LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 15:12 December 2015
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
         C. Subburaman, Ph.D. (Economics)
         N. Nadaraja Pillai, Ph.D.
         Soibam Rebika Devi, M.Sc., Ph.D.
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Evaluation of the Statements and Confessions
from the Point of View of Forensic Linguistics

N. Vijayan, M.A. (Criminology & Police Administration), M.A. (Linguistics)

Abstract

There is an urgent need in India, a multilingual country, for that matter any country, to give more importance and priority to Forensic Linguistics since crime rates are shooting up. The role of language to solve the cases quickly should be given precedence, for which Forensic Linguistics only can serve the purpose (Vijayan, 2015). Forensic linguistics applies linguistic knowledge, methods and insights to the forensic context of law, language, crime investigation, trial, and judicial procedure. There is an urgent need in India, a multilingual country, for that matter any country, to give more importance and priority to Forensic Linguistics since crime rates are shooting up. The role of language to solve the cases quickly should be given precedence, for which Forensic Linguistics only can serve the purpose (Vijayan, 2015). This paper presents aspects of forensic linguistics used by law enforcing and criminal investigation agencies in India. Linguistic features of false confessions, witness statements, identifying the genuineness of statements, and other related features are described and discussed in this paper. Recorded case histories are used to discuss forensic linguistic aspects.

Keywords: Forensic linguistics, false witness, false and voluntary confessions, assessment of genuineness of statements, case histories.

Forensic Linguistics

Forensic Linguistics is a branch of applied linguistics which uses language as evidence. It is the application of linguistic knowledge, methods and insights to the forensic context of law, language, crime investigation, trial, and judicial procedure.

Just like the Forensic science got recognition in the area of legal processes and helps in solving problems related to blood, weapon, clinical testing of liquids and related things, now the language used by the accused, witnesses, victims, etc., gets impetus in giving evidences for legal processes.

Forensic Linguistics can help the Police Department as well as the Judicial to find out the culprits. With the increase in new technology used by culprits, suspects, forensic linguistics can contribute to the field to a greater extent. The confessions and statements given in the Police station or Court may lead to change in the course of trial. Prompted confessions and dictated statements by prosecution witnesses, defense witnesses, the accused, etc., have turned the proceedings in the Court of law.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

N. Vijayan, M.A. (Criminology & Police Administration), M.A. (Linguistics)
vijayan733@hotmail.com
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