspondents who ask for it. This is a misuse of the correspondence service. BURKINA FASO (VOLTIO) Sidibe Oumarou, B.P. 231, Banfora, Burkina Faso (Voltio), Africa. 27 yr., public secretary. CHINA Fang Miao Qing, Tong Lu Agrikultura Banko, Zhejiang, China. 27 yr., bank teller, lit., photog., tourism. FRANCE S-ino Claude Chanal, 7 rue de 1' Alma, 42000 St. Etienne, France. GAMBIA Class of 25 students, teacher: Ian White, St. Augustine High School, P.O. Box 463, Banjul, Gambia, Africa. GERMANY Junulara Esperanto-Klubo, c/o Maik Jung, Albert-Schweitzer- Str. 7, DDR-2000 Neubrandenburg, East Germany. IRAN AH Sekari, Resalat Street, 10 metri attar 6 metri Gharani, post code 91496 No. 22, masad, Iran. 17 yr., stamps, postcards, photo. Hadi Sharafi, 2 Koyeh Police, No. 2, City Mashad, Iran 91648.17 yr., stamps, postcards, all topics. MJl. Taran, Karaj-Serahe dolat- abad, St. Ghannad, st. Rangi, st. Valfagre-2, Iran 31356. Young, all topics. HUNGARY Kora Zsolt, Budapest kbrut. 62. 5/15, Gyula 5700. Child, 5th grade. JAPAN Eiichi Watanabe, 13-12, Nobidome 2-chome, Higashi- kurume-shi, Tokyo 203, Japan. NICARAGUA Sek. de loka filatela klubo, F- ino Lizeth Gaitan, Colonia 14 de Septiembre, Casa A-30, Managua, Nicaragua. POLAND Leszek Sobkowiak, ul. Boczna 7/25, 67-400, Wschowa, woj. leszczynskie, Oland. 13 yr., stamps, technology. Zbigniew Slaczka, Markiewicza 25a, Miejsce Piastowe 38-430, Poland. Single, 20 yr., philosophy, hist., lang., postcards. Winiarski Krysztof, 85-863 Bydgoszcz, tomzynska 49 A/b, Poland. USSR Esperanto-Klubo, P.O. Box 2420, Krasnoyarsk-75, USSR 660075. Response guaranteed. Esperanto-Klubo, Dvorec Kulturi Oktjabr, u. Voljskij- 404130, Volgograda region, USSR. VENEZUELA F-ino Maria Coramoto Camps, Av. Bellas Artes, Qta. Caribay, Los Chaguaramos, Caracas 1041, Venezuela. Nekrologe Robert Bailey died June 2, 1986 due to a long illness, according to information just received. Gretchen Doris, long active in Florida. Emma Graf died in Switzerland. Mrs. Graf often hosted San Francisco esperantists in her home before moving to Switzerland. She was 87. Florence Mack, after a long illness, February 5. Florence was an active member of ESNE and AATE. ______________ Local Contacts Berkeley: Box 324, Berkeley, CA, 94701,(415)222-0187 Boulder: E-o Assn., 4825 W. Moorhead Cir., Boulder, CO, 80303 Chicago: E-o Society,, Box 1698, Chicago, IL, 60690 Denver E-o Group: 995 Humbolt #205, Denver, CO, 80218 Florida E-o Society: 18757 Lake Worth Blvd., Port Charlotte, FL, 33948,(813)627-1020 Houston: E-o in Houston, Box 202, Houston, TX, 77001 Intermountain E-o Group (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, UT, WY): 4825 W. Moorhead Circle, Boulder, CO, 80303 Los Angeles: E-o Assn., 3550 Wilshire Blvd., L.A, CA, 90010 Michigan: E-o Soc. of Michigan, 3540 Middlebury, Birmingham, MI, 48010, (313) 646-3106 Missouri: St. Louis Group, 8894 Berkay Ave., Jennings, MO, 63136 Montana: Montana E-o Soc, 330 Lindley PI., Bozeman, MT, 59715 New England: ESNE, Box 44, Fayville, MA 01745 NYC E-o Soc: 80-50 Baxter Ave. #3D, Elmhurst, NY, 11373 Ohio: E-o Assn., 1144 Kingsdale Terr., Columbus, OH, 43220 Orange Co., CA: E-o Assn., Box 1538, Garden Grove, CA, 92642 Philadelphia: 33 E. Roumfort Rd. #A1, Philadelphia, PA, 19119 Phoenix: 9549 Glen Oaks Cir. No., Sun City, AZ, 85351 Portland: E-o Soc, 11905 SW Settler Way, Beaverton, OR, 97005 Riverside, CA E-o Group, 4336 Market #141, Riverside, CA, 92501, (714) 681-4010 Sacramento: 2450 - 28th St., Sacramento, CA, 95822 San Diego: E-o Club, 3470 Juniper