DOCUMENT RESUME
         ED 472 652                                                         FL 027 593
         AUTHOR           Jordan, Sherilynn Nidever
         TITLE            Forensic Linguistics: The Linguistic Analyst and Expert
                          Witness of Language Evidence in Criminal Trials.
         PUB DATE         2002-08-00
         NOTE             159p.; A thesis presented to the Faculty of the School of
                          Intercultural Studies, Department of TESOL and Applied
                          Linguistics, Biola University.
         PUB TYPE         Dissertations/Theses - Masters Theses (042) --
                          Speeches /Meeting Papers (150)
         EDRS PRICE       EDRS Price MF01/PC07 Plus Postage.
         DESCRIPTORS      *Crime; *Criminal Law; Ethics; *Evidence (Legal); *Forensic
                          Sciences; *Linguistics
         IDENTIFIERS      Expert Witness; Forensic Psychology; Trials
         ABSTRACT
                          Forensic linguistics (FL) provides consultation to lawyers
         through the analysis of language evidence during the pre-trial investigation.
         Evidence commonly analyzed by linguists in criminal cases includes
         transcripts of police interviews and language crimes (such as bribery) and
         anonymous or questioned texts. Forensic linguistic testimony is rarely
         admitted into courts of law, however. A major reason for this is apparently
         impressionistic methods, which are examined for their objectivity. A further
         barrier to legal acceptance is that FL experts, like all experts testifying
         in court, support the claims of whichever side has hired them. Nonetheless,
         forensic linguists have an ethical and professional responsibility to provide
         the legal community with reliable and admissible information and help prevent
         unfair conviction or acquittal of criminal defendants. Legal acceptance of FL
         expertise should increase as methods improve and as forensic linguists adapt
         to legal norms. This thesis includes five parts: (1) "The Field of Forensic
         Linguistics"; (2) "The Evidence Forensic Linguists Analyze"; (3) "The Need to
         Improve Credibility in the Legal Community"; (4) "Professional and Ethical
         Issues and Responsibilities for Forensic Linguists"; and (5)   "The Future of
         Forensic Linguistics." Anthrax letters are appenddd. (Contains 92
         references.)  (SM)
                      Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
                                     from the original document.
                                    FORENSIC LINGUISTICS: THE LINGUISTIC ANALYST AND EXPERT
                                           WITNESS OF LANGUAGE EVIDENCE IN CRIMINAL TRIALS
                                                                                  A Thesis
                                                                               Presented to
            U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION             the Faculty of the School of Intercultural Studies
           Office of Educational Research and Improvement
         ED   ATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
                    CENTER (ERIC)                     Department of TESOL and Applied Linguistics
           This document has been reproduced as
           received from the person or organization
           originating it.
           Minor changes have been made to                                   Biola University
           improve reproduction quality.
           Points of view or opinions stated in this                                                                      PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND
           document do not necessarily represent                                                                          DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS
           official OERI position or policy.                                                                                    BEEN GRANTED BY
                                                                          In Partial Fulfillment
                                                                                                                          TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
                                                                                                                            INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
                                                              of the Requirements for the Degree                       1
                                                              Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics
                                                                                       by
                                                                     Sherilynn Nidever Jordan
                                                                               August 2002
                                                                                                     BST COPYMA1
                                                                                    6
                         ABSTRACT
            FORENSIC LINGUISTICS: THE LINGUISTIC ANALYST AND EXPERT
              WITNESS OF LANGUAGE EVIDENCE IN CRIMINAL TRIALS
                      Sherilynn Nidever Jordan
            Forensic Linguistics provides consultation to lawyers through the
         analysis of language evidence during the pre-trial investigation. Evidence
         commonly analyzed by linguists in criminal cases includes transcripts of police
         interviews and language crimes (such as bribery) and anonymous or
         questioned texts. Forensic linguistic testimony is rarely admitted into courts of
         law, however. A major reason for this is apparently impressionistic methods,
         which are examined for their objectivity. A further barrier to legal acceptance is
         that FL experts, like all experts testifying in court, support the claims of
         whichever side has hired them. Nonetheless, forensic linguists have an ethical
         and professional responsibility to provide as thorough and objective analyses
         as possible in order to provide the legal community with reliable and admissible
         information and help prevent unfair conviction or acquittal of criminal
         defendants. Legal acceptance of FL expertise should increase as methods
         improve and as forensic linguists adapt to legal norms.
               FORENSIC LINGUISTICS: THE LINGUISTIC ANALYST AND EXPERT
                  WITNESS OF LANGUAGE EVIDENCE IN CRIMINAL TRIALS
                                    BY
                             Sherilynn Nidever Jordan
            APPROVED:
                4/VLAk Plit4",dk_                  s  a1
            Dr. Herbert C. Purnell
            Chair, Thesis Committee
               4f,
             Dr. Stephen Baf6er
             Member, Thesis Committee
             Mr. Walter Lewis
             Member, Thesis Committee
             APPROVED:
                                                       v t,
             Dr. F. Dougla Pennoyer                  Date
             Dean, School of Intercultural Studies