What led Zamenhof to learn so many languages probably derived from what caused him to create the international language of Esperanto. As a child growing up, Zamenhof observed the feuding among the different ethnic groups that lived in Bialystok. See how multilingualism brings communities together.

The Poles, German and Belarusians that live in Bialystok were constantly quarreling. Zamenhof believed that a common language among the different groups would stop the misunderstandings.

As a student at a Warsaw secondary school, Zamenhof made his first attempt to create an international language. It was very complex and the grammar was rich.

After studying English, Zamenhof began to simplify the grammar in his new language. Zamenhof first project, “Lingwe uniwersala” was almost completed by 1878, but he was too young to publish it.

Zamenhof began to study medicine and graduated in 1885 after graduating from the secondary school. Zamenhof worked as a doctor while he continued to work on his new language.

Zamenhof obtained the money to publish his booklet on his new language from his future father-in-law. The booklet titled; Lingvo internacia Antauparolo kaj plena lernolibro (translates to International Language Foreward and Complete Textbook) was published in 1887. Zamenhof used the pen name, Doktoro Esperanto” or Doctor Hopeful.

The new international language was more than a communication tool for Zamenhof. His objective for it was to help promote peace among different cultures.

The L.L. in Dr. L.L. Zamenhof is referred to mean Ludovic Lazarus. He was actually given the Yiddish name Leyzer (translated from the Hebrew name of Eliezer)at birth.

Zamenhof used both Leyzer and the Russian equivalent Lazar as an adolescent. Then he began using the Russian name Lyudovik while studying medicine at the university.

Like L.L. Zamenhof, his brother Leon became a doctor and started signing his name Dr. L. Zamenhof. So Zamenhof began signing his name Dr. L.L. Zamenhof in 1901.

The interesting facts about his name does not stop with Zamenhof’s two Ls. His last name Zamenhof is the Esperantized spelling of his family name. His family name is of German decent and is actually Samenhof.

L.L. Zamenhof is 150 years old today, so that means he was born on December 15, 1859 in Bialystok, Poland. Zamenhof went on to learn many languages in his life time, totaling with more than 10 languages, which included his fathers native language of Russian, and mothers language of Yiddish. He also went on to learn Polish, German, Latin, Greek, French, Hebrew and English. He also studied the native tongues of Italian, Spanish and Lithuanian.

Zamenhof firmly believed that by creating another international language in what turned out to be Esperanto, he could stop the quarreling and misunderstandings between different ethnic groups that lived in Bialystok.

When he finished studying, he was able to public his first project “Lingwe uniwersala,” which was completed in 1878, but was too young to publish it at the time. The book was finally published in 1887, with help from his step father and the book was titled Lingvo internacia Antauparolo kaj plena lernolibro (translated to International Language Foreward and Complete Textbook.)

Zamenhof died on April 14, 1917, but has a place in history as his language is still used by some today, even in the military.

L.L. Zamenhof died on April 14, 1917. Before he died he created the international language Esperanto that is still in use by some today. Esperanto has never been adaptive as a country’s language, but some relief groups and even the military use it.