LING 1240 - LANGUAGE AND THE LAW

Minimum Credits: 3
Maximum Credits: 3
This course explores some of the ways in which linguistic science can shed light on the use and misuse of language in the legal system. After an introduction to the origins and special characteristics of written English legal language ("legalese"), we will study the layman's (non-) understanding of technical legal language; the language of persuasion (e.g. Exploitation of such linguistic features of ambiguity, implicit "rules of conversation" and socially stigmatized dialect features); and arguments for and against the participation of linguists as expert witnesses in the courtroom.
Academic Career: Undergraduate
Course Component: Lecture
Grade Component: LG/SNC Elective Basis

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