Learn about Forensic Linguistics

Technical description: Forensic

linguistics is the study, analysis and

measurement of language in the

context of crime, judicial procedure, or

disputes in law, including the

preparation and giving of written and

oral evidence.

Explanation: The study of any text or

item of spoken language which has

relevance to a criminal or civil dispute,

or which relates to what goes on in a

court of law, or to the language of the

law itself. Thus the linguist may be

called upon to analyse a very wide

variety of documents, e.g. agreements

relating to ancient territorial disputes,

the quality of court interpreting, an

allegation of ‘verballing’ (claims by

defendants that their statements were

altered by police officers), a disputed

will, a suicide note, a ransom demand,

etc.

What is forensic linguistics?

Anonymous letters; Hate mail; Suicide notes - genuine and false; Ransom demands; Threat

letters; Terrorist threats; Wills; Mobile phone texts in missing persons cases; Chat logs, emails

and many other text types

Types of forensic text

We investigate documents of all kinds in

all types of criminal allegation, including:

murder

robbery

burglary

taking without consent (TWOC)

assault, including sexual assault

child molestation and child pornography

malicious communications

terrorism

conspiracy

witness intimidation

mental abuse

libel

elder abuse

product contamination

blackmail

narcotics distribution

organized crime

driving offences

smuggling

crimes committed in prison

ASBO

Prisoner codes

Types of forensic text

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