Page 2/The Battalion/Monday, May 2, 1983
opinion
Language barrier computerized
by Dick West
United Press International
WASHINGTON — Many of the
thousands of vacationing Americans who
will visit Europe this summer speak a
pseudo-language called “Phrase Book
French.”
The real pseudo-linguists among
them also will be proficient in “Phrase
Book German” and “Phrase Book Span
ish” and perhaps “Phrase Book Italian.”
What these tongues have in common
is that none bears any resemblance to an
actual language, living or dead.
Probably the ultimate put-down for a
vacationer in Germany is to approach a
pretty young Fraulein and start to ask
her, “What is your surface wind veloc
ity?” (Was ist Ihre Bodenwindgeschwin-
digkeit?)
“Vahss ist ee-ra,” the phrase book
cryptographer begins. Whereupon the
Fraulein interrupts.
“Sorry, I don’t speak English,” she
snarls, spinning on her French heels and
stalking away in the general direction of
the “fernsprechamt” (FAYRNshpresh-
ahmt), or telephone exchange.
Such humilitations are now compara
tively easy to avoid.
According to some literature I have
received from Control Data Corp., “Sim
ple language courses in French, Spanish
and German” are becoming available on
home computers.
The courses “are designed to provide
American tourists with sufficient mastery
of the three languages to be able to travel
reasonably well from one place to
another, find lodging and order food in
restaurants,” the company says.
Suppose you are dining in a fancy
French cafe and wish to order an omelet
(omelette) well done.
No longer will it be necessary to whip
out the old phrase book and, while the
waiter hovers impatiently at your elbow,
look up “bein cuit” (b’yehngKWEE).
Now all you have to do is plug in the
old computer.
What Control Data has in mind, I
gather, is for vacation-bound Americans
to learn a smattering of French, Spanish
and German before they go aboard.
That seems to me a bit unimaginative.
Think of the points you could score
with your waiter if you plug in your com
puter right at the table, the better to com
municate how you like your eggs (oeufs).
May I suggest the “oeufs durs” (hard-
boiled)?
Sure you could learn the words the
hard way, in advance. But this way, all
your have to do is point to the appropri
ate place on the computer screen. You
don’t even have to make a stab at pro
nouncing it.
One of the computer courses contains
about 500 “common words and phrases”
an American tourist is likely to need
while shopping. I don’t know what the
words are but I can attest from personal
experience that 500 won’t cover it.
Here are just a few of the lines likely to
come in handy for an American tourist
shopping in Germany:
“Zu welcher Ortschft fuhrt diese Stras-
se?” (What town does this road lead to?)
“Wo konnen wir den Fluss kreuzen?”
(Where can we cross the river?)
“Ich habe mich vergiftet.” (I have been
poisoned.)
“Machen Sie eine Zeichnung davon.”
(Draw a picture of it.)
“Ese wird Ihnen nichts geschehen.”
(You will not be hurt.)
“Hilfe!” (Help!)
CONGRATULATIONS..,
^teamsters HAVE
ELECTED YOU TO SERVE
OUT THE REST OF OUR
PRESIDENTS TERM..
Letters: Tuition rate hike supported
Editor:
It is time for some Aggies to begin to
look at the whole picture concerning tui
tion. Texas has the lowest tuition of any
state in the country. The cost of running
a university has dramatically increased
over the last decade while the tuition rate
has remained the same $4 per semester
hour. I do not believe it is unreasonable
for the taxpayers of this great state to ask
the students to shoulder a little higher
percentage of the cost of their education.
After all, the students benefit from their
The Battalion
USPS 045 360
Member ot
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conference\
Editor HopeE. Paasch
Managing Editor Elaine Engstrom
City Editor Beverly Hamilton
Assistant City Editor Kelley Smith
Sports Editor John Wagner
Assistant Sports Editor John Lopez
Entertainment Editor .... Rebeca Zimmermann
Assistant Entertainment Editor Shelley
Hoekstra
News Editors Brian Boyer, Kathy Breard,
Tracey Taylor, Kelly Miller
Photo Editor Eric Evan Lee
Staff Writers Brigid Brockman, Ronnie
Crocker, Scott Griffin, Christine
Mallon, Robert McGlohon,
Michelle Powe, Ann Ramsbottom,
Stephanie Ross, Karen
Schrimsher, Carol Smith, Angel
Stokes, Joe Tindel, Kathy
Wiesepape, Wanda Winkler
Cartoonist Scott McCullar
Graphic Artist Sergio Galvez
Thompson,
Photographers
Michael Davis, Guy Hood, Irene
Mees, Barry Papke, William
Schulz
Editorial Policy
The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting news-
educadon with a higher paying job upon
graduation.
I have never before put much stock in
the ability of student government to do
productive work. However, I was very
pleased to learn the Legislative Study
Group conducted thorough research
and arrived at a position based on real-
world economics instead of emotion. The
work of the LSG was excellent and every
Aggie should be proud of the job they did
as the image of our student body was
raised considerably in the state capital.
Douglas Jones ’85
paper operated as a community service to Texas A8cM
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Church says thanks
Editor:
On behalf of the Oak Grove United
Methodist Church of Bryan, we would
like to express to Alpha Phi Omega our
most sincere thanks for the excellent job
they did of painting our church and par
sonage this Saturday. The tremendous
effort that was put forth by this group in
scraping and painting these buildings
was deeply appreciated. We want to
thank the group for selecting our church
as one of their community service pro
jects and commend their team leaders:
Andy Hernandez Jr., pledge class pres
ident; Robert Carvazos, pledge class vice
president; John Weaver, sub-committee
for equipment chairman; Libby Whitter,
pledge master; and Allan Rubin, assis
tant pledge master, for a job well done
and well organized.
