Study of the Ransom Note

[Tadpole12]

Not sure. I'm still looking at that. Meanwhile, I did to a comparison of the RN to the top 50 most commonly used words, and to McM's book.


Top 10 most commonly used words (e.g. the, a, and, in, to) :

frequency/pct in RN: 93 words/25.1%
frequency/pct in L&L RN + 2nd note: 97 words/23.8%
frequency/pct in McM's book: 21404 words/20.4%


Top 50 most commonly used words (e.g. we, when, your, can, said):

frequency/pct in RN: 164 words/44.3%
frequency/pct in L&L RN + 2nd note: 166 words/40.8%
frequency/pct in McM's book: 32943 words/31.5%

Top 100 most commonly used words (e.g. could, people, my, than):

frequency/pct in RN: 194 words/52.4%
frequency/pct in L&L RN + 2nd note: 188 words/46.2%
frequency/pct in McM's book: 36956 words/35.3%



Top 1000 most commonly used words (e.g. island, week, less, machine):

frequency/pct in RN: 267 words/72.2%

As you can see, the RN author drew words from the common word pool the great majority of the time, whereas McM author drew from the common word pool less than half the time.

I'm sure its a coincidence, but the fact is an ESL would tend to draw from that pool.

Hi Hotyh.

TY for compiling those figures. :blowkiss:

Very interesting.

Both the JBR rn and the L&L resemble a formal letter format, maybe the cordiality, tone? of that type of speech pattern and the insructive nature of the note is a function of the distribution; where 1/2 of the 'dialect' draws from that 'common word' pool.

coincidence? still of note, that the JBR rn is on the high end of the distibution.

ESL?

Hotyh?

would you say the rn writer is monosyllabic?
or
uses a language in which most 'words predominantly consist of a single syllable'?

 

[Holdontoyourhat]

Hi Hotyh.

TY for compiling those figures. :blowkiss:

Very interesting.

Both the JBR rn and the L&L resemble a formal letter format, maybe the cordiality, tone? of that type of speech pattern and the insructive nature of the note is a function of the distribution; where 1/2 of the 'dialect' draws from that 'common word' pool.

coincidence? still of note, that the JBR rn is on the high end of the distibution.

ESL?

Hotyh?

would you say the rn writer is monosyllabic?
or
uses a language in which most 'words predominantly consist of a single syllable'?

No, the writer isn't monosyllabic. There are 28% less common words and many are multisyllabic. The fact that JBR RN is ranking highest and L&L 2nd highest in the use of common words could be due to the instructive nature, as you suggested.

I think in both cases they believed they were superior, and wanted to be understood. They deliberately chose words that were common so they would be easily understood by people they thought were beneath them.

In the case of JBR RN author, maybe someone who is used to instructing others. Someone 'used to exerting authority over others,' is how an FBI profiler once put it.

There's probably a direct relationship between ESL and drawing from the common word pool, though.

 

[BBB167893]

What do you mean by no longer exists?
Maybe I am missing something.Wasn't it stored as evidence or what happened?

TIA

From what I understand, it was subjected to various tests to detect latent fingerprints which totally ruined it. In hindsight, not such a good idea. But they thought it was worth it at the time.

 

[BBB167893]

I think in both cases they believed they were superior, and wanted to be understood. They deliberately chose words that were common so they would be easily understood by people they thought were beneath them.
In the case of JBR RN author, maybe someone who is used to instructing others. Someone 'used to exerting authority over others,' is how an FBI profiler once put it.

NOW you're talking!

 

[Holdontoyourhat]

coincidence? still of note, that the JBR rn is on the high end of the distibution.

ESL?

There's for sure a reason why its on the high end, we don't know it yet. It could be that ESL is the reason.

 

[Ravyn]

So how it sounds the RN was destoyed before the experts had a chance to study it...So a photo copy how can the experts really study a photo copy just curious here...Cause looking at a photo copy how do you tell the pressure a writer used...

