TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE
Some unusual letters and symbols are accurately represented withUnicode characters. (Some handheld devices may not support combiningdiacriticals such as the circumflex.) These are:
consonants with a circumflex accent ĉ ĝ ĥ ĵ ŝ;
letter c with an acute accent ć;
the diphthong ou with macrons ōū (many platforms
do not support the combining double macron);
and the calculus integral symbol ∫.
Some minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book.
INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE
AND SCIENCE
INTERNATIONAL
LANGUAGE AND SCIENCE
Considerations on the Introduction of an
International Language into Science
BY
| L. COUTURAT | O. JESPERSEN | R. LORENZ |
| Formerly Professor at the University of Caen. | Professor at the University of Copenhagen. | Professor at the Federal Polytechnicum of Zürich. |
| W. OSTWALD | L. PFAUNDLER |
| Professor emeritus of the University of Leipzig. | Professor at the University of Graz. |
TRANSLATED BY
F. G. DONNAN
Professor at the University
of Liverpool.
LONDON
CONSTABLE & COMPANY LIMITED
10 ORANGE STREET LEICESTER SQUARE W.C.
1910
BRADBURY, AGNEW, & CO. LD., PRINTERS,
LONDON AND TONBRIDGE
PREFACE
The question of a so-called world-language, or betterexpressed, an international auxiliary language, was duringthe now past Volapük period, and is still in the presentEsperanto movement, so much in the hands of Utopians,fanatics and enthusiasts, that it is difficult to form anunbiassed opinion concerning it, although a good idea liesat its basis. Both the Volapükists and Esperantists confusedthe linguistic aspect of the question with so many sideissues that, not only was it difficult to see the former in itstrue light, but also the leaders of the various movementswere unable to guide them in the right direction. For thisreason discussions concerning an international auxiliarylanguage appeared with good reason to many people to beunpractical, impossible, or indeed even ridiculous. Mattershave, however, changed since the Délégation pour l'adoptiond'une langue auxiliaire internationale has taken the matterup. This International Commission, with its headquartersin Paris, and consisting of literary and scientific men ofeminent reputation, was entrusted with the task of investigatingthe general question of