Kay advised, “Just talk about something you know.” “So I gave a speech about the sociolinguistics of Nepalese language and culture, and we had a good time with that,” Jeffers recalled with relief. “Actually, I felt quite at home.” This was also part of Taylor’s scheme. Once accepted into the lab, you were immune to the petty harassments common to university departments. “You were part of the extended family,” related John Shoch, a member of Kay’s lab. “No one ever asked, ‘Who the hell are you and what are you doing here?’” The alternative, Taylor believed, was for one-upmanship to hobble the
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