LINGUIST List 8.1481

Tue Oct 14 1997

Disc: Foreign Accent Syndrome

Editor for this issue: Elaine Halleck <elainelinguistlist.org>

Directory

1. Bernard Comrie, foreign accent syndrome

To: Linguist List
From: Bernard Comrie
Date: 14 Oct 97
Subj: Foreign Accent Syndrome

This morning's National Public Radio (Washington DC) carried a report from
the Daily Telegraph (London) about someone suffering from "foreign accent
syndrome". According to the report, the lady in question, who had hitherto
spoken with a Scottish accent, went to bed with a headache and woke up
speaking with a South African accent. The report continued that only 12
other cases of foreign accent syndrome are known.

Can anyone provide me with further information on this? Even if it's a
hoax, it's a great story.

Bernard Comrie Tel. +1 213 740 3674
Department of Linguistics GFS-301 Fax +1 213 740 9306
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA 90089-1693, USA E-mail comriebcf.usc.edu