L. L. Zamenhof

Picture of Ludoviko Lazaro Zamenhof

Ludwik Lejzer Zamenhof, or Ludwig Zamenhof (December 15, 1859–April 14, 1917) was a Polish-Jewish ophthalmologist, philologist, and the initiator of Esperanto, the most widely spoken artificial language to date.

Sourced

• Ni konsciu bone la tutan gravecon de la hodiaŭa tago, ĉar hodiaŭ inter la gastamaj muroj de Bulonjo-sur-Maro kunvenis ne francoj kun angloj, ne rusoj kun poloj, sed homoj kun homoj.
  • Let us be fully aware of all the importance of this day, because today within the generous walls of Boulogne-sur-Mer have met not French with English, nor Russians with Polish, but people with people.
  • Address to the First World Congress of Esperanto, Bologne-sur-Mer, France. 5 August 1905.

Unsourced

• Lingvo internacia de la venontaj generacioj estos sole kaj nepre nur lingvo arta.
  • Translation: Future generations' international 'lingua franca' will certainly be just an artificial language.
• We are not so naive as some think of us; we do not believe that a neutral base will turn men into angels, but we do know that evil people will always be evil; but we believe that communication and knowledge based upon a natural tool will prevent at least the great quantity of brutality and crimes which happen not because of ill will, but simply because of lack of knowledge and oppression.