Focusing on the intersection of language and law, this book serves as an introduction for advanced students to the sociolinguistic aspects of legal processes. It examines how sociolinguistic research illuminates the complexities of language use in legal contexts, highlighting both its effectiveness and limitations. By covering a diverse array of topics, it provides valuable insights into the role of language in the legal system and its impact on society.
This new collection by Professor Diana Eades addresses the way non-traditional language Aboriginal speakers of English use and speak English. Here she draws together some of her best writing over the past thirty years. Older chapters are brought up to date with contemporary reflections, informed by her many years' experience in research and teaching as well as the practical applications of her scholarly work. The introduction includes an overview about Aboriginal ways of speaking English and the implications for both education and the law, as well as discussing the use of the term 'Aboriginal English'. To understand Aboriginal ways of speaking English leads to be better understanding Aboriginal identity, a better engagement in intercultural communication, and learning about the complexities of how English is used by and with Aboriginal people in the legal process. This is invaluable reading for university undergraduates in a range of disciplines but also postgraduate courses where theres little information available. Educated readers and students with or without a linguistics background will find the book accessible.
Focusing on the courtroom cross-examination of three Aboriginal boys, the book critically analyzes how language used in legal settings perpetuates neocolonial control over Indigenous communities. It reveals that courtroom discourse constructs these boys not as victims but as deviant figures, raising fundamental questions about Aboriginal identity and rights. The study emphasizes the need to understand courtroom talk within its sociopolitical and historical context, advocating for significant reforms in courtroom evidence rules to address systemic inequalities.
This Element presents an account of forensic linguistics in Australia since
the first expert linguistic evidence in 1959, through early work in the
1970s-1980s, the defining of the discipline in the 1990s, and into the current
era.
