In this module, we explore the ways in which linguistics intersects with public life. Topics include how linguistic knowledge is used in legal settings, such as analysing courtroom discourse, determining authenticity, or using linguistic analysis to determine a person’s country of origin, a person’s identity, or the authorship of a text. This module may also cover how linguistic discrimination effects individuals, and the legal rights granted to specific languages and language users, and how important information is communicated to minority language users.
This module aims to:
- Introduce students to the ways in which language intersects with the law
- Demonstrate how methods of analysis learned in other linguistics modules are applied to legal or other public-facing situations
- Promote an understanding of social justice and its intersection with language rights
- Module Supervisor: Laurel Lawyer