L. L. Zamenhof
L. L. Zamenhof: The man who created a language
by: Talal Nayer
"La mondo parolas unu lingvon" is an eloquent phrase coined by Ludwik Zamenhof, the inventor of Esperanto. The phrase translates to "The world speaks one language". Zamenhof began his career as an ophthalmologist and later became known as a language creator. Ludwik Lejzer Zamenhof was born into a Russian-Jewish family in the town of Białystok in eastern Poland. As Jews living on the borders of the Russian Empire, the Zamenhof family suffered persecution, so the father changed his name from Levi to Lazarus, and the child's name became Ludwik instead of Eliezer. Ludwik's mother was of Russian descent, from whom he picked up the language, and from his father, he also learned Hebrew and Yiddish, the language spoken by the majority of Ashkenazi Jews in Eastern Europe. The origins of Yiddish can be traced back to the tenth and eleventh centuries AD. It is a unique amalgamation of Aramaic, German, Italian, French, and Hebrew, with the majority of its words originating from German. However, some have suggested that the word "Yiddish" is a shortened form of "Yiddish-Pond" or "German-Jewish".
Zamenhof's exposure to the diverse Yiddish language and cultures enabled him to adopt a more cosmopolitan approach than many Jews of the time, who were obliged to remain in the confines of their Jewish culture. Levi Lazarus Zamenhof, Ludwik's father, was a German language teacher. He taught his son German, which sparked Ludwik's interest in learning French and English. Inspired by the Renaissance, Ludwik delved into the study of ancient languages and translated ancient heritage. Consequently, he mastered Latin and Greek and showed a keen interest in perfecting Italian, Spanish, and Lithuanian.
Białystok is a city where people of different cultural backgrounds meet, and it is inhabited by four main groups: Lithuanians, some families of German origin, Belarusians, and Poles, who are the landowners. It is important to acknowledge the presence of the Jewish minority. Unfortunately, conflicts between these cultural groups often arise due to trivial reasons, and the hatred between them is fueled by pride of origin, stereotypes, and prejudices about ethnicities and nationalities. It is worth highlighting that intolerance led everyone to communicate only in their native language. The complexity of interculturalism and multiculturalism within the Zamenhof family reached a climax with its descendants: The grandfather, a Jewish transnationalist, was forced to accept the reality of his multifaceted identity; the grandmother, proud of her Russian roots and atheist beliefs; the children, split between the two sides; and the grandchildren, very pragmatic, who identified themselves as being Polish. The individuals in question primarily identified as Poles and secondarily as Jewish, due to societal pressure rather than personal preference. They were forced into isolation among conflicting nationalities who were unable to communicate with one another. In this hostile and hateful atmosphere, Ludwik Zamenhof found himself at odds with his surroundings and envisioned a universal language that could unite all people.
During high school in Warsaw, initial efforts were made to overcome isolation when a new student developed a passion for English classes. This understanding has given him the confidence to communicate effectively in English and to share his knowledge with others. However, the complex grammar he presented to his classmates was difficult to comprehend, even for the most enthusiastic of his peers. Upon further study of English, Ludwik came to the realization that international grammar requires simplification rather than complexity. In 1879, Zamenhof completed the Lingwe uniwersala project and published his book at the young age of nineteen. Following his medical studies in Moscow and Warsaw, he began his career as an ophthalmologist in the city of Veisiejai in 1887. Later, he travelled to Vienna, Austria. Throughout his life, Zamenhof demonstrated both expertise in medicine and a passion for language, making significant contributions to both fields. Zamenhof practised medicine, which he hated, but had to do in order to make ends meet and raise money to finance his lifelong dream: (The World Language.)
The political situation in Europe was headed towards the dismantling of empires and the rise of radical nationalist movements, but hope was Zamenhof's greatest asset. The founder of Esperanto spent a decade developing the language he had invented, carrying the draft of his book around Austria and Poland, but fate brought him back to Russia, his ancestral homeland, and he found generous support from the man who was to become his son-in-law. The first edition of the International Language: Foreword and Complete Textbook was published under the pseudonym Doktoro Esperanto, or Dr Hope. Zamenhof confidently named the language he invented (Lingvo internacia), meaning international language. Later, he diplomatically changed the name to Esperanto after publishing his book. The language has since evolved from being a mere communication tool to a means of promoting peaceful coexistence between different cultures. It is widely believed that Zamenhof's ideas on Pacifism had a significant influence on French philosopher Émile Arnaud's adoption of the philosophy at the end of the nineteenth century, which may have contributed to this change.
