THE SPANISH LANGUAGE.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2002, 19 December 1921, Page 4

THE SPANISH LANGUAGE.

When it was announced a few days ago that the Otago University Council was' considering the question of teaching Spanish as a University subject, people wondered whether the intention was to pay a compliment to De Valera or to those who engineered the Spanish Armaria. Of what real value can the teaching of Spanish be in a community like this? Can it be of any value at all? From a commercial point of view, the only Spanish country with which we are likely to have any considerable dealings In the future is South America. And even here the population is rapidly becoming Anglicised, and the larger firms are controlled by Americans and Britishers. Spanish i s a subject of study in some of the colleges of the United States, not for its literary value, but because it may facilitate commercial negotiation* with South America. The suggestion that Naw Uuiveraitla*****"**"*

Spanisli to their already overi. \>wded syllabus is not worthy of consideration. If an extension of tho study of languages is required, why not devote a chair to .Maori? This would at least assist coming generations to understand and pronunce tho names of some of our townships and railway stations. How many of our young people, for instance, appreciate the classical significance of "Manawatu," ••l'aliiatua," and "Ngahauranga?"