A esperantist is a person who takes part in the diffusion of Esperanto. Étymologiquement, a esperantist is somebody who hopes. A espérantophone is esperantist because it is considered that somebody who speaks the international language Esperanto takes part in fact in his diffusion. A esperantist is not inevitably espérantophone because one can take part in the diffusion of Esperanto differently than by speaking it. The term esperantist indicates also what milked with Esperanto without strictly including/understanding it like “in favor of Esperanto” . One could also say “culture Esperanto” , by using the word like adjective. The term “espérantophone” appoints only the speakers of Esperanto considered individually, and does not take into account the dimension of cultural community which “the movement esperantist represents” in which one uses even the expression “esperantopopolo” (= people esperantist). The question of the difference between somebody which is “espérantophone” and somebody which is “esperantist” is prone to polemics: if it is considered that a espérantophone is esperantist, then, to give an example, whoever Esperanto learns can be considered as esperantist, which poses problem with certain people having ideas political or cultural very strict, in opposition with the desire of communication and opening to the others.

Lists of the famous esperantists and quotations

Important Esperantists

• Ludwik Lejzer Zamenhof, initiator of Esperanto.

• Theophilus Cart, polyglot, Latinist, defender of the othodoxy and the stability of the Esperanto language.
• Fernand Gilded, promoter of Champagne Esperanto
• Georges Kersaudy, interprets polyglot
• Georges Lagrange, writer French
• Frederic Pujulà I Vallés, pioneer of Esperanto in Catalogne
• Titus Brandsma, martyr, happy esperantist, owner of the International union of the catholic esperantists

Political personalities

• Badowski, founder of the Polish Communist party, largely promoted Esperanto within the movement trotskyste

• Fidel Castro, president of Cuba.

I regard myself as a soldier of the Esperanto . It does not matter that you are very few, your idea will overcome. It will overcome because it is right. Each nation has its language, humanity must have his, the Esperanto . (Speech made at the time of the 75e universal Congress with Havana in 1990)

• Edouard VII, king of the United Kingdom.

I think that the Esperanto is a great benefit for humanity and I express the desire which it has most complete and fast success.

• Gandhi, politician and Indian philosopher

I am for the same calendar for the whole world, as I am for the same currency for all the people and a world auxiliary language like the Esperanto for all the people.

• Jean Jaurès, politician French

It proposed with the Congress Internationale Socialist of Stuttgart in 1907 the use of the Esperanto for the information disseminated by the Office of Brussels of the International one.

• Leon Blum (1872 - 1950), politician and writer French.

I would like that in all the villages and all the cities, one teaches the Esperanto which would be a factor for the agreement of the people and the surest means to maintain peace universal.

• Ba Jin, writer anarchistic Chinese
• Franz Jonas, President of the Republic of Austria

It greeted the world press in Esperanto at the time of its visit in Paris in April 1972

• Willy Brandt (Herbert Karl Frahm, known as Willy) (1913 - 1992), chancellor of the FRG of 1969 to 1974.

successes of Esperanto is recognized by UNESCO. That UNO wants to insist well with effectiveness so that one continues the work started with Doctor Zamenhof.

• Robert Kennedy, American politician, brother of John F. Kennedy

It is very probable that a neutral language would be more useful like means of communication between the various nations of the world. The Esperanto is already for a long time one of the principal candidates for this function.

• Elisee Recluse, anarchist-Communist; Common language: the position of Elisee Recluse on Esperanto
• Tito, Head of State of the Yugoslavia

Must teach to the Esperanto the intellectuals, all those which have contacts with the foreigner, and mainly the workers.

Authors

• common Language: the position of Elisee Recluse on Esperanto

• Umberto Eco, large Italian linguist

• Ba Jin, writer Chinese
• Georges Lagrange, writer French esperantist
• J.R.R. Tolkien, writer and philologist

I have sympathy in particular to the claims of espéranto.mais the main reason to support it seems me to rest on the fact that it already acquired the first place, that it received the broadest reception

• Jules Verne

His book new until 1993 draft on 50 pages of the Esperanto in the account Trips studies . It made there say to the one its heroes:

the Esperanto, it is surest, the fastest vehicle of the Civilization.

And said to its entourage:

the key of a common language lost in the tower of Babel can be remade only by the use of Esperanto.

• Ludwik Lejzer Zamenhof, initiator of Esperanto.
• Leon Tolstoï

I found the volapük very complicated and, on the contrary, very simple Esperanto. It is so easy that having received, six years ago, a grammar, a dictionary and articles of this idiom, I could arrive, at the end of two early hours, if not to write it, at least with usually reading the language. () the sacrifices which any man of our European world will make, by devoting some time to his study are so small, and the results which can result from this so immense, that one cannot refuse to carry out this test. (1894)

• Maryvonne and Bruno Robineau couple of travellers, writer in Esperanto. Very known in the esperantist medium.

Scientific community

• Diesel Rudolf, inventive German of the diesel engine

Since many years I am interested myself in the Esperanto . This auxiliary, international language meets the basic condition so that many people accept it and that it is, moreover, one natural bond with the principal languages by the brilliant simplicity and the logic of its structure

• Gustave Eiffel, engineer French

the Esperanto … without to have had the courage of me to put at it good once, which my great age makes excusable, I never fail to recommend it to the young people, like one the easiest knowledge and most useful that one can acquire.

• Albert Einstein, physicist and German mathematician

the Esperanto is the best solution with the idea of international language.
Il would seem that there is confusion with another Einstein (Léopold), German journalist (1834-1890). It is him, and not Albert Einstein, who would have emitted this opinion.
The only unquestionable thing, it is that Albert Einstein accepted - 2 years after having received the Nobel Prize of physics - the presidency of honor of a congress esperantist in Germany (see here: http://satamikarohm.free.fr/article.php3?id_article=437).

• Bertalan Farkas, cosmonaut Hungarian
• Louis Lumière, inventive French of the cinema

the use of the Esperanto could have the happiest consequences in what touches the international relations and the establishment of peace.

Others

• Baden-Powell, founder British of scouting in 1908

• Jean-Paul II, pope

It pronounced its blessing Urbi and Orbi in 51 languages, whose Esperanto starting from 1994.

• Pelé, footballer Brazilian

the Esperanto will be very useful in general for the sportsmen, to bring them closer and facilitate friendly relations to them and sporting.

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