Confusing Book of Mormon scripture
 

Alma 30:51


49 Now Alma said unto him: This will I give unto thee for a sign, that thou shalt be struck dumb, according to my words; and I say, that in the name of God, ye shall be struck dumb, that ye shall no more have utterance.
50 Now when Alma had said these words, Korihor was struck dumb, that he could not have utterance, according to the words of Alma.
51 And now when the chief judge saw this, he put forth his hand and wrote unto Korihor, saying: Art thou convinced of the power of God? In whom did ye desire that Alma should show forth his sign? Would ye that he should afflict others, to show unto thee a sign? Behold, he has showed unto you a sign; and now will ye dispute more?


I am confused as to why the chief judge needed to write down his message to Korihor. Korihor had been struck dumb, after all, not deaf.


http://scriptures.lds.org/alma/30

perhaps because JS mistranslated when he used "dumb" and perhaps that conveyed deaf and dumb......who knows.

Or perhaps to Joseph Smith, "dumb" meant to be both deaf and dumb according to local usage.

Or perhaps there was no logical reason to write the note, but the guy did it anyway, because people often do illogical things.