Esperanto League for North America, Inc • Box 1129, El Cerrito, CA 94530 • (415) 653-0998 Issue 3,1990 Irfjjlp LANGUAGE & WORLD LANGUAGE PROBLEMS Americans Don't Know Languages "If a person speaks two languages, that person is bi-lingual. What do you call a person who speaks only one language? An American." Thus said George Sangmesiter when he presented legislature in Washington D.C. which would budget 58 million dollars for the teaching and study of foreign languages and cultures, in institutions which receive federal support. "We are living in an always more worldwide society", Sangmesiter added, "and are no longer able to permit a younger generation which has no interest in that which occurs outside of the United States". (HEROLDO DE ESPERANTO, May 10, 1990) One Million Pages... The 1200 translators of the European Community handle about one million pages yearly to help facilitate Europe's eco- nomic integration. However, in the last employment examina- tion for the French department only 8 candidates out of the 600 participants passed the test. The major causes of the failures were due to syntax and orthography errors. ( from "LE SOIR", Belgium, as reported in HEROLDO DE ESPERANTO, May 31, 1990) Ich Bin Ein Yankee Doodle Those touchy French have always been offended at American expressions — "le hot dog," "le drugstore" — creeping into their language. Now, the Germans are getting annoyed about it, too. According to the magazine DER SPIEGEL, West Germans are especially bothered by the preponderance of English used in advertising, retailing and packaging. Even citizens who speak academic English well are puzzled - and annoyed- when depart- ment store clerks offer "dress shirts", "city shirts" and "leisure shirts." A University of Paderborn linguist recently conducted a survey to find out whether most West Germans really understand the meaning of English words commonly used in Germany. Among the responses: "Dropout" is a coin-operated candy machine; "Underdog is an article of girl's underwear; "Brain- washing" is a kind of food. (SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, May 17,1990) Speaking as One The study of foreign languages and cultures in American colleges is superficial and too focused on Europe to meet national needs, according to the first comprehensive survey of undergraduate education in international areas. The survey conducted for the American Council on Educa- tion, an association of higher education groups, found 52 percent of a sample of 1986 graduates from 34 colleges had taken no foreign language courses. On average, the 8,439 graduates whose transcripts were reviewed had taken between one and two courses in a foreign language, mostly at the introductory or intermediate level of study. "Collegiate foreign language instruction touchesmoststudents only very lightly, if at all," concluded Richard D. Lambert, author of the study and director of the National Foreign Language Center at Johns Hopkins University. Lambert found that students who majored in the humanities or social sciences were more likely to take foreign language courses than those majoring in science, education or business. "It is especially regrettable that as the practice in their discipline is becoming increasingly international in focus, those in engi- neering and in the sciences typically receive little or no collegiate foreign language instruction", Lambert wrote. He also decried as "especially troublesome" the prospect of education majors becoming teachers and perpetuating "monolingualism." Lambert said college students who study a foreign language most often took Spanish, French and German. He also found that almost half of other international courses focused on Europe. And he reported 80 percent of U.S. undergraduates who study abroad do so in Europe. More go to the United Kingdom - 29 percent - than any other country. "In a world in which the non-European countries will play an ever-increasing role in global affairs, our continued fixation on Europe is dysfunctional," Lambert said. He found that the study of Japanese was increasing, but that coursework in Chinese, Rus- sian and Arabic to be stagnant or declining. Lambert called for new national programs to strengthen collegiate study of foreign language, particularly non-European ones. He also recommended that colleges send at least some of their undergraduates abroad. * m iii^ NiiiNAL NEWS ELNA Informational Service Switches to Recycled Paper ELNA Informational Service recently re-designed its intro- ductory packet of information. Chief among the changes was the introduction of recycled paper. The Central Office is also looking into publishing the ELNA Update on recycled paper starting in 1991. Materials printed by ELNA on recycled paper can be distin- guished by the insignia shown below. ELNA Correspondence Courses Being Restructured Volunteers from the ELNA Central Office have been working with Dorothy Holland-Kaupp, commissioner for ELNA Corre- spondence courses, to develope a new series of "for-pay" Es- peranto Correspondence courses. This new series is dividedinto 4 levels. The first two levels have already been developed (see advertisement in this issue) and the third level is expected to be offered in late 1990 or early 1991. A final production schedule of the 4th level course material has not been established but is expected to be available before the middle of 1991. IrlfllNATIONAL ESPERANTO NEWS Mail-order Interlinguistics Course Offered After long preparations, the Esperanto-division of the Budapest Eotveos Lorand University happily reports that it has devised a way to offer an international correspondence course in interliguistics totally in Esperanto. If there are enough students enrolled, it will begin in September of 1990. The three year program will culminate in a (Hungarian) State Diploma. For more information write (in Esperanto or English) to: