Promoting JEB and Esperanto at the Language Show
The UK’s largest language exposition, the Language Show, took place over the long weekend of the 2nd-4th of November. For the fourth year running, Esperanto found itself represented, as members of JEB assisted the Esperanto Association of Britain at the latter’s stand.
JEB’s contribution was more than passive, as Daniel White graciously laboured to produce a double issue of Saluton (JEB’s newsletter) in time, Tim Owen got creative with his customary last-minute preparation of flyers and video footage, and Gavan Fantom frantically tried to find a printer who could cope with the printing order in the limited timeframe that was left. In the event, the chaps at John E. Wright in Leicester couldn’t have been any more helpful.
The exhibition seemed to go fairly well. It appeared that more people than in prior years already knew of Esperanto, and the volunteers present did a good job of engaging them in conversation.
Of particular interest this year was Elisabeth Stanley’s giving of a taster session in the internacia lingvo. In what will be of no surprise to people already familiar with the language, the audience mastered verbs in two minutes, and covered enough material to be able to follow most of what was happening in the story “The Three Little Pigs”, sing a song, and engage in elementary conversation.
Although helped by Esperanto’s accessibility which makes it easier to cover more in a short period of time, Elisabeth still deserves much credit for her energy and infectious enthusiasm; she was a wonderful ambassador and was warmly received by her audience.
