Letters: Mar. 30, 1981

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In "More Signals to the World" [Feb. 16], you referred to President Chun Doo Hwan of South Korea as the first ruling foreign visitor to the Reagan Administration. The first was Jamaica's Prime Minister Edward Seaga.

Susan J. Wong Miami

Prime Minister Seaga is head of government, not head of state.

Detroit vs. Japan

I did not break my back campaigning for the Republicans in order to see them propose quotas on imported automobiles [March 9]. Secretary of Transportation Drew Lewis should realize that any limits on auto imports will once again put us into the greedy hands of Detroit. The American auto buyer needs protection against Detroit—not Japan.

George G. Daniels Orlando, Fla.

It's How You Say It

You say about Jane Doe who has lost her memory [March 2] that "no regional accent distinguishes her speech." All speakers have regional characteristics. Does Jane pronounce a final and a pre-consonantal r, such as in cart or charge? If she does, she does not come from most of the Atlantic Coast. However, if she does not pronounce the final r, she is also not from the Midwest or Far West. Does she pronounce merry and marry alike or differently? If alike, she comes from the upper Midwest. Does she pronounce morning and mourning alike or differently? If differently, she is from the Atlantic Coast, the Southeast or Texas. I suspect that her speech may be either Floridian or Midwestern.

Archibald A. Hill, Professor Emeritus English and Linguistics University of Texas at Austin