ELTE, Rektori Hivatal Oktatasi Osztalya Szerb u.21-23 1/28 H-1053 Budapest HUNGARY (BOLETINDE LA FEDERACION ESPANOLA DE ESPE- RAPTTO, No. 294, 1990) Esperanto Activity in Rumania Flowers After Revolution After years of reduced activity, Rumania finally has its own officially registered Esperanto association. This past spring, the Rumanian Esperanto Association (Rumana Esperanto-Asocio), registered as an official, legal organization designated to coor- dinate Esperanto activity on a national level. Another organization, the University Esperanto Collective (Universitata Esperanto- Kolektivo), whose goals are to promote Esperanto to the scientific community, was formed. The major cufference between the two organizations is that the former is aimed toward the general public and the latter is aimed toward educators, university students, linguists and scientists. Local Esperanto activity has also increased with many maga- zine articles and radio broadcasts which inform the public of interesting news about Esperanto and Esperanto courses. Local Esperantists are preparing for the Rumanian Esperanto-Con- vention (Rumana Esperanto-Kongreso), the first in more then 40 years, which is scheduled to occur this summer in Timisoara. Letters of encouragement, requests for Esperanto pen-pals, donations, etc. should be directed to: Rumana Esperanto-Asocio C.P. 37-146 RO-7000 Bucuresti, RUMANIA (Report compiled from articles and personal correspondence by Ionel Onet) INEXPENSIVE LEARNING AIDS FOR THE NEW STUDENT The Esperanto Teacher—by Mason Stuttard. Concise pocket sized textbook of basic Esperanto for the home-student. With key to exercises. 6th ed., 1989,104 pages paper. ESP017 $2.75 (non-members price) $2.60 (members price) A Practical Course in Esperanto — by Dr. Ferenc Szylagyi. A direct-method teacher, with illustrations and key to ex- ercises. Handy pocket size. 12th edition, 1977, 99 pages paper. PRA001 $1.75 (non-members price) $1.65 (members price) Anglaj Prepozicioj en Esperanto— J.W. Prent. Ordered by English words, this booklet gives many examples of the different uses of prepositions. 1987, 20 pages paper. ANG004 $2.00 (non-members price) $1.90 (members price) Notes on English Grammar for Stu- dents of Esperanto — Gabriel Dawson Lewis. Third edition of this very popular study comparing English and Esperanto grammar. 1982,48 pages paper. NOT001 $2.50 (non-members price) $2.35 (members price) Esperanto Keys — These tiny booklets explain Esperanto in the lan- guage named, and include an Esperanto vocabulary in that language. The En- glish (KEN001) plus the Esperanto Vo- cabulary (KES001) make a handy and inexpensive introduction to Esperanto. non-mem. mem. English KEN001 .50 .45 Esp. Voc. KESOOl .50 .45 Spanish KSPOOl .70 .65 Esperanto in 24 Pages — Infor- mational brochure aimed toward young people. Answers the who, where, how and why of Esperanto. Also includes the basic rules of Esperanto and a small vocabulary. 1986, 24 pages paper. ESP006 .50 (non-members price) .45 (members price) ELNA ORDER FORM For Office Use Only A/H*: Involoo*; SHIP TO: Name:------ DATE: Address: City: ----- Zip:-------- State: (_"J I am a current calendar year member of ELNA & therefore using Members' discounted prices* MERCHANDISE Code # C»ty. \ •■■'■■ option Unit Price ' • i'nce MERCHANDISE SUBTOTAL SHIPPING/HANDLING (10% of price; $1.25 min.; In USA only, $6.50 max.) SALES TAX (California residents only) rOTAl Most orders shipped same day by fourth class book rate. Please allow sufficient delivery time. Please make all checks payable to ELNA and send to: ELNA, P.O. Box 1129, El Cerrito, CA 94530. (415) 653-0998. Esperanto League for North America, Inc. P.O. Box 1129 El Cerrito, CA 94530 Usono/USA in this issue,.. ♦ Americans 6? Language *** Hew Correspondence Courses ♦ Esperanto in Rumania ♦ Inexpensive Learning Aids Nonprofit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID Berkeley, CA Permit No. 330 Learn Esperanto in the convenience ©f your own home through ELNA's self-paced Home Study FrogramI Each level of the Home Study Program is self-contained, all you need is a tape recorder and your spare time. In addition, your course will be guided by a qualified instructor of Esperanto, giving you the personal attention you need. The just released Level One and Level Two of the program are designed to emphasize building conversational skills with a focus on everyday expressions. Why wait? Start now on the road to truly person-to-person communication through the international language Esperanto by enrolling today! LEVEL ONE — Using the textbook and cassette tape for the popular Jew Nia Mondo 1 radio course, this 12 lesson course will quickly guide you to mastery of basic Esperanto. COURSE MATERIALS: Jen Nia Mondo 1 book (66 pages), Jen Nia Mondo 1 audio cassette, and workbook. Course Number 101..........$35.00* LEVEL TWO.............As a continuation of Level One, this 13 lesson course focuses on a more detailed analysis of Esperanto as a language in it's own right. This course is recommended to the serious student as a follow up to 101 above. COURSE MATERIALS: Jen Nia Mondo 2 book (89 pages), Jen Nia Mondo 2 audio cassette, and workbook. Course Number 201..........$40.00* * „ Note: LEVELS THREE and FOUR are scheduled for release in late 1990 or early 1991 and will be announced when available. ELNA COMLESPONDENCE COURSE REGISTRATION FORM Return this form with check or money order payable to ELNA to: ELNA, P.O. Box 1129, El Cerrito, CA 94530-1129 Name: _ Address: Date: City/State/Zip- Code: Telephone #:________ Please enroll me in the correspondence course indicated below. I am enclosing $_ to ELNA. . check or money order made payable [ ] 101-LEVEL ONE.....$35.00* [ ] 102-LEVEL TWO.....$40.00** * & * * : If you already have the book and tape set for Jen Nia Mondo 1 or 2, you may subtract $12.00 from the price of the appropriate course level.