<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>In the European and world-wide scenario of linguistic justice offered by <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_auseur-2016-0008_ref_010_w2aab2b8b5b1b7b1ab1ac10Aa">van Parijs (2011)</xref>, it is argued that we need one <italic>lingua franca</italic> only and that the only suitable candidate is English. In order to sustain his argument, the author has to reject three known alternatives against the English-only scenario. The second alternative is Esperanto. Van Parijs argues that there are some inner defects in the Esperanto language, and therefore Esperanto is not suitable for the role of world-wide <italic>lingua franca</italic>. This paper offers counterarguments based on the evidence of facts, showing that if nowadays Esperanto is only a lesser-used language the reason is not in the inner traits of the language, rather in geopolitical decisions. I argue that in the most probable global scenario English still plays the actual major role, but along with other cultural languages being regional <italic>lingua francas</italic>.</p></abstract>

In the European and world-wide scenario of linguistic justice offered by van Parijs (2011), it is argued that we need one lingua franca only and that the only suitable candidate is English. In order to sustain his argument, the author has to reject three known alternatives against the English-only scenario. The second alternative is Esperanto. Van Parijs argues that there are some inner defects in the Esperanto language, and therefore Esperanto is not suitable for the role of world-wide lingua franca. This paper offers counterarguments based on the evidence of facts, showing that if nowadays Esperanto is only a lesser-used language the reason is not in the inner traits of the language, rather in geopolitical decisions. I argue that in the most probable global scenario English still plays the actual major role, but along with other cultural languages being regional lingua francas.

Linguistic Justice, van Parijs, and Esperanto

Universities of Amsterdam / Milano-Bicocca / Torino

Acta Universitatis Sapientiae, European and Regional Studies

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Linguistic Justice, van Parijs, and Esperanto"}

In the European and world-wide scenario of linguistic justice offered by van Parijs (2011), it is argued that we need one lingua franca only and that the only...

Linguistic Justice, van Parijs, and Esperanto

Published Online: Oct 26, 2016

Page range: 55 - 61

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/auseur-2016-0008

Keywords
linguistic justice, Esperanto, political neutrality, cultural languages, regional lingua francas

© 2016 Federico Gobbo, published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Linguistic Justice, van Parijs, and Esperanto

Published Online: Oct 26, 2016

Page range: 55 - 61

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/auseur-2016-0008

Keywordslinguistic justice, Esperanto, political neutrality, cultural languages, regional lingua francas

© 2016 Federico Gobbo, published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
linguistic justice, Esperanto, political neutrality, cultural languages, regional lingua francas