,s 



L3 



VYlft 



PREFACE 



THE question of a so-called world-language, or better 

 expressed, an international auxiliary language, was during 

 the now past Volapiik period, and is still in the present 

 Esperanto movement, so much in the hands of Utopians, 

 fanatics and enthusiasts, that it is difficult to form an 

 unbiassed opinion concerning it, although a good idea lies 

 at its basis. Both the Volapiikists and Esperantists con- 

 fused the linguistic aspect of the question with so many side 

 issues that, not only was it difficult to see the former in its 

 true light, but also the leaders of the various movements 

 were unable to guide them in the right direction. For this 

 reason discussions concerning an international auxiliary 

 language appeared with good reason to many people to be 

 unpractical, impossible, or indeed even ridiculous. Matters 

 have, however, changed since the Delegation pour ^adoption 

 d'une langue auxiliaire Internationale has taken the matter 

 up. This International Commission, with its headquarters 

 in Paris, and consisting of literary and scientific men of 

 eminent reputation, was entrusted with the task of investi- 

 gating the general question of an international auxiliary 

 language. The Delegation has, in the course of an activity 

 extending over seven years, succeeded in showing that a 

 sound idea lies at the root of the various movements for a 

 universal language. Freed from all extraneous considera- 

 tions, this idea involves the purely linguistic question of the 

 introduction of an international auxiliary language. On the 

 other hand, the Delegation has found that neither Volapiik 

 nor Esperanto have succeeded in solving the problem. As, 

 however, Esperanto was found to contain a number of good 



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