Language and Law

An accessible introduction to forensic linguistics and the linguistic methods they employ. Containing real-life examples, it shows that linguistic tools are invaluable in exploring legal language and language with legal consequences, and that lawyers are also language experts who exploit the 'normal' rules of language in ingenious ways.

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What is legal language and where is it found? What does a forensic linguist do? How can linguistic skills help legal professionals?

We are constantly surrounded by legal language, but sometimes it is almost impossible to understand. Providing extracts from real-life legal cases, this highly usable and accessible textbook brims with helpful examples and activities that will help you to navigate this area.

Language and Law:
• introduces useful linguistic concepts and tools
• outlines the methods linguists employ to analyse legal language and language in legal situations
• includes topics on such as: written legal language; threats, warnings and speech act theory; courtroom interactions and the work linguists do to help solve crimes; physical and 'spoken' signs; and the creativity of legal language