A new club has launched at Southeast which is aimed at learning a new language, promoting peace and bridging the gap between people of all backgrounds. This club is based around a constructed, secondary language called Esperanto.

“Mi estas Clayton Hester. Mi ne estas flue en esperanto,” when translated that means “my name is Clayton Hester. I am not fluent in esperanto.” Which is just how founder of this club, Clayton Hester, describes his level of speaking ability.

Esperanto is a secondary language invented over a hundred years ago in Poland to help promote peace and connect nations during a time of isolationism. It is used to help people communicate when they speak different primary languages.

While The Esperanto Club at SEMO might be new to Southeast, the language and concept of Esperanto is over a hundred years old with two million people speaking it across the globe today including the founder of the club, sophomore Clayton Hester. He first heard about the secondary language on an episode of Jeopardy and became interested with the idea.

He then brought the language to Southeast where he found others interested in the idea and willing to join such a unique club.

“[Southeast] would be the perfect place for something like this especially on a college campus since Esperantos aimed at an international audience and it’s even more so a reason to do it because just the diversity of people and diversity of interest,” Hester said. “That is a really motivating thought to get something like that started.”

About World Languages says the language is spoken in about 115 countries, mostly in Europe and South America, but it is not limited to one type of person or nationality. Hester also shared how with people from all over the world speaking this language it helps to connect them with their shared linguistic interest. It also acts as a gateway language, helping many learn or strengthen their skills of others languages all while promoting a message of unity and peace.

“It was a matter of creating something that bridges the gap between people of different nations because there was a lot of tension between different backgrounds,” Hester said.

The language has a similar alphabet to the english language, but when it comes to learning grammar esperanto is easier. Whether it only be common words such as saluton greetings or nedankinde which means no problem to simple words like hundo which means dog in english.

Anyone who is interested in Esperanto can find ways to learn through apps like DuoLingo, Youtube videos or literature books. The Esperanto Club is based on learning and also about speaking the unique language. Those who are interested can contact Clayton Hester, or the clubs faculty advisor, Instructor Kevin McMeel, for more information about upcoming meetings or to learn more about the language.