Date:  Fri, 15 Dec 1995 20:52:12 -0500

From:  "Bethany Dumas, UTK" <DUMASB[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]UTKVX.UTK.EDU>

Subject: American Tongues



Let me, to quote a phrase, see if I have this straight. There is a

video, "American Tongues," that many of us think is an excellent intro

to variation in these United States. This video exists in several (at

least two) versions, at least one of which is an "expurgated" versison

that deletes the n- word episode (and possibly other episodes).



Floating around the universe are two "indexes," one (mine) of which is a

class handout designed to give students a reminder of what they have just

seen for discussion purposes. The other one, which many purchasers of the

video have not ever seen (I have not), is a more comprehensive study guide and

index. It was prepared by Walt Wolfram and is sometimes provided to

purchasers of the tape.



It is apparently not possible to tell by examining the videotape which version

one has. One version may have been prepared for high school students.



For the record: I sent to the list this week the class handout I prepared

for my students. It IS accurate for one version of the video. If it does not

track YOUR version, then you have a different version of the video.



What I would like to know now is: how many versions of the video have been

commercially distributed? Is it possible to get copies of all versions?

How does one purchase a copy of Wolfram's Study Guide?



Bethany