International Language, Past, Present & Future: With Specimens of Esperanto and Grammar - Softcover

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GENERAL

I

INTRODUCTORY

In dealing with the problem of the introduction of an international lan-

guage, we are met on the threshold by two main questions:

1. The question of principle.

2. The question of practice.

By the question of principle is meant, Is it desirable to have a universal lan-

guage? do we wish for one? in short, is there a demand?

The question of practice includes the inquiries, Is such a language possible?

is it easy? would its introduction be fraught with prohibitive difficulties?

and the like.

It is clear that, however possible or easy it may be to do a thing, there is

no case for doing it unless it is wanted; therefore the question of principle

3 WALTER JOHN CLARK

must be taken first. In the case before us the question of principle involves

many considerations-aesthetic, political, social, even religious. These will be

glanced at in their proper place; but for our present purpose they are all sub-

ordinate to the one great paramount consideration-the economic one. In

the world of affairs experience shows that, given a demand of any kind what-

ever, as between an economical method of supplying that demand and a

non-economical method, in the long run the economical method will surely

prevail.

If, then, it can be shown that there is a growing need for means of interna-

tional communication, and that a unilingual solution is more economical

than a multilingual one, there is good ground for thinking that the unilin-

gual method of transacting international affairs will surely prevail. It then

becomes a question of time and method: When will men feel the pressure of

the demand sufficiently strongly to set about supplying it? and what means

will they adopt?

The time and the method are by no means indifferent. Though a demand

(for what is possible) is sure, in the long run, to get itself supplied, a long pe-

riod of wasteful and needless groping may be avoided by a clear-sighted and

timely realization of the demand, and by consequent organized co-operation

in supplying it. Intelligent anticipation sometimes helps events to occur. It

is the object of this book to call attention to the present state of affairs, and

to emphasize the fact that the time is now ripe for dealing with the ques-

tion, and the present moment propitious for solving the problem once for

all in an orderly way. The merest glance at the list of projects for a universal

language[1] and their dates will strengthen the conviction from an historical

point of view that the fulness of time is accomplished, while

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