The number of speakers is the key. Only a few are prepared to learn it just because of the promise it holds.

Lernu is a fabulous initiative because it self-evidently may increase the number of speakers. However, in my view the only way you will get a dramatic increase in the number of speakers is by its widespread introduction into schools.

But you face a catch 22 situation if you argue for its inclusion in the curriculum on the basis of its practical usefulness. The direction of our propaganda should be getting Esperanto in the schools because it is of educational value. When a whole generation have learnt it at school then you can argue Esperanto in the schools because it is useful.

In the meantime every Esperantist who persuades another person to learn the language helps the cause. If each Esperantist could provoke just one other person to learn and that person in turn could provoke somebody else to learn it and so on, then growth would be assured.

Is it too much to ask that in a period of 5 years vi ĉiu varbu almenaŭ unu alian?

Vestitor:I don't think that scientific work in Esperanto is a realistic prospect. Not because it's impossible, but that Esperanto would have to be an agreed currency first, or enough scientists would have to publish in Esperanto first for it to gain that status and that is just extra-curricular activity for people who are busy enough doing science and conforming to the standard of publishing in English.

I generally concur with respect to contemporary science. When the International Auxiliary Language Association (IALA) published Interlingua in 1951 (to be distinguished from the *original* Interlingua by Giuseppe Peano, later known as Latino sine Flexione), IALA attemtped to make it an interlanguage for science. Alexander Gode, a prime mover of Interlingua, published synopses of papers in Interlingua (the synopses, not the papers), and at one time the popular magazine Science Newsletter (now Science News) carried some of his items in Interlingua. There was even, for a short time, an actual scientific journal, Spectroscopia Molecular, in I-gua.

However, whatever may have been the merits, I-gua never "took off" as an interlanguage of science. Given the predominance of English in the natural sciences today, I doubt that Esperanto, for all its abundant merits (and I am appreciating them more and more even as a sort of eterna komencanto), is likely to displace English in those fields. Nevertheless, I do think that E-o has promise in other fields.

1) I agree that it would be nice to see memes / rage comics in Esperanto.

2) Has anyone actually bought an Esperanto book and donated it to their local library? Awareness of the language would probably help.

sudanglo:Is it too much to ask that in a period of 5 years vi ĉiu varbu almenaŭ unu alian?

I wish it were that easy. I've tried with a few people, none of them stick with it because it requires effort.

Riano:1) I agree that it would be nice to see memes / rage comics in Esperanto.

The most obvious rage comic about Esperanto would be “Y U NO SPEAK ESPERANTO?”

Riano:1) I agree that it would be nice to see memes / rage comics in Esperanto.

We have to go beyong translating rage comics or any other meme. If E-o should style itself to be the alternative, it must become a self-contained "universe" with its own quirks and cultural phenomena.

Riano:2) Has anyone actually bought an Esperanto book and donated it to their local library? Awareness of the language would probably help.

Well, books are good, but they're dying.

Riano:

sudanglo:Is it too much to ask that in a period of 5 years vi ĉiu varbu almenaŭ unu alian?

I wish it were that easy. I've tried with a few people, none of them stick with it because it requires effort.

Amen.

Hundies19:I think that the premise of this thread is entirely accurate. It will not be possible for Esperanto to acquire international clout of any kind without more diverse social capital, which will demand from us cultural material.

What will work best, methinks, is media related to the Internet, but of a quality equal to popular culture produced in national languages like English and Japanese. Or working to that standard over time (I for one am unable to produce such things). An excellent Movie or Series could bring the demographics of N'avi and Klington to our camp. An open source computer game could bring gamers and programmers also.

Most importantly though, we NEED a way for Esperantistoj to attain fluency in order to make Esperanto sound good to the common man. Incubus, for example, is poison in that regard. We need media that conveys Esperanto in a genuinely fluent way and in a aesthetically pleasing accent.

Thanks, and I agree with all of your statements.

@Sudanglo: You're asking for hard power.

I wish it were that easy. I've tried with a few people, none of them stick with it because it requires effort.

Esperantists tend to learn Esperanto because it fascinates them by it's own nature. For the vast majority of people to become interested in it, there will have to be an incentive beyond that. Fiscal incentives the best, but cultural clout is n effective prerequisite for economic power.

We have to go beyond translating rage comics or any other meme. If E-o should style itself to be the alternative, it must become a self-contained "universe" with its own quirks and cultural phenomena.

We should try to make Esperanto into a Meme ourselves. It's very important that we try to control the narrative surrounding Esperanto. The theme of such a meme might be one of simplicity and practicality, but not of perfection.

Maybe Esperanto communities should shift our focus to the acquisition of skills in media for the very purpose of getting Esperanto's soft power in motion. I, for example have some modest skills in 3D art and want strongly to learn programming in the language python. In the future I might find it good to teach other Esperantojn how to develop these skills. The world will need inspiring references to Esperanto. Methinks that as long as the media comes from multiple cultures the Esperanta culture will be something unique and self contained. Esperanto might even be used as a way of finding the best cultural values for certain goals .

Have people tried public access media (public radio, television, leisure classes, etc.)? That's a fairly grass-roots approach. Also a good way to form local language communities.

I often want to make fun/educational/silly videos for Youtube, and I speak well enough to do them in Esperanto. But what kind of topics would interest you guys? I'd like suggestions

Edited post. I can give links to examples of the kind of videos I've made before. But I like to hear other peoples' ideas; I would really like to try anything that gives a good opportunity to (1) use the language (2) have fun.

sudanglo:
However, in my view the only way you will get a dramatic increase in the number of speakers is by its widespread introduction into schools.

I think, one way to expand Esperanto very vigorously is to introduce it as a 1st or preparatory foreign language in countries where major European languages (specially English) are present, merely as a foreign language. in my view the Middle East and Central Asia are the regions which can be considered as a good cradle for Esperanto.
To realize this goal, heavy lobbying should be carried out by the Esperanto sponsoring organizations with the international and local ones, such as UN, UNESCO, governments and NGOs.
Incentives, like helping the local governments with educational planning, founding, teaching and learning material etc could enhance the program.