Chavez’ Harebrained Scheme to Restrict the ‘Language of Empire’
March 27th, 2008 by WILLIAM KERN
Does President Hugo Chavez’ recent order forcing employees at Venezuela’s state telephone company to stop using English words [the language of Empire] in favor of Spanish ones make any sense? In this biting tongue-in-cheek editorial from Venezuela’s Tal Cual newspaper, the absurdity of the plan is taken to task. According to the editorial, “Why force people to speak Spanish, if the ill-named “Motherland [Spain]” is as much our enemy as George W. himself?”
CANTV [Venezuela’s state-owned phone company] has prohibited the use of Anglicisms such as mouse, telemarketing and staff. The measure does have its logic. There is no reason to use the language of the English-speaking Empire, which is our enemy.
What doesn’t cease to surprise is the language that has been adopted by the President’s curative linguistic measure: “Say it in Spanish, Say it with pride.” I wonder: Why Spanish, if the ill-named “Motherland [Spain]” is as much our enemy as George W. himself? I’ll go even further: The Empire that rules - “Why don’t you shut up? [the Spanish of Spain]” - has caused us much more harm than English.
[Editor’s Note: In quoting the phrase “Why don’t you shut up?,’ the author refers to comments - made in Spanish - to President Hugo Chavez, by Spain’s King Juan Carlos, during a now famous outburst at the Ibero-American Summit in Santiago, Chile, on Nov. 11, 2007 WATCH ]
I don’t know why, but I get the impression that what CANTV has done here isn’t politically correct, given that our leader, director and beloved father has said: “Four hundred years ago a cry of rebellion arose in this country.” But [this cry] wasn’t uttered in Spanish: “Anna karina rote, aunukon Itoto Paparoto Mantoro.” [An indigenous Indian phrase meaning, “We are men and we are in resistance, we are free!,” which was a cry uttered during the indigenous resistance to the genocide being committed by Spain in what we now call the Americas.]
[EDITOR’S NOTE: The Bolivarian Revolution occurred less than 200 years ago, not 400, so this is either an error (or more likely) a huge exaggeration on the part of President Chávez. Secondly, the author refers to the “words of rebellion that arose in the country.” In a series of recent speeches, Chavez referred to the indigenous battle cry, “Anna karina rote, aunukon Itoto Paparoto Mantoro.” The author points out that this cry wasn’t made in Spanish, but in a native Indian language, and that new rules forcing people to speak Spanish make no sense - since Spanish isn’t really the mother-tongue. Spain was the nation’s former oppressor - and is an ally of the ‘Empire’].
As the Romans used to say, Roma locuta, causa finita (Rome has spoken; case closed).
Friends of CANTV, I believe that you’ve got big problems if you intend to directly defend 300 years of oppression [under Spanish rule] - not to mention the open support of the Spanish King that such a decision implies. If this isn’t treason to the Nation, then let God come down and bear witness.
This entry was posted on Thursday, March 27th, 2008 at 2:12 pm and is filed under Cartoons, Language, Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, History. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
