ETNA UPDATE Issue 3, 1994 Esperanto League for North America LANGUAGE NEWS FROM EUROPE FRENCH COUNCIL SOFTENS ANTI- ENGLISH LAWS... Go ahead, have a cheeseburger, France's constitution- al Council said recently. The agency that monitors the constitutionality of laws-wasn't ruling on nutrition, but on linguistics. Its decision substantially weakens a new law meant to stop the invasion of foreign words into the French language. The law would, for instance, have forced advertisers to offer a "hamburger au frontage" instead of a cheeseburger. The council said the media can still use "Franglais" words for which the govern- ment's Dictionary of Official Terms has found French equivalents. Martin Malvy, president of the Socialist caucus in Parliament that challenged the law, called the ruling "good news for democracy and for the French- speaking world," which he said "needs more writing than gendarmes." The office of Prime Minister Edouard Bahadur insisted that "the essential parts of the law have nor been affected" by the ruling. But Bahadur, traveling in Africa, voiced concern that "there are many foreign terms in the French language. The essential problem of a nation is to defend its personality." "When the lan- guage is in danger, the country is in danger," author and academician Jean Dutour said on radio." (Juneau Empire July 31, 1994) ... WHILE LONDON PASSES ANTI- FRENCH LAW Cable News Network (CNN) featured a story during their International Hour about the British backlash to the anti-English laws in France. Many Britons were rather offended by these laws, and retaliated with a similar law. Although the law is unlikely to be enforced, it is now illegal to speak French in certain districts in London! ENGLISH FOR DUTCH/GERMAN ARMY The Dutch-speaking, Flemish people of Belgium have fought for many years against the fact that Flemish soldiers must obey incomprehensible orders in the French language, even during wartime. A similar prob- lem was dealt with in Le Monde, one of the most prestigious newspapers in the world. In a five-column article under the heading "Battle for the French Lan- guage" appeared the sub-heading "It is necessary to give Europe a communication medium in common, which must not be that of the Americans." The author, Herve Lavenir (General Secretary of the Committee for French as the European Language) reported that the recently- created Dutch/German army corps will use-English as their official language. "Will we tolerate tomorrow new progress of Amer-English, and further setbacks for French?" asked the author, who warned that cultural diversity on the continent was threatened. In conclusion, the author pleaded for the adoption of the French language as a communication medium: he argued that many politicians already support the proposal. (Heroldo de Esperanto June 10, 1994) NEWS FROM NON-EUROPE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE RESCUED! A program to revive the Hawaiian language began ten years ago when a group of native Hawaiian parents saw their language disappearing as older speakers died, and they looked to the next generation to revive it. The parents started their own preschool in Hilo, on the Big Island, where the students would be taught exclusively in Hawaiian. They called it Punana Leo, or nest of lan- guage. "We're not just teaching them Hawaiian, we're teaching them through Hawaiian," says Kauanoe Kama- na, a Hawaiian Studies professor at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, and one of the parents involved. "People who think that English is the key to all success are very narrow-minded," she says. "You need to know English, but it is not the essence of all knowledge." At first, volunteer teachers and parents instructed the classes using donated materials. They later won the backing of the state Department of Education, which gradually established Hawaiian language immersion programs through the eighth grade in seven public schools throughout the state, and recently approved its extension through high school. "It's a miracle that our children are speaking the Hawaiian language," says Lilikala Kame'eleihiwa, whose 11-year-old daughter Punihei has attended a Hawaiian immersion school in Honolulu since preschool. "It makes my heart sing." (Juneau Emipre August 7, 1994) CALIFORNIA LANGUAGE PROJECT Inspired by the success of the Hawaiian project, the Native California Network has embarked on an ambi- tious program to save some of that state's indigenous languages. Since most of the surviving speakers are beyond retirement age, there can be no attempt at following the Hawaiian model of focussing on pre- schools to revitalize the languages. So the California program aims at teaching young adults who will then go on to teach the next generation. Twenty master-appren- tice teams work in informal intensive language instruc- tion. Leanne Hinton, Linguistics Professor at the Univer- sity of California at Berkeley, acts as consultant to the project, which was recently awarded a $240,000 grant from the U.S. government as a result of the 1990 Native American