Forensic linguistics

Forensic Linguistics includes a variety of sub- disciplines of applied linguistics that deals with issues such as the identification of speakers by voice analysis ( Forensic phonetics ) and the author assignment of relevant legal texts, whether they are dealing ransom letters, letter of confession, confessions, wills or plagiarism. In a broader sense the Forensic linguistics examines other interfaces between language, law and crime.

The forensic linguistics covers a broad subject area. Research is carried out mainly in the following areas:

Determining authorship of texts

Special importance is attached to the quantitative methods that are most commonly used to authorship provision of text, but also other methods such as the analysis of handwriting graphical characteristics and examination of the writing material can be counted at the moment.

By examining linguistic features of texts of the circle of perpetrators (eg, the writer of threatening letters ) can be significantly limited. Some Forensic linguists warn against expecting to be able to demonstrate a perpetrator clearly based on a " linguistic fingerprint " suspects. However, Raimund Drommel, the " pioneer of linguistic forensics ," according to ranged in many cases from the linguistic evidence to set against suspects in a criminal gang.

The language of legal texts

This branch includes historical interests, such as the impact of the Norman French and Latin of the Church to the contemporary legalese.

The language of Jurisprudence

This includes considerations of linguistic processes in courtrooms, such as the language in cross-examination and the impact of interpretation and linguistic vulnerability in court. Other subjects are about investigative interviews and the linguistic rights of ethnic minorities.

Results

• Negotiations on trade mark law
• Identify the authors of anonymous texts ( threatening letters, etc.)
• Ethnic origin of asylum seekers