Alpha Phi Omega can be proud of the
fine job they did at Oak Grove United
Methodist Church. The work APO did at
Oak Grove creates a positive image of
Texas A&M students — not only do they
receive from the community, but they
also give much in return. We cannot re
pay such kindness, but we pray that God’s
blessings will be on APO and their
efforts. We appreciate the time given to
this project because we realize how li
mited a student’s time is. Such demon
stration of love and concern shown by the
fraternity cannot be forgotten. Whenev
er we look at our parsonage and church
building, we will be reminded of APO’s
gift of love to us.
Rev. Manuel Grajales V.
Pastor, Oak Grove United Methodist
Church
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by Art Buchwald
Q: Why are we in El Salvador?
A: We are in El Salvador to protect it
from Nicaragua. The Sandinista Marxist
government of Nicaragua is . raining Sal
vadoran rebels to take over the elected
government of FI Salvador with Cuban
and Soviet military equipment.
Q: Why are we in Honduras?
A: To train rebels to take over the gov
ernment of Nicaragua with American
equipment.
Q: Then U.S. policy is to defend the
government of El Salvador, while work
ing for the overthrow of the government
in Nicaragua.
A: That is correct.
Q: How are we doing?
A: Not very good in FI Salvador. But
much better in Nicaragua.
Q: Would you say it’s easier to over
throw a government in Central America
than it is to preserve one?
A: I think I could say that.
Q: Why?
A: As soon as a government takes over
in Central America it turns against its
own people, becomes corrupt, and com
mits atrocities against its domestic oppo
nents in order to stay in power.
Q: This is true in both El Salvador and
Nicaragua?
A: It is with this difference. Since we
are supporting the present El Salvador
government we have to overlook their
shortcomings and abuses to protect our
own national interests. At the same time
we cannot tolerate the shortcomings and
abuses of Nicaragua since they are being
supported by the Communists.
Q: Did the Nicaraguans start getting
aid from the Communist countries be
cause we were giving aid to the El Salva
dorans? Or did we start supporting the FI
Salvadorans because the Nicaraguans
were getting help from the Communists?
A: That’s a chicken and egg question.
The fact is the United States opted to
support El Salvador and the Soviets de
cided to support Nicaragua. Once the
sides were chosen it became a whole new
ball game.
Q: Central American governments
have been overthrowing each other for
tl
hundreds of years. The people there
to benefit no matter who takes over ! : J .
should the superpowers get involve! ] /X l
A: Because in the past, therevoluii
usually were between one faction
military and the other. Whoever i:fA
over always pledged good relations!
the United States. As long as we couli
business with the new government
saw no reason to intervene. ButCeii
American coup d’etats took a nasty
once the Cubans got involved. 1
started training people to support|
ernments who refused to have good!
dons with us. That’s when we had to
in the CIA.
Q: How do you keep the Cen
American government in power
dumping its own people?
A: 'By supplying the leaders
enough military equipment to makes
they can maintain control.
Q: Do you make any effort to impt
the lot of the majority of people who
being dumped on?
A: You try to persuade the govt
ment you’re supporting that it’s in
interests to do this. But that’s a long-ti
process and you can’t change a count
habits overnight. They’ve had a I
dition of dumping down there
until recently the peasants accepted
their own lot. Now that the Conn
have gotten into the act, the people
reacting negatively to being dumped
Q: What’s wrong with that?
A: Because, as in the case of theSai
nistas in Nicaragua, they came intop
er promising the people who
dumped on that things would bedi
rent under their regime. As soonasi
got control they started dumping on
people themselves.
Q: So our choice in Central Amerit
not to stop the dumping, but support
governments dumping on the peo
who are friendly to us, and destabilize
ones dumping on the people who art
cahoots \vith the Soviet Union
A: Now you’ve got it. We can’tabit
Marxist government in Central Amei
that dumps on its people, but we can
with one who depends on us to sta)
power.
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*•••
Military aid not answer
to Salvadoran conflict
Editor:
President Reagan has asked Congress
for support for his policies in Central
America, proposing military aid totaling
$110 million for El Salvador. Reagan
claims that the U.S.-backed government
in El Salvador is “making every effort to
guarantee democracy, free labor unions,
freedom of religion, and a free press...”
(Houston Post, April 28).
However, evidence collected by
Amnesty International and other obser
vers suggests that the present regime has
been guilty of human rights violations on
a large scale, including rape, mutilation,
the murder and disappearance of clergy
men, teachers, union leaders, peasants
and refugees. Although atrocities com
mitted by rebel forces in El Salvador have
been widely documented in the U.S.
news media, little mention has been
made of the abuses of the present re
gime, and U.S. military aid continues to
this nation, where the arms supplied are
used to commit these atrocities.
The rebellion in El Salvador (and the
general unrest throughout much of
tral America) is the result of yea
oppression by military dictators
which have been supported by the
ited States government. The present
flict is not a struggle of democracy ve
communism, it is a battle of oppo
forces seeking to hold power by what
means available, including atrocious
ings and waves of terror.
There are no military solutions to
problems of El Salvador — the
and coups have only worsened the si
tion. Americans need to ask, “Is th
Salvador regime the kind of governifl
that we want to support? Should the
ited States be taking a side in theconf
I urge everyone to write his congf
man, asking them to oppose furl
military aid to the El Salvador gove
ment and the military dictatorships
Central America, and to offer sup!
for allowing the people of Central Afl
ican to freely choose their own form
government.
Mot
sen
Wr (
eas
TR/
If y (
$25/
c
Frank McDonald
V