engleski

Forensic linguistics: Using language analysis in criminal investigations

This thesis analyses a field of applied linguistics called forensic linguistics. Forensic linguists take written or recorded evidence from the case such as ransom or suicide notes, tape recordings and video recordings and examine them using various linguistic tools and methods. They are able to identify the author by doing a profile of the suspect based on their handwriting, style of writing, way of expressing, dialect, etc. The linguist Jan Svartvik was the first one who used the expression “forensic linguistics” and used its method to analyse the statements given by a man who was wrongly accused for murdering his spouse and child. Ever since then, linguistic analysis has been used to solve criminal investigations. In order to give a better understanding of the field, this thesis examines three cases that involve the use of forensic linguistics expertise. The first one is the case of JonBenét Ramsey and it involves the analysis of a ransom note that was used as evidence in the case. The second case deals with anonymous letters received by an actress who claimed that she was being observed by the government. However, using various linguistic methods of text analysis, forensic linguists managed to discover that the letters were written by herself. And lastly, the Bentley case, the purpose of which is to show that forensic linguistics can play an important role in a life- or-death situation.

forensic linguistics, language analysis, forensic discourse, forensic phonetics, sociolinguistic profiling, ransom note

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