[Corpora-List] Please Respond!

Sat Aug 7 19:23:42 UTC 2010

I have no doubt that he is safe. He will be frustrated because he will have been locked out of his own gmail account and it will take him some time to get it sorted out and get back online.

Where are the forensic linguists when you need them -- though in this case it is clear, at least, that these are not Patrick's words? I thought the wording of the message might give a clue as to the L1 of the writer -- "stolen away from me" etc. 

Michael

---
Michael Barlow
Assoc. Prof. DALSL. University of Auckland
www.michaelbarlow.com
________________________________________
From: corpora-bounces at uib.no [corpora-bounces at uib.no] On Behalf Of Bill Louw [louwfirth at yahoo.com]
Sent: Sunday, August 08, 2010 3:26 AM
To: Mike Scott; corpora at uib.no; Michael Rundell
Subject: Re: [Corpora-List] Please Respond!

Sorry to disturb the analysis, but is Patrick safe?

Bill Louw

--- On Sat, 8/7/10, Michael Rundell <michael.rundell at lexmasterclass.com> wrote:

From: Michael Rundell <michael.rundell at lexmasterclass.com>
Subject: Re: [Corpora-List] Please Respond!
To: "Mike Scott" <mike at lexically.net>, corpora at uib.no
Date: Saturday, August 7, 2010, 9:51 AM

Try a Googlefight between "at gun point" and "at a gun point" (25600 vs 293)

I like trying to imagine P. saying "I am totally freaked out"...

Some excellent data here

Michael
----- Original Message -----
From: Mike Scott<http://us.mc653.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=mike@lexically.net>
To: corpora at uib.no<http://us.mc653.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=corpora@uib.no>
Sent: Friday, August 06, 2010 8:09 PM
Subject: Re: [Corpora-List] Please Respond!

Plus the language is not at all like Patrick's! .... These scammers need lessons in linguistic plausibility.
Cheers -- Mike

On 06/08/2010 18:43, Patrick Hanks wrote:
Hello,

I am in a hurry writing you this mail. I traveled to UK wales for an urgent function and i got mugged at a gun point. It was a terrible experience. All cash and credit cards were stolen away from me. I reported to the police they asked me to wait for 2 weeks to carry out investigations. I am totally freaked out here.
Right now, my return flight leaves 24hours from now. I am only telling you this because i do not want you to panic at all. just keep it the way have told you till i return back home.
I am seriously having problems in settling my hotel bills which i have to clear before i can leave the hotel to avoid further embarrassment and to get a taxi down to the airport. Just wondering if you could loan me 1,800Pounds to settle my bills and to get a taxi down to the airport. I promise to pay back when i return back home today.
Please you can help me send the money to my name and my present location because i am only left with my passport to pick up the money.

Name: Patrick Hanks
Address: Colwyn Bay, Clwyd LL28 4EP UK

Do let me know if you will be going to the western union outlet right now to send the money to my name and my present location and please dont forget to get back to me with the transfer details which is the senders information and the MTCN number.

I await your urgent response.
Thanks so much and sorry to bother you.
Patrick Hanks

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--
Mike Scott

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