Date: Thu, 2 Jan 1997 13:11:52 -0500

From: Dennis Baron debaron[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]UIUC.EDU

Subject: ADS at MLA



I'm pleased to report that the ADS-sponsored session at MLA, :) When You

Say That, attracted about 45 participants and produced some lively

discussion on linguistic effects of technology. It also produced one

potential member (I'll write to Aallan separately later about this.) The

Language and Society session, which I also chaired, drew over 50 people. I

spent much of MLAbeing misunderstood by reporters interested in knowing

whether Ebonics was a separate language, and what I thought of Oakland.

Like Sali, I know what it is to be sound-bitten. I have decided that

Ebonics is definitely word of the year.



Respectfully submitted,



Dennis "Ebonics is my middle name" Baron



Dennis Baron debaron[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]uiuc.edu

Department of English office: 217-333-2392

University of Illinois fax: 217-333-4321

608 S. Wright Street home: 217-384-1683

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