We're sunsetting PodQuest on 2025-07-28. Thank you for your support!
Export Podcast Subscriptions
cover of episode The case of the mystery dialect, with Natalie Schilling

The case of the mystery dialect, with Natalie Schilling

2025/1/2
logo of podcast Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing
AI Deep Dive Transcript
People
M
Mignon Fogarty
N
Natalie Schilling
Topics
Natalie Schilling: 我参与调查了一起神秘的失踪案,这名女孩Mary在失踪20多年后突然出现,但她却说了一口与她成长背景完全不符的南方口音。这起案件的独特之处在于,我们利用语言证据,特别是她的口音特征,来判断她是否真的是失踪的Mary。通过对录音进行分析,我们发现她的口音中包含一些强烈的南方口音特征,但同时也缺少一些南方口音的典型特征,这使得她的口音来源难以确定。她的口音并非伪装,因为在长时间的采访中,她的口音保持一致,这与伪装口音的认知负荷不符。我们认为,她的口音可能是由于她成长过程中接触到的不同方言环境所形成的混合方言。虽然我们无法给出确定的结论,但我们可以说她的口音与失踪女孩的预期口音不符。最终,通过DNA比对和照片比对,确认了该女子是Mary的可能性很高,但口音之谜仍然存在,这体现了法医语言学证据的局限性,以及语言本身的复杂性。 Mignon Fogarty: 本期节目讨论了法医语言学家Natalie Schilling参与调查的一起神秘失踪案。失踪女孩Mary多年后出现,却说一口浓重的南方口音,这与她的成长环境不符,引起了警方的怀疑。Natalie Schilling和她的学生们对Mary的录音进行了分析,发现她的口音虽然听起来像是南方口音,但其中一些细微特征却与典型的南方口音不符,这引发了他们的怀疑。他们认为,Mary的口音并非伪装,而是可能由于她成长过程中接触到的环境而形成的一种混合方言。虽然语言证据无法最终确定Mary的身份,但它为调查提供了重要的线索,也展现了法医语言学在破案中的作用和局限性。

Deep Dive

Shownotes Transcript

  1. Today, I'm talking about a strange disappearance that forensic linguist Natalie Schilling worked on that she calls "the case of the mystery dialect." This is the original bonus segment from our conversation back in October. Grammarpaloozians who support the show get these segments right when they come out, and maybe more importantly, give us the help we need to keep going and produce the bonus segments. So many thanks to all you wonderful Grammarpaloozians!

Natalie Schilling is a professor emerita of linguistics at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, and runs a forensic linguistics consulting firm. You can find her on LinkedIn).

🔗 **Share your familect recording in a **WhatsApp chat.)

🔗 Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses).

🔗 Subscribe to the newsletter).

🔗 **Take our advertising survey). **

🔗** Get the edited transcript).**

🔗 **Get Grammar Girl books). **

🔗 Join Grammarpalooza)**. **Get ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts) or Subtext). Learn more about the difference). 

| HOST: Mignon Fogarty

| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).

| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network).

  • Audio Engineer: Dan Feierabend
  • Director of Podcast: Brannan Goetschius
  • Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
  • Marketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina Tomlin
  • Digital Operations Specialist: Holly Hutchings
  • Marketing and Video: Nat Hoopes

| Theme music by Catherine Rannus).

| Grammar Girl Social Media Links: YouTube). TikTok). Facebook).Threads). Instagram). LinkedIn). Mastodon). Bluesky).