Forensic Linguistics

Catalog description

This course focuses on the history and application of linguistics to address problems related to crime and the law. Specifically, the course illustrates how knowledge gained from a systematic study of language has been and can be applied to real-world forensic situations. Cases in which language data have served as evidence include copyright disputes, accusations of plagiarism, email authorship, anonymous threats, and contested confessions, among others. On a practical level, students will learn about various levels of language studied by forensic linguists (phonetic, morphological, syntactic, lexical, discoursal, and pragmatic) and the types of analyses involved. Overall, students will learn how linguistic expertise can be applied in the interests of justice. Students from all disciplines but especially those interested in pursuing a law degree should find this course valuable.