Re: [lojban] Re: Lojban Vs. Esperanto

[Robin Turner <robin@bilkent.edu.tr>]

Craig wrote:
> > My name is Myriam and have the pleasure to contact you in order to obtain
>
> some information for a research about planned languages. I would
>
> > like to know which are the advantages of Lojban as an international
>
> language over other planned languages, especially Esperanto. Is it
>
> > easier to learn? Is it more connected to modern technology? How many Lojban
>
> speakers are by the moment?
>
> > Thanks in advance for your kind reply,
>
>
> Lojban and Esperanto are not in competition in any way. There are in fact a
> reasonable number of people who are involved with both.
>
> Esperanto seeks to be a second language for the world, so that everyone can
> communicate with everyone else. While it is unlikely to succeed in this, it
> is much more successful at it than any other interlanguage. Lojban has no
> such ambitions.

Well, that's the official line.  However, some Lojbanists _are_ 
interested in the use of Lojban as an auxiliary language, especially in 
certain areas where precision is important (e.g. law, philosophy). 
However, I don't think many, if any, Lojbanists are actively seeking the 
Esperantists' "finvenko" ("final victory" - everyone in the world learns 
the same second language).

In auxlangs, like Esperanto Occidental or Interlingua, the focus is on 
international communication.  In some conlangs like Klingon or Elvish, 
the focus tends to be on the mythos (with a few exceptions, Klingonists 
tend to be into Star Trek and speakers of Elvish are Tolkien fans). 
Lojban is unusual (though probably not unique) in that the focus is 
geenraly the language itself.  People generally learn Lojban because 
they think it's a fascinating language, then maybe later become 
interested in its possible applications: international (more 
importantly, _intercultural_ communication), human-machine interaction, 
meta-linguistics, patent law ... we even had some mails once from a 
psychotherapist who was wondering if learning Lojban attitudinals (words 
for attitudes, feelings etc.) could help patients clarify their emotions.

robin.tr

--
"A strategy is still being formulated."

Robin Turner
IDMYO
Bilkent Univeritesi
Ankara 06533
Turkey

www.bilkent.edu.tr/~robin