Hi David,

You can get the complete interview at the following URL :

http://www3.sympatico.ca/mlgr/chomsky.pdf

As I understand him, Chomsky says Esperanto works only because it parasites
european
languages (like a software on an operating system, I would say). It works only
if we know
one or more natural languages from indo-european tradition. Its implicit and
unsaid rules
are based on a prior knowledge of a living linguistic universe. I suppose that
with Glosa
the problem is more complex, but nevertheless similar.

At my opinion, that is not related to the possibility or the impossibility of a
"cultural" life
in esperanto.

Michel Legare (ML)
Canada


--- In glosalist@yahoogroups.com, "David" <daveyporter@...> wrote:
>
> Hello ML
>
> The original publication by Lancelot Hogben was a Pelican book first
published in
1943 by Penguin books called "Interglossa" - there are still copies out there
being sold by
inet second hand booksellers. The publication in question is aimed at
linguists and the
book is very technical (for me anyway). However there are some interesting
sections. As
far as I know Hogben's criticism of Esperanto was that there was a) surfeitt of
grammatical
rules b) excessive number of essential words which the beginner has to memorize
c)
intrinsic unfamiliarity of the words themselves - I quote from the book. He
also wrote
(regarding the "unnecessarily large vocabulary) that there was a "need for
semantic
spring-cleaning".
> Wendy Ashby - who publishes PGN (as you are probably aware) - would
probably be
able to shed more light on this.
> I was unaware of Chomsky's comment regarding auxiliary languages but have
had
discussions with others who take the line that an auxiliary language cannot
succeed
because "it has no soul" - meaning that it has no cultural background - for me
that is
irrelevant. Language is about communication and the pressing need for the
world's
peoples is for us to be able to communicate with one another easily and without
misunderstanding. The reason why the ruling class do not promote an
international
language is probably because they do not want too much communication among the
world's workers who may get together and demand an end to the insanity of this
obscene
economic system called capitalism that they administer.
> Regards, David.
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: ML
> To: glosalist@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Sunday, September 28, 2008 10:02 PM
> Subject: [glosalist] Hogben about esperanto
>
>
> Hi,
>
> First, I apologize for my unskilful active use of English. I am going to do
my best.
Sorry, I
> cannot use Glosa yet :-)
>
> But, I am a former user of esperanto. I gave up esperanto for some
ideological,
personal and
> technical reasons... Glosa seems to me much more interesting as an auxiliary
langage
for
> humanity. What was the Hogben's opinion about esperanto ?
>
> What is your opinion about Chomsky's declaration that esperanto (as any
other
constructed
> language) is not a language ? It seems that the text of the interview with
Chomsky is
no more
> available on the web, but any of you who would like a PDF copy, can ask to
me.
>
> ML
>
>
>
>
>
> --
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