The World in Words 76: Esperanto’s past, present and future, and what not to say in Ireland’s parliament

The World
An Esperanto-conversation group on Nevado de Toluca, Mexico.

December 15 is the most important day in the calendar for people who speak Esperanto.

It is Zamenhof Day, named after the man who dreamed up the idea of a language that the entire planet would one day speak. L.L. Zamenhof was born 150 years ago, and though his dream was never realized, Esperanto is still spoken — in fact it's undergoing something of a revival in the internet age.

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We consider the failure and success of Esperanto. Also, why the Irish parliament bans words such as guttersnipe and brat, but permits certain swearwords. Finally, if your name is Mark, expect to be teased in Norway. You can follow The World in Words stories on Facebook or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.

You can follow The World in Words stories on Facebook or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.

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