Date:  Wed, 7 Feb 1996 05:14:48 -0500

From:  "M. Lynne Murphy" <104LYN[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]MUSE.ARTS.WITS.AC.ZA>

Subject: urgent help needed



a few years ago, i read a story in the chronicle of higher ed about a

study that was done in which university students listened to a

chinese t.a. give a math lecture. those who saw the t.a. while

listening to the lecture complained that they couldn't understand

him/her because of a foreign accent. those who couldn't see the t.a.

(got the lecture over a phone, i think), had no problem understanding

and sometimes didn't realize that the lecturer was foreign.



now, i told this story to a student, who incorporated it into her

honours thesis, to which i said "sorry "lynne's anecdote" doesn't

work as a bibliography entry. the thesis is due to the external

examiner on friday--does anyone know where this study was published,

by whom, etc.? i'd even be happy with a citation of the _chronicle_

article.



if not, i'd be happy to hear about other studies in which appearance

(i.e., racial/ethnic prejudice) determines the success or failure of

communication.



thanks in advance,

lynne



---------------------------------------------------------------------

M. Lynne Murphy              104lyn[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]muse.arts.wits.ac.za

Department of Linguistics            phone: 27(11)716-2340

University of the Witwatersrand          fax: 27(11)716-8030

Johannesburg 2050

SOUTH AFRICA