Changes in xmodmap or something?

[Harry Putnam <reader@newsguy.com>]

I have been noticing for some time that my ~/.inputrc key combos don't
work.  Also the keyboard Alt key doesn't work in emacs if I run it in
-nw more (in an xterm).

I guess some kind of changes over time in the OS setup has happened
but I could not nail it down to any particular date... haven't been
paying close attention.

I'd like to get things back to what I'm used to but when I start
reading xmodmap manpage... I have to hide all my guns so I don't just
go ahead and shot myself. ;)

I'm used to being able to press the keyboard alt key and then whatever
else I've set in .inputrc to call certain commands.  Now when I press
Alt+a for example, in an Xterm (Xterm (295)) I get: 

  `á'

instead of the awk command I've set in .inputrc.

If I start emacs -nw in an xterm same kind of thing happens when I
press Alt-x (Or what emacsers often refer to M-x).. I get this:

  `ø'

I don't often use emacs -nw any more but sometimes I need it.

Of course I can always use the Esc key in emacs to do what I expect
the alt key to do, but that is really awkward.

I'm guessing there is some sort of xmodmap settings that will put
things back the way I want them... but really no clue how to devise
them. 


Currently xmodmap shows these settings:

,----
| xmodmap:  up to 4 keys per modifier, (keycodes in parentheses):
| 
| shift   Shift_L (0x32),  Shift_R (0x3e)
| lock    Caps_Lock (0x42)
| control Control_L (0x25),  Control_R (0x69)
| mod1    Alt_L (0x40),  Alt_R (0x6c),  Meta_L (0xcd)
| mod2    Num_Lock (0x4d)
| mod3   
| mod4    Super_L (0x85),  Super_R (0x86),  Super_L (0xce),  
|         Hyper_L (0xcf)
| mod5    ISO_Level3_Shift (0x5c),  Mode_switch (0xcb)
`----

I've never set up an ~/.xmodmap file and wondered if any of you might
have some examples that would help.

My environment is an aging PC (6-8 yr old P4) running Debian (testing)
And I'm using LXDE Desktop.