Ludwik Zamenhof's Jewish identity was multifaceted. Although not religiously observant during his youth, he later wrote a philosophical book on the thoughts of Hillel the Elder, the most important figure in the Jewish tradition. However, it is important to note that this book in isolation cannot be taken as conclusive evidence of Zamenhof's religiosity. Zamenhof believed that Judaism was primarily an inherited cultural identity rather than an essential part of him, and he was torn between his desire to open up to a world that viewed him with suspicion and his Jewish identity, which he drew on whenever he felt defeated. During high school, Zamenhof worked on a dictionary of Yiddish and successfully standardized the rules governing the language. Yiddish had become fragmented as its speakers spread, and each group of Jews had their distinct version of Yiddish, often based on where they lived, and sometimes the differences made it difficult for speakers to understand each other. Additionally, Zamenhof compiled an encyclopaedia of the collected poetry of Yiddish, the first historical survey of the language in such a meticulous and professional manner.
During his linguistic studies, Zamenhof temporarily set aside his Jewish identity. However, the 1882 Pogrom attacks targeting Russian Jews, which were carried out with the blessing of Tsar Alexander III, positioned him in a pivotal position. The Tsar had issued laws forcing the Jews to depart, and the Bolsheviks continued the Tsar's approach, applying the laws he had written before his removal from the throne and from life itself, and by the time the Soviet Union was established in 1920, two million Jews had left Russia.
In 1882, Zamenhof confidently joined the Hibbat Zion; a proto-Zionist organization, driven by the events that had occurred during the Pogrom. Later, in 1901, he diplomatically wrote a lengthy letter in Russian to the leaders of Jewish communities. In the letter, he explained his belief that Zionism or any nationalist movement for Jews would not solve the problems of Jews in coexistence with their societies. He confidently stated that 'nationalism brings mankind nothing but gloom...' and that it was not a viable solution. Despite this enlightened and tolerant spirit towards other peoples and nationalities, his three sons were murdered in the Holocaust during the Second World War. Adam Ludwik Zamenhof, a Polish physicist, unfortunately, lost his life in 1940 after being shot in the Palmiry Camp, while his sister Lydia, a scholar of religions and linguistics, was murdered in 1942 in the Treblinka extermination camp because of her Jewish origins, despite her conversion to the Baha'i faith. The systematic and systematic targeting of Jews, not only in Germany but also in the Soviet Union. One of the pogroms that targeted Jews in the Soviet Union in 1938 It would appear that all Esperanto speakers were imprisoned, because, according to the justification of the Soviet leadership, they were only part of the “global Jewish conspiracy to control the world". It would be accurate to say that all Esperanto speakers were monitored by the KGB, rounded up and sent to Siberia, which is known as the Gulag. This could be seen as a Soviet version of the German Holocaust.
Esperanto, a language created by Zamenhof, has gained worldwide recognition. The Tongmenghui, also known as The Chinese Revolutionary Party, which successfully overthrew imperial rule after the Wuchang Uprising, proposed the adoption of Esperanto as the official language of the new state. Although the proposal did not receive sufficient support to implement the decision, it is worth mentioning that the followers of the Baha'i religion, which was founded in Iran by Baháʼu'lláh Ḥusayn-ʻAlí, have encouraged the study of Esperanto as a means of strengthening the principle of the spiritual unity of mankind, and this enthusiasm has been taken up by the followers of the Baha'í religion. It is interesting to note that speakers celebrate Zamenhof Day annually on 15 December, the birthday of the inventor of Esperanto. Zamenhof's dream of a world united by a common language has become a reality, with nearly two million people worldwide now using the language he invented. This language, once created to solve a problem in a small Polish town, has now become a global language and has the potential to rival other languages. It is important to recognize that language not only shapes the way we think, but also determines what we can think about. By acknowledging the power of language, we can work towards a more inclusive and understanding world. Zamenhof's call for language change was not a passing fad or a casual whim, but a firm conviction. As Karl Albrecht rightly said, “Change your language and you change your thoughts.”
