Date:  Sun, 8 Oct 1995 17:13:42 EDT

From:  Terry Lynn Irons <t.irons[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]MOREHEAD-ST.EDU>

Subject: ADS & LEXICAL CHOICE



Dear ADS members and list groupies,



Over the last two weeks I have found my email to have been bombarded

by hundreds of queries and responses about lexical dialect items. I hope

that this conversation is not taken by anyone as a substitute for serious

dialect study.



Many of these queries are recreating questions the answers to which are to

be found in the various field records of LAUSACA, most of which are

archived at UGA, although the records of LAUMS are at the Newberry, if I

have been informed correctly.



Internet provides an excellent vehicle for immediate feeedback about

language items, and the folk at UGA have put forth an electronic

survey for dialect study.



But not everyone is connected to the internet. In fact, in over 20

counties in Kentucky, over 20% of the homes do not even have phone

service, let alone computers.



FACT: AN ACCURATE DIALECT SURVEY OF NORTH AMERICA CANNOT BE CONDUCTED

BY ELECTRONIC MEANS.



It is characteristic of the current generation of American researchers,

in whatever field, that they are looking for the easy way to whatever

conclusion. Some consideration of method is in order.



THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR SERIOUS FIELDWORK



Terry

--

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Terry Lynn Irons    t.irons[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]morehead-st.edu

Voice Mail:       (606) 783-5164

Snail Mail:       UPO 604 Morehead, KY 40351

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