 

[Ravyn]

I asked this when I first started posting here about keeping your enemies closer well since politics is always a factor in this cause that is not the case this case is one big smoke screen and it all coming down to who have favors.. We see it everyday in government they sure don't keep their enemies close lets put them under the bus...

 

[Holdontoyourhat]

NOW you're talking!

Isn't using mostly small, common, easily understood words and going 'over the top' with drama another RDI paradox?

Just curious.

I mean, after all, JBR RN consists of MOSTLY small, common, easily understood words that come from the pool of 100 most common English words. Its a sign of ESL.

 

[Ravyn]

You and your family are under constant scrutiny, as well as the authorities. Don't try to grow a brain, John. You are not the only fat cat around so don't think that killing will be difficult. Don't underestimate us, John. Use that good, southern common sense of yours. It's up to you now, John! Victory! S.B.T.C.


Does this look like the right way for the RN to look..It seems like comma's are missing where they should be in the RN atleast to me it does....

 

[BBB167893]

So how it sounds the RN was destroyed before the experts had a chance to study it...So a photo copy how can the experts really study a photo copy just curious here...Cause looking at a photo copy how do you tell the pressure a writer used...

Most people agree you can't really tell the pressure from a photocopy. And to hear some tell it, pressure is vital to determining authorship. The thing HERE is that a Sharpie was used, which makes determining pressure guesswork anyway.

 

[BBB167893]

Isn't using mostly small, common, easily understood words and going 'over the top' with drama another RDI paradox?

Just curious.

Yeah, I'll bet. In all seriousness, HOTYH, you've limited your perception. "Going over the top with drama" does NOT refer solely to the RN, not on your life it doesn't. The RN is only part of that rubric.

I mean, after all, JBR RN consists of MOSTLY small, common, easily understood words that come from the pool of 100 most common English words. Its a sign of ESL.

I don't know, HOTYH. You just got through saying that the RN sounds like someone used to exerting authority over others, and the household just HAPPENED to contain a major executive. Now, is that just a coincidence? Because I get the feeling the FBI operative you refer to had someone in mind at the time.

 

[Tadpole12]

Hi Hotyh.

Thought you would digg this link.

Must be well skilled at word play to meet this task.

At first glance, one would think the words would flow with ease but

it's hard to do.




One-Syllable Words: A Writing Exercise:

http://fictionwriting.about.com/od/writingexercises/qt/onesyllable.htm

 

[Ravyn]

Common words to prove a point well I think we all do that...But lets say with what some posters say that both R's wrote the RN together and JR was the main one talking now would PR do her way or the way someone over her telling her to do it....With alot here that says it don't sound like PR well maybe because JR could had been standing telling her what to write....

 

[azwriter]

You and your family are under constant scrutiny, as well as the authorities. Don't try to grow a brain, John. You are not the only fat cat around so don't think that killing will be difficult. Don't underestimate us, John. Use that good, southern common sense of yours. It's up to you now, John! Victory! S.B.T.C.


Does this look like the right way for the RN to look..It seems like comma's are missing where they should be in the RN atleast to me it does....

Since I never committed the original ransom letter to memory, are these commas your insertation, Ravyn? If so, they are in the right place. But I have to say, even though these punctuation marks are correct, they don't change the meaning of the sentences. It's all BS in my opinion.
The parts of the letter that slam John are there only to provide motive = someone hates John Ramsey and his business so much, they will punish him by taking his daughter. Got to have a reason there is a dead little girl in the basement.
A more realistic ransom note would be more to the point - we got the kid, we want money, we will contact you at such and such a time or place.
But no, this letter had to be more exact on a lot of details not necessary for gathering ransom money. It had to be a blueprint, an outline, why JonBenet is gone and dead, lying in the basement.
I still like to point out that more detail is given about the money, the denominations of the bills, what to carry the money in than is given on how to exchange the money for JonBenet. True kidnappers would make sure the time of contact to exchange one for the other would be clear and understood.
However in this letter, the only mention is a time span to expect a call and a day (tomorrow) without any reference to what day is meant by tomorrow, since the letter was supposly found after midnight, tomorrow is certainly in question.
Whoever wrote this letter certainly had no concern about exchanging the money for JonBenet. That's why those details are glossed over. Instead it was more important to tell a story that could be believable when that little sweet girl's body was found.
jmo

 

[DeeDee249]

I just don't feel someone writing a REAL ransom note would use punctuation at all. Just block-print a few sentences and that's about it.

