For Christmas, my son received a pocket electronic translator in six languages. How marvellous.

First we didn't have to worry about arithmetic, now we don't need to worry about learning languages.

Just one problem - the instructions are in German: "Drucken Sie die MODE Taste um in den Ubersetyungmodus zu kommen." I make that: "Press the MODE key to access the translation mode."

Let's get the gadget to check that: Drucken - printing; Sie - they; die - the; Mode - fashion; Taste (not found, suggest Tasse) - cup; um (not found, suggest Ultraviolet) - ultraviolet; in - in; den (not found, suggest Demonstration) - demonstration; Ubersetyungmodus (suggest Ubertrage) - transmit; zu - to; kommen - come.

I think I'll stick to learning languages and recommending Esperanto.

-Norman Ingle, Victoria Road, Shoreham-by-Sea