St., San Diego, CA, 92104, (619) 284-8081 San Francisco: SFERO, 410 Darrell Rd., Hillsborough, CA, 94010,(415)342-1796 Seattle: E-o Soc, 6002 NE 61st St., Seattle, WA, 98115 UN: Betty Manson, 14 Stuyvesant Oval, NYC, NY 10009 Utah: E-o Club, Box 2166, Salt Lake City, UT, 84110 Wash., D.C.: E-o Soc, 4406 - 35th St. NW, Wash., D.C., 20008 The ELNA Newsletter 11 Esperanto League for North America, Inc. P.O. Box 1129 El Cerrito, CA, 94530 Usono/USA Nonprofit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID Berkeley, CA Permit No. 330 NEWS—PLEASE EXPEDITE Address Correction Requested Return Postage Guaranteed El Popola Cinio The Monthly Chinese Esperanto Magazine Subscribe Now! 1 year—$12.00 2 year — $20.00 3 year-$28.00 This publication is one of the most impressive Esperanto magazines available. It provides insight on the culture of China and on the Esperanto movement throughout the world. La Nova Paradigmo en Psikologio Written by ELNA member Ruben Feldman Gonzalez. This book deals with revolutionary new ways of looking at life, education, and psychotherapy. It brings together talks given by the author in 14 countries of North and South Anerica and Europe over the last five years. Originally written in Spanish, it has been translated now into Esperanto. Available from ELNA. $2.00 plus $1.50 shipping. California residents add applicable taxes. Tutmondaj Sciencoj kaj Teknikoj New Academic Magazine 1 year-$3.20 2 year — $5.50 3 year —$7.80 This new publication, published by the Sciencist-Teknikista Esperanto-Asocio, is a quarterly for academic exchange. It includes some Esperanto news about new publications in Chinese and Esperanto. They Laughed When I Telephoned Brazil.... but they were amazed when they saw me fluently close the deal with "my man in Rio"! For "man in Rio" fluency, check out the SFSU Workshop! It might do wonders for international relations. Call 415-342-1796 for a brochure ft ft ft Wearing A Hundred Green Stars is Not Enough! You also need to be able to use Esperanto. Stop fooling around and do it, at the SFSU Esperanto Workshop. Call 415-342-1796 President: Dr. Duncan Carters (1987) Vice President: Ken Thomson (1987) Secretary: Virginia Stewart (1989) Treasurer: John B. Massey (1988) Other Board Members: David Wolff (1987), Dr. James Cool (1987), WilliamR. Harmon (1987), Alberta Casey (1988), Ellen Eddy (1988), William Schulze (1988), Dr. Ronald Glossop (1989), Frank Helmuth(1989), Charles Power (1989) Commissioners: William R. Harmon (CO), D. Holland Kaupp (Correspon- dence Courses), J. Gildemeister (Legislative Affairs), Ralph Murphy (Information), Conrad Fisher (Jubilea Jaro), R. Kent Jones (Science & Technology), H. K. VerPloeg (Tape Service), Lucy Harmon (Travel Affairs), J. B. Massey (Wills and Gifting), Ellie Stein (Women's Affairs), Dr. James Cool (Youth Affairs), Dr. Julius Manson (United Nations) Director, ELNA CO: Mark Stephens ELNA Archivist: Hal Dreyer Any member wishing to assist in the work of any of the above named commissions or committees should communicate with the member shown. ELNA Dues: regular, $25; family, $37.50); youth (under 26), $18; patron of USEJ, $9 + usual membership fee; senior (65+), $15; sustaining, $50; life, $500. Dues are for the calendar year and are tax-deductible. ELNA Newsletter Volume 23, No. 2 ISSN 0030-5065 Esperanto League for North P.O. Box 1129, El Cerrito, CA 94530 Telephone: (415) 653-0998 Editor: Cathy Schulze Typesetting & Graphic Design: Gregory V.Wasson Back issues available for promotional use. 12 The ELNA Newsletter