Languages Act. Hinton points out in her new book, Flutes of Fire, that the California project is much more daunting than that in Hawaii, due to the number of languages involved: fifty indigenous languages survive in the Golden State, while Hawaii has only one. This forces a rationing of the financial and human resources, which consigns some languages to oblivion. ESPERANTO NEWS UNIVERSALA KONGRESO (WORLD CONGRESS) From July 23-30 Seoul, Korea hosted the 79th World Esperanto Congress, which was one of the largest international gatherings ever to take place in Korea! A majority of the participants were Asian, so Esperanto was able to prove that it is not a European phenome- non. 1776 participants from 66 countries met without need of interpreters or translators. Next year the Univer- sala Kongreso will take place in Tampere, Finland. ITie Internacia Junulara Kongreso (International Youth Congress) will be in St. Petersburg, Russia. ESPERANTO IN MAINSTREAM MEDIA The Wall Street Journal (March 30, 1994) published a long (30 column-inch) story about Esperanto which mixed in some fairly correct information about the International Language along with its seemingly required dose of condescension and sarcasm. The Philadelphia Enquirer published a two-page article on May 1, 1994 about the Esperanto museum in Vienna. It was presented as a straight-forward tourism piece. Harper's Magazine included in their "Harper's Index" of May 1994 the following fun fact: "Membership of Internacia Naturista Organizo Esperantista, a club for nudist speakers of Esperanto, in Brussels: 233". Actually, it is somewhat higher... The Transnational Radical Party published a two- page ad in the New York Times (Sept. 28, 1994) in which the party platform is discussed in detail, including several paragraphs about Esperanto. This party is by far our strongest supporter among all political organizations to be found anywhere. Check it out! In their book Superleaming 2000, Sheila & Nancy Ostrander and Lynn Schroeder twice mention the accelerated programs in Esperanto conducted by Vera Payne of Australia. They speak rather highly of the International Language project, saying "it's never really caught on. It had to wait for the computer age." The German pop-music band called Electric Music recently released a CD called Esperanto. Although the music is for the most part wordless, the title track includes a background chant of "Esperanto- Universal Language". According to rumor, the German version of the CD included a small Esperanto-German dictionary. Pop superstar Michael Jackson recently released a retrospective album called History which is being pro- moted on MTV and in movie theaters by means of a short film in which many people speak Esperanto! Paulo Coelho's novel The Alchemist, which was just translated into English, includes several references to Esperanto as the language which one studies on the way to learning "the language of the Universe." There are now free Esperanto lessons available by electronic mail. The course is based on the perennially popular 10-lesson postal course. It is faster, and saves on stamps! Coni&ctmarko.rauhamaa@tekelec.comtoenroll. And of course the Usenet newsgroup soc.culture.esperantois widely available. Articles there are mostly in Esperanto, but some are about the Interna- tional Language, and written in English, French, Ger- man, etc... ESPERANTO AND SPORTS At the conclusion of the semi-final match of the World Cup of soccer, during which Brazil defeated Bulgaria, an all-Brazilian radio network broadcast several congratulatory messages in several languages, including one in Esperanto. The message praised the divine abilities of the Brazilian superstar striker Romano, so it likely won some positive attention. NEW FROM THE BOOK SERVICE ANTAŬPAROLO DE "KROMVELO", Edwin GROBE. This clever novela by one of Esperanto's rising stars deals with the influence of Marlena Dietrich on the minds of post-war American students. 1994, 19p. Paper. USA. ANT001 $230/$2.20 BAG. A useful, handsome, simple bookbag made of sturdy canvas with green handles. Printed with a globe and the slogan Esperanto • World Language and the necessary addresses. BAG002 $5.25/$5.00 BEGINNERS ESPERANTO, Joseph F. CONROY. This latest addition to the collection of self-instruction tools is aimed at a slightly different segment of the demo- graphics of Esperanto students, for it aims more at resolving pronunciation issues than the others already on the market. Fine first Esperanto book! 1994, 342p. Paper. USA. ISBN 0-7818-0230-X BEG001 $14.95/$14.20 BESTO-FARMO, LA, George ORWELL. Trans. Gerald TUCKER. Although Orwell had personal reasons to resent the International Language, the Esperanto world has no need to shun his works. "Animal Farm" deals with many of the linguistic issues which naturally intrigue Esperantists. Second edition 1970, 108p. Paper. 111. Germany. BESCM34 $14.50/$13.75 CLOCK. This handsome little desk-clock can perch in public and tell the time-curious masses about how to contact ELNA to learn more about Esperanto • inter- nacia komunikilo. Digital readout. HORO02 $5.00/$4.75 DIA KOLERO, Edwin GROBE. This novela deals with the nature of sin and its unforeseen consequences. An amusing autobiographical story set in pre-war rural Missouri. 