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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. VIII - Page 248« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Nelson Delgado)

Mr. Delgado.
to the show I will go. So you have got to turn it around, you know, for him. That is what I was trying to explain.
Mr. Liebeler.
He tried to construct Spanish sentences in pretty much the same way English sentences would be constructed after he learned the Spanish words?
Mr. Delgado.
Right; and that is where he got his help from me, you know.
Mr. Liebeler.
But as far as ordinary, simple ideas, you think that Oswald could make himself understood in Spanish.
Mr. Delgado.
Yes.
Mr. Liebeler.
But you wouldn't, would you, say that he was highly proficient in the Spanish language, but at least he knew some Spanish phrases and he could speak some sentences and make his basic ideas known?
Mr. Delgado.
If there is a word, you know, like semiproficient, he wasn't necessarily low, or was he as high Spanish like I speak, you know; he was right in the middle. Of course, there would be words, if you taught him, he may not understand, but basically he understood and made himself understood.
Mr. Liebeler.
Do you remember what kind of Spanish dictionary he had?
Mr. Delgado.
No; I don't. It was just regular pocketbook edition, the kind you buy out there for about $2.
Mr. Liebeler.
Did you know whether Oswald spoke any other language. You mentioned before he spoke Russian.
Mr. Delgado.
Russian.
Mr. Liebeler.
Did you think that he was proficient in Russian at that time or highly proficient?
Mr. Delgado.
Yes; I imagine he would be, because he was reading the paper, and basically if he can read it, you know, I imagine he could speak it also.
Mr. Liebeler.
Did you hear him speak Russian?
Mr. Delgado.
Well, like I say, he tried to teach me Russian, but then another time I had some thought that what he was speaking to me was German; but according to the agent, he messed me all up, and I couldn't figure whether it was Hebrew or German. I tried to tell him that some of the words he had mentioned to me at the time I didn't recognize them, but when I came back from Germany some of those words I do remember, you know.
Mr. Liebeler.
It seemed to you like it was German?
Mr. Delgado.
Like German; yes.
Mr. Liebeler.
But you only came to that conclusion after you had been to Germany?
Mr. Delgado.
Right. At the time it could have been Yiddish or German, you know.
Mr. Liebeler.
Could it have been Russian?
Mr. Delgado.
No; different gutteral sounds altogether.
Mr. Liebeler.
But you did not know whether Oswald spoke this other language to any extent; he just used a few words?
Mr. Delgado.
No; I just remember his particular language, which I am in doubt about, had a "ch" gutteral sound to it [indicating], you know; and I could only assume it was Jewish or German, and later on when I was in Germany, I think, I am pretty sure it was German that he was speaking.
Mr. Liebeler.
Did he speak it well or did he just use a few words?
Mr. Delgado.
He speaks it like I speak it now, you know, like, just phrases, you know. Where he picked them up, I don't know.
Mr. Liebeler.
Did you teach anybody else Spanish while you were in the Marines?
Mr. Delgado.
Just one fellow, but he denied that I taught him any Spanish.
Mr. Liebeler.
Who was that?
Mr. Delgado.
Don Murray. He took Spanish in college, and we were stationed in Biloxi, Miss., together, and he would ask me for the same thing. He tried to construct a sentence in Spanish like you do in English, and it came out all backwards, and I tried to explain it to him.
Mr. Liebeler.
Was he stationed with you at Santa Ana too?
Mr. Delgado.
That's right.
Mr. Liebeler.
What makes you say he denied that you taught him any Spanish?
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