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The case of the mystery dialect, with Natalie Schilling

Jan 2, 2025

In this conversation with Natalie Schilling, a Professor emerita of linguistics at Georgetown and an expert forensic linguist, listeners dive into a compelling case of a missing girl. Schilling explores how her unique dialect played a crucial role in unraveling the mystery behind her disappearance. The discussion uncovers the complexities of language in criminal investigations and raises thought-provoking questions about identity and the influence of speech patterns. Additionally, insights into forensic linguistics as an educational tool add depth to the topic.

20:00

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Episode guests

Natalie Schilling

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Quick takeaways

Forensic linguistics played a crucial role in analyzing dialect discrepancies in the mystery of a young girl's alleged disappearance.

The complexities of familial relationships and linguistic evidence illustrate the challenges investigators face in resolving long-standing missing persons cases.

Deep dives

The Case of the Missing Mary

A young girl named Mary disappeared from a military base in California in 1981, and for many years, her disappearance went uninvestigated after her family told her siblings to forget about her. After a decade, a sibling filed a missing persons report, prompting a visit by police, though initial investigations yielded little evidence. In 2002, a cadaver dog alerted investigators at the family's previous residence, leading to further questioning of the parents but no conclusive findings. The complexity of the case was heightened by prior reports of the stepfather's abusive behavior, creating suspicions among authorities regarding his involvement in her disappearance.

Intro

2min

The Mystery of Mary: Disappearance and Voice

10min

Exploring Educational Tools and Forensic Linguistics

7min

The Linguistic Complexity of Dialects in Forensic Analysis

2min

Exploring Forensic Linguistics and Book Recommendations

2min

1044. 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.

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