1st Edition

Forensic Linguistics Advances in Forensic Stylistics

By Gerald R. McMenamin Copyright 2002
    360 Pages 25 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    Ted Kaczynski's manifesto.
    The ransom note for Jon Benét Ramsey.
    The anthrax letters threatening our government and media agencies.

    With the aid of forensic linguistics, the words criminals leave behind in their unsigned letters can be as distinctive as a signature or voice. Although the linguistic study of language is well established, this important analytical tool is something new for many jurors, judges, attorneys, and other forensic specialists dealing with both criminal and civil cases. Forensic Linguistics: Advances in Forensic Stylistics provides an introduction to the field for those who need to understand what linguist-witnesses do, and aids those experts who need to talk about what they do in non-technical terms.

    Stylistics is an identification method which seeks to match one piece of writing to another by analyzing such factors as spelling, text arrangement, abbreviations, word formation, characteristic words and phrases, and syntax. Forensic Linguistics: Advances in Forensic Stylistics documents current advances in this field, including quantitative methods of data analysis, a new way to provide scientific standardization, and new research directed at providing baseline data for determining the significance of style markers.

    The book begins with concise coverage of linguistics and writing. It then focuses on the specifics of stylistics, including summaries of over 70 authorship cases. Finally, it presents chapters covering style and stylistics in Spanish, Gujarati, Korean, and Japanese. With a clear and comprehensive presentation, Forensic Linguistics: Advances in Forensic Stylistics helps readers understand recent advances in the theory and method of forensic stylistics for authorship identification.

    LANGUAGE
    Overview
    Grammar
    Language
    References

    LINGUISTICS
    Linguistics
    Applied Linguistics
    References

    LINGUISTIC VARIATION
    Variation
    Variation in Language
    Variation as Ordered Heterogeneity
    Group Vis-á-Vis Individual Variation
    The Analysis of Variation
    Language as a Discrete Combinatorial System
    Another Discrete Combinatorical System: DNA
    References

    FORENSIC LINGUISTICS
    Forensic Linguistics
    Areas of Forensic Linguistics
    Areas Directly Related to Forensic Linguistics
    Areas Inaptly Related to Forensic Linguistics
    References

    STYLE
    The Concept of Style
    Style in Language
    Evaluation Vis-á-Vis Description of Style
    Group Vis-á-Vis Individual Styles
    References

    STYLISTICS
    Style in Language
    Linguistic Stylistics
    Models of Analysis
    Procedural Outline for Authorship Identification Studies
    References

    THE DESCRIPTION OF STYLE
    The Qualitative Analysis of Style
    An Example of Qualitative Analysis
    References

    THE MEASUREMENT OF STYLE
    The Quantitative Analysis of Style
    Statistical Tests for Significance of Variables
    Measures of Authorship Discrimination
    Corpus Development of American English
    References

    FORENSIC STYLISTICS
    Forensic Applications of Linguistic Stylistics
    Legal Definitions of Stylistics
    Linguistic Stylistics as Evidence
    Issues in Forensic Stylistic Analysis
    The Linguist as Expert Witness
    References

    CASE STUDY: JON BENÉT RAMSEY
    Introduction
    Method
    Findings: Qualitative
    Findings: Quantitative
    Discussion
    Conclusion

    STYLISTIC VARIATION IN AUTHORSHIP CASES
    Cases in Forensic Linguistics
    Adjudicated Cases
    Examples of Unadjudicated Cases
    Style Markers Found in 80 Authorship Cases
    References

    STYLE AND STYLISTICS OF SPANISH WRITING
    Abstract (Spanish)
    Spanish-Language Style and Stylistics
    Style Markers: A Small Corpus of Mexican American Writing
    Spanish-Language Cases: Linguistics and Stylistics
    References

    STYLISTIC FEATURES OF GUJARATI LETTER WRITING: A NOTE, P.J. Mistry
    Abstract (Gujarati)
    Introduction
    Language
    Writing System
    Literacy
    The Letters
    Ten Characteristics Common to All Letters
    Concluding Remarks
    References

    STYLE AND STYLISTICS OF KOREAN WRITING, Dongdoo Choi
    Abstract (Korean)
    Introduction
    Method
    Findings and Discussion
    Word Spacing
    Conclusions
    References

    STYLE AND STYLISTICS OF JAPANESE, Wakako Yasuda
    Abstract (Japanese)
    Introduction
    The Japanese Writing System
    Data Collection and Corpus Development
    Analysis and Findings
    Conclusion
    References

    APPENDICES
    Possible Questions and Responses for Attorney's Direct Examination
    Expert Testimony, Susan Morton

    Biography

    Gerald R. McMenamin

    "… It will undoubtedly be received as a standard text on the subject …"
    -Roy Huber, author of Handwriting Analysis