ESPERANTO: for years I've been intrigued by the notion of artificial languages. Lately I've been thinking of learning Esperanto. Are there any Esperantists on here?
I'm a total dunce at languages. However was intrigued by this idea of a universal language when I encountered it in the Stainless Steel Rat books I read as a child. I'd assumed that it was a Spanish dialect until I read up a little more about it - in the back of one of those books.
I don't know those particular books. When I was a kid the State education system (That was in Tasmania) offered Esperanto as a subject - that's where I first heard of it. Unfortunately it wasn't available at the Catholic school I attended.
I have never understood the need for an artificial language.