European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 14, 1980, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Doily Magazine a in Man nmn is  the interesting exotic languages by Pat Orvis new York times Ohn grf in is taking arabic Al Portland Suie University in Oregon because it gives me pleas a Al Middlebury College in Vermont  Eloh. A political science major whose father is a japanese banker studies chinese because she Hopes 10 make some contribution in communication and under standing Between Japan China and the United Stales. David Thormann a Vietnam Veteran from Detroit whose dancing career was ruined by a leg wound is learn ing japanese because he Hopes to build a new career in modelling and television and has heard that in Japan there s lots of Opportunity for an american Man to gel a Start in those  for these and Many other reason often person Al often business or political the bomber of Stu dents taking non Western or exotic languages has increased dramatically in the last decade most significantly in arabic chinese and japanese while a decline in those taking the traditionally popular languages specifically French and German that began in the 1960s has persisted. The figures arc still Small but the enrolment of col lege and University students taking arabic according to the modern language association nearly tripled be tween 1968 and 1977 the most recent year for which the la has comparison from 1,100 to 3,070. At Portland slate for example there Are 1 so students each enrolled in arabic ant persian according to prof. Noury s. Al Khaldy. Who directs the University s Middle  studies Center with another 150 taking turkish and hebrew. The figures for  said have More than doubled starting in 1973." furthermore there s been a change in the Type of student who lakes up arabic. Prof. Mona Mikhail of new York University s department of near Eastern languages and literature said this year especially it was interesting to see the overwhelming number of applicants who were not the usual candidates for a career in Middle Eastern studies or arabic studies but rather were planning to work for companies big Banks that sort of  from 1968 to 1977, according to la figures the number of students taking chinese nearly doubled rising from 5,061 to 9,809. While those taking Japa Nese More than doubled from 4,324 to 10,721. There s an undercurrent of increased awareness in american society explained Kurt Muller the i a s assistant director of foreign language programs that there have been a lot of developments in International affairs and current events which need to be looked  among the traditionally popular languages the num bar of College and University students studying French dropped from 338,096 to 246,115, and for German from 216.263 to 135,371. Spanish was the one exception of the three most commonly taught languages showing an increase from 364. 870 to 376,697. Its growth was traceable Muller said to a recognition of its utilitarian  he explained there s a Spanish family living Down the Street and so students can see How the language could be useful to  language education trends French and German he said were casualties of the 1960s, when in response to students demands for Rele Vance in their courses most institutions dropped Lan Guage requirements. Russian on the other hand has been a casualty of detente. Between 1968 and 1977, the number of students enrolled in russian classes dropped from 40,696 to 27,784. The main reason according to Muller. Is that Deans and other decision makers often seem to feel now we have detente we no longer need to worry about the  meanwhile a number of educational institutions according to Muller. Arc looking at the possibility of reinstating language requirements though he has detected no definite trend in that direction. Last november however the report of the presi Dent s commission on foreign language and International studies came out with a Strong recommendation to reinstate them. The report went further to slate that language Educa Tion should Start earlier and last longer and suggests the possibility of reviving language programs in the Elemen tary schools most of which were begun in the1 1960s, Only to be eliminated because of budget cuts. Crocks in the francophone fortress by Jeffrey Ulbrich associated press the French. Who Long have considered them selves the Standard bearers of the Western Way of life arc convinced that their culture their influence in the world and above All their sacred Lan Guage Are on the decline around the Globe. Since the Days when the Norman armies carried the French language and culture to England France has Felt a sense of Mission to French Ify the world. During hundreds of years of Empire and Coloni Atin. Frenchmen fought and died in the wilderness of Ameri Ca the deserts of Africa and the Jungles of Southeast Asia for the glory and supremacy of la Palsir. Even after abandoning its Empire and Hus banding its Many colonies to Independence it has sought to retain its Posi Tion a father protector and teacher to Many far Hung  cracks have begun to appear in the francophone fortress a worrisome development that has led the government to Institute a series of  10 Shore up its defences against what is seen As an All out assault by perfidious Albion and the american steamroller. To a Frenchman. French ecu is serious business. And that French nest is a Mitomi cd in his language. Twenty years from now. There will be one Frenchman in 100, that is to  that one person will speak French and 99 will not speak  president Valery discard d Estwing said  we want to influence others we will be one against 99it is a problem of survival. Will they speak our language will our culture be known in the world will it be Able to defend itself convinced that it i the most Beautiful the most pre Cise and the richest language in the world no Trench politician would dream of using any other in Public. The spread of the a in Gujic and culture � firmly in in cached in French government policy.  As it exists and its evolution and development is one of the Central objectives of the foreign policy of France foreign minister Jean Francois Pon Cal recently told journalists. Jean Pierre Van doth president of the Center for in formation and research for the teaching and use of languages put the problem this Way the English and americans in the last 30 years have brought to Europe und the world a policy of determined and coordinated occupation. All Means Are being utilized to make the English language  the mathematics arc formidable. According to a report by the High committee on the French language though 270 million people Are capable of speaking French Only 90 million can be considered francophone or people for whom French is their first language. That compares with 350 million anglophones 200 million hispano phones and 120 million Arabo phones not to mention the one billion people who speak chinese or those who speak russian hindi japanese malaysian or German. French is the official language or the teaching Lan Guage in 24 percent of the nations of the world. But in recent years English has been gaining ground rapidly As the Universal Means of communications infiltrating the worlds of Medicine aviation business computers and armies among others and the number of students around the world studying French is on the decline. At Home even the French arc victims of the new reality As nearly 82 percent of All students choose English As their first foreign language. No scientific or highly technical books can reach the International Public if it is not written in English a scientist complained recently. It is not unusual for French scientists Al seminars organized in Paris to pre saturday june 14, 1960 sent papers in English even when simultaneous translation is available. Not Only is French being supplanted in Many areas of the world but the language itself is succumbing to the ravages of English. Police Hunt for let gangsters responsible for Les hold ups travel agencies Are Happy to sell you in package tour businessmen speak of hardware and Cash flow. While be Leader of a political party holds in meeting Over be weekend and you can always buy in hot dog at a Paris fast food. Outraged at the temerity of foreign exporters the French passed the Bas Auriol Law in 1975, prohibiting products to be sold in France if the instructions for use Are written Only in English. In a largely symbolic Case British airways was convicted of Selling tickets containing Only English writing but like most other efforts to stave off the onslaught it produced Little real effect. Though still fighting a rearguard action on the Home front the government has launched a counterattack on foreign shores with plans to expand its $515 million cultural diffusion program. To this end the French government has decided to increase Short wave radio broadcasts to foreign coun tries to reinforce the work of the Alliance frat Caise. A private organization with 1,250 committees around the world and More than 600 language centers help with the translation of scientific works publish a bulletin on French scientific research increase the number of scientific attaches in foreign missions and create Franco Arab and Franco chinese institutes As Well As Send University missions abroad. One of the great debates of the end of the 20th Century will be the Choice Between the supremacy of the English language and  which alone can preserve the Universal vocation of the French language the report to the foreign ministry concluded. The stars and stripes Page 13