Forensic Linguistic in Analysis of Suspects’ and Witnesses’ Expressions in Selected Criminal Cases: The Case of Federal Courts in Addis Ababa
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Date
2021-02
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Crime is rapidly growing and evolving around the world. This phenomenon has been attracting the interest of different fields of studies. Also, in forensic linguistics, studies are being done and developed from time to time in exposing criminals. This study focuses on bribery, sexual misconduct, and murder cases. The research has been prompted because no studies have been done, and there is no practice and experience of the implementation of forensic linguistic skills in the courts and police stations. Therefore, the study has designed the following research questions. These are (1) what are the linguistic features attested in bribery cases? (2) What are distinctive linguistic features verified in the language of murder cases? (3) What are the linguistic features ascribed in the language of sexual crime cases? (4) How do direct and cross-examination questions play a role in courtroom investigations? And (5) what are the linguistic tools and procedures used to detect language threats in courtrooms? The study carried out recording and observation tools and explanatory and exploratory designs, and the data is analyzed qualitatively. Then, the study has identified linguistic cues of bribery, murder, and sexual misconduct cases. These include avoiding liabilities, contradictions, use of the pronoun, social introduction, change in reference, temporal lacuna, passive voice, false supportive evidence, and fabricated time or date. Besides, the study has identified features of cross-examination and direct-examination questions and answers of recorded and unrecorded themes. On the one hand, direct-examination questions and unrecorded themes have been used to meet the demands of the person who is called to testify. On the other hand, cross-examination questions are used to test the truth about events and to impose one-sided intentions and win the case. Competitions on both sides focus on winning the case, and at the time of direct examination question, some witnesses are forced to speak more than they know. On the contrary, the opposing side uses a cross-examination to terminate testimony has been given by the witness. To do this, the prosecutor/attorney has used different types of questions, such as declarative, tag, modal verb, and projection questions.
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Witnesses’ Expressions in Selected Criminal Cases