Courtroom Discourse

In the face of mass human migration, the world faces both new and old justice questions. High among them is how can justice be served when a witness, complainant, or other party to an investigation or court proceeding cannot be understood by the trier of fact. Many African countries have long faced this challenge and the contributions in this book explore how jurisdictions can and are answering this and related questions, crucial work for academics and policy makers to consider the world over. Courtroom Discourse: Practical Insights from Legal Linguists is the sixth volume in the Studies in Forensic and Legal Linguistics in Africa and beyond series. This groundbreaking collection explores the critical role of language in achieving justice, especially in Africa's multilingual and multicultural societies. Divided into four parts, the book examines the language of complainants and witnesses, courtroom discourse and legal education, court interpreting and police statement taking, and customary law, language policies, and legislation. The chapters offer practical insights into challenges faced by court interpreters, the use (and under-use) of indigenous African languages, the impact of poorly constructed police statements, and the power dynamics between lawyers and witnesses. Case studies range from South Africa and Malawi to Cameroon and Austria, making this an essential resource for linguists, legal practitioners, interpreters, and policymakers seeking to better understand and improve linguistic practices in legal settings. Justice, the authors show, begins with language.