This book is the first of its kind to bridge the gap between corpus linguistics and forensic linguistics, illustrating the value of applying corpus linguistic data, tools, and methods in the analysis of language in the law, evidence, crime, and justice.
The volume begins by taking stock of the use of corpus linguistics in the field of forensic and legal linguistics over its roughly thirty-year history as a foundation for critically reflecting on the current state-of play within the discipline. Wright uses this discussion as a jumping-off point from which to demonstrate the opportunities and challenges of using corpora and corpus methods to analyse language in legal and forensic contexts and offers possible solutions to collecting and analysing types of data that are typically not in the public domain. The five analysis chapters that follow apply corpus method to both established and emerging areas of forensic and legal linguistics, summarized in a concluding chapter which also looks ahead to future directions for the interface of the two fields.
This book will be key reading for graduate students and researchers in forensic linguistics and corpus linguistics methods as well as scholars working across disciplines interested in the intersection between language and the law.
By:
David Wright
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 229mm,
Width: 152mm,
Weight: 653g
ISBN: 9780367819101
ISBN 10: 0367819104
Series: Routledge Advances in Corpus Linguistics
Pages: 256
Publication Date: 20 February 2025
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Professional and scholarly
,
Primary
,
Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Contents List of Figures Acknowledgment 1 Introduction Forensic, legal and corpus linguistics Aims of this book Overview of the book References 2 Tools for the trade: data and methods Corpora for forensic and legal linguistics The corpora used in this book Data scarcity in forensic and legal linguistics Overcoming data scarcity Quasi-legal data: The Grenfell Tower Inquiry Opening Statement Corpus Opportunistic legal data: The Brexit Hearings Corpus Potentially illicit data on the ‘clear’ web: The Seduction Forum Corpus Language about the law: New Laws in the News Corpus Ethics and distressing data Corpus-assisted discourse studies Corpus linguistic tools Keyword analysis Collocation analysis Concordance analysis References 3 Thirty years of corpora in forensic and legal linguistics Corpora at the birth of forensic linguistics The growing status of corpora in forensic and legal linguistics Corpora and the development of forensic linguistics New perspectives on familiar genres Possible solutions to methodological challenges New avenues for research References 4 Positioning and responsibility in the Opening Statements of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Introduction The Grenfell Tower Inquiry Opening Statement Corpus Opening statements as a prologue to the evidence The language of opening statements Positioning and opening statements A new model for responsibility allocation Impression management Pre-emptive allocation Delineating involvement and responsibility assignment Positive action Conclusion References 5 Stance-taking by advocates and judges in the Brexit Hearings Introduction Background to the ‘Brexit case’ The Brexit Hearings Corpus Stance and stance-taking Stance and corpus linguistics Stance in the courtroom I collocates and stance-markers Modal verbs - I will Mental verbs - I think Speaking verbs - I say Conclusion References 6 Online discourses of sexual consent and resistance Content warning Discourse, consent and ‘utmost resistance’ The Pick-Up Artist Community The language of PUAs The Seduction Forum Corpus (SFC) Consent and resistance in the SFC Discourse prosodies of LMR Resistance as something to be overcome Resistance as insincere Resistance as remarkable Resistance as temporary Conclusion References 7 The reporting of new laws in the British national press Introduction Legislation and media influence The New Laws in the News Corpus Using corpus techniques to analyse argumentation Identifying arguments Reconstructing arguments Analysis Prohibition Permission Imposition Toughness Necessity Protection Controversy Scope Summary of argument schemes Conclusion References 8 Conclusion References Index
David Wright is an Associate Professor in Linguistics at Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom.