1994, 23p. Paper. USA. DIA001 $230/$2.20 EL TIOM DA JARCENTOJ. Trans. Gerrit BERVE- LING. A small anthology of Latin poetry, published to commemorate the translator's fiftieth birthday. A sweet bouquet of fifty poems from antiquity to the present. 1994, 49p. Paper. Netherlands. ELT001 $4.25/$4.05 ETA ARIZONA VORTARO/LITTLE ARIZONA DIC- TIONARY (Vol. 1), Edwin GROBE. 100 special Arizona- related words with definitions and example sentences. Bilingual throughout- quite informative in both languag- es. 1992, 12p. Paper. USA. ETA0O5 $230/$2.20 EVANGELIO KOPTA LAŬ TOMASO, LA. Trans. Gerrit BERVELING. The Gospel according to Thomas is too little known in any language. It presents a different look at the personality and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. 1994, 16p. Paper. Netherlands. EVA002 $2.15/$2.05 FREMDULO, LA, Albert CAMUS. Trans. Michel DUC GONINAZ. This classic of twentieth century literature retains the Existentialist ennui of the original French in this easy-to-read translation. 1993,142p. Paper. France. ISBN 2-9502432-2-3 FRE002 $11.25/$10.70 GERŜVTNO EN PREĜEJO, Edwin GROBE. In this novela, Grobe invokes Mozart and Gershwin, calling our attention to matters aesthetic and theological. 1994,19p. Paper. USA. GER004 $230/$2.20 HELPA MANO, Edwin GROBE. A short story from the author's student years. 1994, 26p. Paper. USA. HEL001 $230/$2.20 HENRIKO VIKENBURGO KAJ VULTURO-MINEJO, Edwin GROBE. From the series "Pages from Arizona History." 1993, 12p. Paper. USA. HENOCH $1.10/$1.05 KOLERA AFERO, Ronald Cecil GATES. This novela is a sequel to the popular crime story La septaga murd- enigmo. 1993, 88p. Paper. Belgium. ISBN 90-71205-48-7 KOL002 $8.25/$7.85 KOREA SAKETASO, LA, Edwin GROBE. An especially moving and elegant novela. 1994, 19p. Paper. USA. KOR007 $230/$2.20 LONDONO-PONTO ALVENAS ARIZONON, Edwin GROBE From the series "Pages from Arizona History." 1993, 12p. Paper. USA. LON002 $1.10/$1.05 NAVAHOAJ ĈIFROPAROLANTOJ DE ARIZONO, Edwin GROBE. From "Pages from Arizona History." 1994, 15p. Paper. USA. NAV001 $1.10/$1.05 NOTOJ PRI NUNTEMPA IJSONINDIANA MUZIKO, Edwin GROBE. From "Pages from Arizona History." 1994, 16p. Paper. USA. NOT002 $1.10/$1.05 PATRO KINO, Edwin GROBE. From "Pages from Arizona History." 1993, 16p. Paper. USA. PAT005 ' $1.10/$1.05 PEN. A basic, colorful ball-point pen which varbs Espe- ranto. Writes in black. Smooth action. Includes cap. PEN002 $.50/$.45 PERDITA ORMINEJO EN SUPERSTIĈA MONTARO, Edwin GROBE. From "Pages from Arizona History." 1993, 12p. Paper. USA. PER002 $1.10/$1J5 PERUA VENĜO, Edwin GROBE. A sexy and amusing novela. 1994, 18p. Paper. USA. PER003 $2.30/$2.20 PIN. The classic green star and Esperanto. PA diameter. USA. PIN005 $.60/$.55 PIN. Whole earth and Esperanto • Internacia Lingvo in purple on light blue. 21/s diameter. USA. PIN006 ' $.75/$.70 SALUTON, AMIKO/AMIKINO! • SALUT, AMI(E)! • HELLO, FRIEND! Esperanto, French and English translations of daily phrases and words useful during Olympics. Prepared for the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary. Space left to add phrases in another lan- guage. 1988, 120p. Paper. Canada. SAL004 ' $6.50/86.15 SFEROJ 9, Div. 111. This popular science-fiction book is the last in the series to include translations: nothing but original Esperanto literature from now on. Thirteen short stories, including one each from Asimov and Love- craft. 1989, 136p. Paper. Spain. ISBN 84-604-9831-X SFE009 * ' $11.00/810.45 TEACH YOURSELF ESPERANTO. This long-unavail- able 2-tape set can again assist students using TYE. USA. TYE003 $26.95/$25.60 TESTAMENTO, LA, Beetiwven. Trans. Walter KLAG. The famous "Heiligenstadt Testament" in which Beetho- ven acknowledges his deafness and reflects on its implications for his musical life. 4p. Austria. TESO01 $.25 TIRANO BANDERAS, Ramon DEL VALLE-MCLAN. Trans. Fernando DE DIEGO. Considered by many the finest twentieth century Spanish novel. Harbinger of recent magic realism. 1993,247p. Paper. Spain. ISBN 84- 604-6931-X TTR001 $11.50/$10.90 TRAGEDIO APUD HILAO-RIVERO, Edwin GROBE. From "Pages from Arizona History." 1993, 16p. Paper. USA TRA006 $1.10/$1.05 33 RAKONTOJ • LA ESPERANTANQVEIAJRTQ.Jtefo ROSSETTI & Ferenc SZILAGYI, ed. A classic collection of some of the all-time best Esperanto short stories. 1964. 328p. Bound. Spain. TRI002 $35.00/$33.25 WORLD LANGUAGE FOR ONE WORLD, A, John ROBERTS. This pamphlet from the Association of World Federalists explains the potential of Esperanto. 1993, 24p. Paper. England. WOR001 ' $1.25/$1.15 Esperanto League for North America P.O. Box 1129 El Cerrito CA 94530 Tel. (510)653-0998; Fax: (510)653-1468 e-mail: elna@netcom.com Nonprofit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID Berkeley CA Permit No. 330 In this Issue... ♦ French Anti-English * English Anti-French ♦■ Rescuing Native American Languages * Esperanto in the Media ♦ Lots of New Books