 

[Theonly1]

Since I never committed the original ransom letter to memory, are these commas your insertation, Ravyn? If so, they are in the right place. But I have to say, even though these punctuation marks are correct, they don't change the meaning of the sentences. It's all BS in my opinion.
The parts of the letter that slam John are there only to provide motive = someone hates John Ramsey and his business so much, they will punish him by taking his daughter. Got to have a reason there is a dead little girl in the basement.
A more realistic ransom note would be more to the point - we got the kid, we want money, we will contact you at such and such a time or place.
But no, this letter had to be more exact on a lot of details not necessary for gathering ransom money. It had to be a blueprint, an outline, why JonBenet is gone and dead, lying in the basement.
I still like to point out that more detail is given about the money, the denominations of the bills, what to carry the money in than is given on how to exchange the money for JonBenet. True kidnappers would make sure the time of contact to exchange one for the other would be clear and understood.
However in this letter, the only mention is a time span to expect a call and a day (tomorrow) without any reference to what day is meant by tomorrow, since the letter was supposly found after midnight, tomorrow is certainly in question.
Whoever wrote this letter certainly had no concern about exchanging the money for JonBenet. That's why those details are glossed over. Instead it was more important to tell a story that could be believable when that little sweet girl's body was found.
jmo

Yes, and the fact that no one ever called the next day (and the writer/s knew they would never call) so no exact time was specified. I agree that the ransom note was nothing more than a feeble attempt to explain why JB was dead in the basement.

 

[Holdontoyourhat]

I just don't feel someone writing a REAL ransom note would use punctuation at all. Just block-print a few sentences and that's about it.

Thats a very astute point. Yet another paradox for RDI to explain, really.

It would be nice if RDI would just stop and ask themselves: why would PR bother to line thru words just to spell correctly, block print only occasionally, and leave other words misspelled on purpose?

 

[Holdontoyourhat]

Yes, and the fact that no one ever called the next day (and the writer/s knew they would never call) so no exact time was specified. I agree that the ransom note was nothing more than a feeble attempt to explain why JB was dead in the basement.

No explanation was required beyond the prima facie evidence from the basement. It fully explained that she was atypically sexually assaulted, strangled, and headbashed by an intruder who climbed in thru the window.

The RN added nothing to that explanation.

The ransom note being needed to explain JBR dead in the basement is an RDI fabrication. The need actually doesn't even exist.

 

[Ravyn]

No explanation was required beyond the prima facie evidence from the basement. It fully explained that she was atypically sexually assaulted, strangled, and headbashed by an intruder who climbed in thru the window.

The RN added nothing to that explanation.

The ransom note being needed to explain JBR dead in the basement is an RDI fabrication. The need actually doesn't even exist.

And it don't explain an intruder either that was wanting money....Why,was JonBenet found dead in the basement,true we have enough she dies in the RN...She dies not that she's dead in the basement....And I still like to know why,not take her out the front or the butler's door...Now if they came in the basement window. They would had made different plans...Now for some unseen reason this RN is just that to explain why she is dead....Cause the R's went against everything in the RN.....

And an intruder stating wanting money would had took her out of the house...The RN mainly focus on JR well wouldn't cause of Access Graphics and just making 2 billion mark and why,not ask for more and don't say easy access to that amount a kidnapper wouldn't care....

 

[BBB167893]

Thats a very astute point. Yet another paradox for RDI to explain, really.

Um, not really. I think DeeDee said it best: "REAL ransom note." Pretty clear-cut to me.

It would be nice if RDI would just stop and ask themselves: why would PR bother to line thru words just to spell correctly, block print only occasionally, and leave other words misspelled on purpose?

Think I HAVEN'T?