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Christopher "Kriĉjo" Culver was an active Esperantist between 1998 and 2005, who suddenly left the Esperanto movement publishing his reasons in an Internet essay.

Life

Culver is a undergraduate student at Loyola University Chicago where he studies language. Previously, he served for less than a year in the United States Navy. He was granted an honorable discharge as he supposedly became a pacifist and a Roman Catholic (a faith which he has since left) during his military service. He also fathered a child out of wedlock during this time and gave it up for adoption.

He discovered Esperanto and became an active promoter and supporter of the language. Amongst other things, he served as a TEJO volunteer in TEJO's central office. In 2003 he ran (unsuccessfully) for the post of General Secretary of TEJO. He has been a frequent contributor to the Esperanto Wikipedia.

Leaving the Esperanto movement

At the start of 2005 he suddenly left the movement, becoming its outspoken critic. In May 2005, he published an essay on the Internet criticizing the conduct and goals of Esperantists. He argued that:

Esperantists do not properly adhere to their own Manifesto de Prago, a declaration of principles widely held by many Esperanto-speakers. Furthermore, he claimed that the Manifesto contradicts itself on several points.

Speaking Esperanto at a World Congress is mandatory, and the speaking of "natural" languages is too harshly admonished. Because of this, the culture of the hosting country is suppressed.

The Esperanto movement is strangely silent when it comes to oppressed people throughout the world trying to preserve their mother-tongue. He cites the speakers of the Mari language as an example of people persecuted for trying to hold on to their language traditions.

Esperanto education should be mandatory for all participants of World Congresses.

The UEA wastes (European) public funds because it does not spend a sufficient amount for language diversity.

The English language is a better alternative language than Esperanto.

Reaction to the essay

Because of Culver's essay, several people have written responses with the intention of refuting his claims. For example, Martin Minich, a Slovakian Esperantist volunteer at TEJO for 2005, wrote a reply, refuting Culver's essay on almost every point:

Because Esperanto can be aquired cheaply, without discrimination, and to a high level of quality, language diversity can flourish and not be a barrier for universal understanding. Furthermore, participants of the World Congress can and do speak many languages, not just Esperanto.

Esperantists principally use Esperanto en international communications not to suppress national languages, but simply because it is a common functional language tool that they can use.

The criticism about the Movement being silent while languages are being suppressed is proper.

However, the criticism that the UEA misspends public money seems inappropriate from Culver, since he is not a European citizen. That notwithstanding, many examples exist of the money being wisely spent to support language diversity.

The alternatives besides Esperanto which Culver describes are not convenient to the ordinary learner.

Coining a new Esperanto word

The act of leaving the Esperanto movement due to one's own personal failures and then publicly attacking it in an effort to vindicate oneself has given rise to a proposed new verb in Esperanto: kriĉji.

This would not be the first time a word has been coined in Esperanto for someone leaving it behind. During the early part of the 20th Century, Kazimerz Bein was a fervent Esperantist, author and translator, writing under the penname "Kabe." He became a pioneer during the early developing years of the language. When he suddenly left the movement in 1911 without a trace, the word "kabei" was coined, meaning "to have a fervent and successful participation in Esperanto, then suddenly and silently leaving it completely." Kabei is still in common use today. However, whether the new word coined for Culver has staying power to last as a part of the language has yet to be seen.

External links

Personal website (in English, Bulgarian [not working], Spanish [only a few chapters], Hungarian [not working])

His reasons for leaving the movement, with many false charges against Esperanto, UEA and TEJO

Responses to his reasons, from an Esperantist who knew him

Response from the current TEJO volunteer why Esperanto Supports Language Diversity. Author - Martin Minich