Re: Review of "Audience" at M/C (forwarded)

Tom Wier wrote:
> Nik Taylor wrote:
> > Roger Mills wrote:
> > > Nor would I class being considered "weird" under
> > > the rubric of persecution. (Well, on second thought, perhaps, alas, times
> > > have changed.  I don't recall ever being  in mortal danger because of mere
> > > weirdness.)
> > Well, Esperanto-speakers were persecuted by the Nazis, and there may've
> > been other persecutions of auxlangs.
There were many, in Hitler's Germany, in Stalinist Russia,
in (Cultural Revolution) Maoist China, etc.  The motive
was generally a super nationalistic attitude vs. all
international contacts. Anti-Semitism got mixed in by
Hitler.  Many were killed. By no means only Esperantists,
though if I recall right that was the only Auxlang
mentioned by name in "Mein Kampf."

Esperanto groups in Germany tried to survive
by expelling all Jews. That only allowed them
a few extra months of existence.

> Auxlangs?  Almost certainly*.  Constructed auxlangs?  Dunno 'bout that.  I
> wonder what the Nazis' policy on Volapük was, given that it was German
> regurgitated as English, more or less.
Negative.

> *(I only doubt because I am uncertain whether such persecution would be
> more for speaking a particular language, auxlang or not, rather than being
> persecuted for speaking an auxlang)
Nothing really linguistic was involved, unless you
count related moves toward "linguistic purity."

The motive was FEAR of "internationalist" or any outside,
non-controllable influences. We see some echoes of this
today in conspiracy theories involving the Trilateral
Commission, the UN, etc.

Regards,                         LEO