Τhis article is part of a research project on a pivotal era in the history of artificial languages, spanning

from the 19th century to the first quarter of the 20th century. During this period, European intellectuals

formed the belief that teaching worldwide a constructed code as a second language could yield substantial

benefits for humanity, including, most prominently, the improvement of global communication. The

article briefly outlines the first attempts made to devise and select such a language and discusses some of

the most famous language systems that were constructed such as Esperanto, which, despite falling short

of its intended role, has survived to the present day and even managed to acquire native speakers after

overcoming all obstacles in its way. Remarkably enough, Esperanto’s route can offer an alternative

perspective on today’s universal language question.