how to configure gcc to compile with i386 arch type by default...or is it already

[Walter Tautz <wtautz@math.uwaterloo.ca>]

even if I'm on a pentium machine....I would like to do this in 
a config file not on the command line. Actually looking iat
gcc -v
Reading specs from /usr/lib/gcc-lib/i386-linux/2.95.4/specs
gcc version 2.95.4 20011002 (Debian prerelease)

and having a look at the file suggest it DOES compile by default
for i386 architecture? Is the a correct assumption?