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A Weekend of Esperanto (Yes, Esperanto) July 21, 2007E-mail this story E-mail this story
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Esperanto
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In the late 1800s, a Polish eye doctor had the idea to revolutionize the world by inventing a universal language. This language was supposed to promote world peace. He called it Esperanto. Although it didn't catch on as planned, it's still alive and well at the North American Summer Esperanto Institute in San Diego. Weekend America's Krissy Clark went to find what all the talk was about.

A Brief Glossary of Esperanto

Esperanto English
Susuri rustling (specifically, the "sound of rustling leaves")
Munde citizano World Citizen
Mirinda Wonderful
Esperanto Hope, or One who hopes
Princino Princess
Fek Shit
Umo Watchamacallit, thing-a-ma-jig (The cool thing about this word is that you can add Umo to other words, to modify them. So "Vendredumi" would mean "To Friday around." This was what Esperanto teacher Paul Gubbins finally conceded to as an appropriately Esperanto translation for "TGIF."
Gufujo The owl's nest. It's also used to mean "where the party is."
Krokodilo Crocodile. But it also is the very impolite act of two Esperanto speakers from the same country reverting to their native tongues in the company of other. Esperanto speakers who don't speak that language, therefore shutting down international communication. This reporter caused many krokodilo moments while she was at the Esperanto Institute.
Saluton Hello
Yes Yes

Special Web Audio

Esperanto teacher Paul Gubbins reads a love poem written by one of his students. It was lying on the coffee table in his dorm room (0:37).

Paul translates the poem, and explains how you can make really cool words in Esperanto (1:18).