Okay, I take your point about where she was born and raised.
Let us say that Patsy wrote the note, then we have to assume that she used that word in the context of ''mountain talk''.
Please look at the following:
April 30th 1997
Police interview with Patsy Ramsey
''... I was taking groceries and dinners and ...''
''... and wrapped the stuff for taking to the lake ...''
''... presents to take up there ...''
Now the ransom note alternative:
''... I was bringing groceries and dinners and ...''
''... and wrapped the stuff for bringing to the lake ...''
''... presents to bring up there ...''
She was being interrogated by two experienced detectives, yet she still managed to use the word 'take' or 'taking'. How?
Thanks, Callan. I won't assume "mountain talk," since I think Patsy tried her best to sound southern.
(My mother-in-law was born and raised in Atlanta, FWIW.)
I don't know of any way to account for it. Possibly the note was written that way purposely. Some think whoever wrote the note was trying to point to someone in particular as the killer (apparently to point to someone perceived as southern).
There are statements saying that Patsy used the term "good southern common sense" when speaking to John in a teasing way.
In my experience, when people are over-stressed and excited and not trying to use guile, they often revert to speaking in a way they heard when they first learned to talk. So, was the note writer being natural or deceptive? I think deceptive.
In your above examples, you start your sentence with "I" or use examples where Patsy was referring to herself doing a certain act. Using a form of "to take" when referring to yourself is also a southern structure since had the example been a directive using "you" instead of "I", perhaps you would be told to "bring" something, not "take" it. That is also the context in the ransom note since John is told to "bring" the money. The tense of the sentence would make a difference in whether one would use a form of "to take" or "to bring."
Also, if you asked Patsy a question that could be answered after-the-fact, she may have said:
''... I brought the groceries and dinners and [to Charlevoix where I am now]...''
''... and wrapped the stuff for taking to the lake ...'' (I brought stuff to the lake (said after arriving in Charlevoix).
''... presents to take up there ...'' (I brought these presents to Charlevoix (said after arriving in Charlevoix).
Had she been in Charlevoix and asked about something at Charlevoix, the above may have been her responses. It is just hard to speculate about the maybes.
