Why disguise the fact that JtR was educated?

[RivkahChaya]

There's a difference between being dyslexic and being a bad speller. You can be a very bad speller, and still be an excellent reader. Some famous authors, such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, were notorious for this. To get a diagnosis of dyslexia, you need to have a problem reading, and we don't have the author of any of the letters in front of us to test to see what sort of reader he was.

Dyslexics have trouble parsing phonemes, according to the latest research I have seen; what that means in practice, for example, is that a dyslexic can know the word "hill," and the word "up," but when encountering the word "uphill" for the first time can't see intuitively (something that comes naturally to most people by age six) that it's a combination of two known words. A less severe dyslexic can develop the skill of parsing phonemes if it's taught to them. Severe dyslexics just have to memorize every word by rote-- and by sight and shape, in order to read with any speed.

This may not be what the research from Sweden suggests to Curious4; I've no idea, but the "parsing phonemes" theory is about 10 years old, and the most common one you'll hear in the US right now, at least IME.

Personally, I think it's a mistake to leap to any assumptions about Jack's character based on letters we can't say for certain he wrote. The police took them seriously at the time, because they were in the middle of a live investigation, and needed to use everything they had. We're playing a different game. And at any rate, the police didn't use the letters to build a profile; they used them to try to trace the author(s). If they weren't written by Jack, maybe they were written by someone who had information that would further the investigation.

[DJA]

To DJA

I think you'll find most people with Aspergers Syndrome are good at maths my experience would suggest this. Many people with Aspergers Syndrome have a fascination with numbers. A fascination with numbers is used in some preliminary tests to suggest a person may be on the Autistic Spectrum. I think you'll find that by suggesting Jack had Aspergers Syndrome with no evidence that you are in fact an arrogant fool.

Well some Aspies are known for flapping,so you might be onto something there,given your vast personal experience.

I excelled at Maths and cannot ride a bicycle.Who knows!
Meh. Kasumi Takahashi couldn't ride a bike either,however she won 5 Gold Medals at the 1994 Commonwealth Games.

Joseph Barnett is worth consideration.

A single bed and he leaves when Mary Ann Kelly shares the room with a female friend in need during a cold spell.

Have you seen Beccy's picture of Kelly!

[DJA]

There's a difference between being dyslexic and being a bad speller. You can be a very bad speller, and still be an excellent reader. Some famous authors, such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, were notorious for this. To get a diagnosis of dyslexia, you need to have a problem reading, and we don't have the author of any of the letters in front of us to test to see what sort of reader he was.

Dyslexics have trouble parsing phonemes, according to the latest research I have seen; what that means in practice, for example, is that a dyslexic can know the word "hill," and the word "up," but when encountering the word "uphill" for the first time can't see intuitively (something that comes naturally to most people by age six) that it's a combination of two known words. A less severe dyslexic can develop the skill of parsing phonemes if it's taught to them. Severe dyslexics just have to memorize every word by rote-- and by sight and shape, in order to read with any speed.

Seriously,my cockatoo is a bit like that.

"Good boy" and "Good bye" obviously confused the hell out of him decades ago.

He now has that in context.

Also makes up his own phonemes.

Can converse however does not read.

His reading of body language is out of this world though.

[curious4]

Not going to argue with you Rifkah, we've been here before. And you're wrong.

C4

[DJA]

So cop that Rifkah!

Research that has been going on since before 1985 hasn't reached Sweden yet....so you are wrong!

Back on OT,rather than not having the argument that "curiou4" seems intent on continuing by not continuing and calling you wrong......I am quite certain that two,if not three of the letters were from Jack.

Invite you to reply to my PM from the other day.

[John Wheat]

Well some Aspies are known for flapping,so you might be onto something there,given your vast personal experience.

To DJA

Do you mean my vast personal experience as someone who both has Asperger Syndrome and is a member of a number of Aspergers groups?

Cheers John

[curious4]

Hello Rivkah

Perhaps you would like to read the following, even though it is from the U.K.
m.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/parenting/dyslexia.htm

Dyslexia is much more than a child not being able to read and if you in the U.S. are using this as the only criteria for diagnosis you are failing a great many children (and adults). Someone suffering from dyslexia can be a very good reader, but be severely handicapped by very poor handwriting and spelling.

Best wishes
C4.

[GUT]

Hello Rivkah

Perhaps you would like to read the following, even though it is from the U.K.
m.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/parenting/dyslexia.htm

Dyslexia is much more than a child not being able to read and if you in the U.S. are using this as the only criteria for diagnosis you are failing a great many children (and adults). Someone suffering from dyslexia can be a very good reader, but be severely handicapped by very poor handwriting and spelling.

Best wishes
C4.

I have Ben told that I probably have a very mild form of dyslexia for just that reason my handwriting and spelling are to say the least poor.

My reading is great.

Fortunately it is so minor it doesn't really impact. Save that at times I can't work out what I have written.

[curious4]

Hello GUT

Yes, sounds like you compensated well, even though I suspect you might sometimes have had a hard time at school. You (not you) escape being called slow witted, but get accused of not trying, which is what happened to my daughter. My eldest son struggled through school, although a very good reader, until a teacher at high school realised what a difference there was between what he actually knew and his written work. Both have degrees now, but have zero confidence in themselves at times.

This, (only a theory) could have left Jack with a burning desire to show people how clever he really was - provided he wrote the letters and I am right about the dyslexia.

Best wishes
C4

[GUT]

Hello GUT

Yes, sounds like you compensated well, even though I suspect you might sometimes have had a hard time at school. You (not you) escape being called slow witted, but get accused of not trying, which is what happened to my daughter. My eldest son struggled through school, although a very good reader, until a teacher at high school realised what a difference there was between what he actually knew and his written work. Both have degrees now, but have zero confidence in themselves at times.

This, (only a theory) could have left Jack with a burning desire to show people how clever he really was - provided he wrote the letters and I am right about the dyslexia.

Best wishes
C4

Absolutely spot in re the "not trying", it was the mantra of most of my teachers.

And the zero confidence "at times" fits to a T.

But I've come out of it OK and am blessed with a oretty fair memory that can overcome the difficulties with note taking.

[GUT]

And your thoughts about him wanting to "show the world he wasn't stupid" is a perfectly valid hypothesis.

[curious4]

Thanks GUT - Dyslexics rule!

Best wishes
C4

[GUT]

I've never been formally diagnosed, (I take the view why bother I get by OK either way), but admire anyone with a "disability" that fights the good fight.

[curious4]

There is so much ignorance and sadly sometimes stigma attached to this disability, which can lead to misery for many children and adults unnecessarily. Even though many learn to cope, it can hit self confidence hard.

Best wishes
C4

[curious4]

It would be ironic if the lives of five plus poor London women might have been saved if a) the Victorians had known about dyslexia and b) he had had a sympathetic teacher.

Ok, that is stretching the point a bit :-).

C4