Language and Power in Court: A Linguistic Analysis of the O.J. Simpson Trial - Paperback

by J. Cotterill (Author)

Sociolinguists and lawyers will find insight and relevance in this account of the language of the courtroom, as exemplified in the criminal trial of O.J. Simpson. The trial is examined as the site of linguistic power and persuasion, focusing on the role of language in (re)presenting and (re)constructing the crime. In addition to the trial transcripts, the book draws on Simpson's post-arrest interview, media reports and post-trial interviews with jurors. The result is a unique multi-dimensional insight into the 'Trial of the Century' from a linguistic and discursive perspective.

Author Biography

JANET COTTERILL is Lecturer in Language and Communication, at the Centre for Language and Communication Research at Cardiff University, UK. She is joint editor of Forensic Linguistics: The International Journal of Speech, Language and the Law. She edited the book Language in the Legal Process, published in 2002.