Date:  Thu, 13 Jul 1995 15:23:00 CST

From:  salikoko mufwene <mufw[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]MIDWAY.UCHICAGO.EDU>

Subject: Re: oj trial



One question crossed my mind out of Larry's and Terry's interventions: whose

stereotype is more valid, the linguist's or the layperson's? Or should I ask

whose stereotype is more authoritative? Or perhaps should the question be

about whose stereotype is more reliable? I am sidestepping the legal

interpretation of "sounding black," which is beyond my expertise? I think I

don't see the point of discrediting the witness for the simple reason that

he is not a linguist. Wouldn't the linguist be interested in finding out

what features are functional in the layperson's stereotype?

Sali.

***********************************************************************

Salikoko S. Mufwene

University of Chicago

Dept. of Linguistics

1010 East 59th Street

Chicago, IL 60637

s-mufwene[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]uchicago.edu

312-702-8531; fax: 312-702-9861