By: Hilary Rodela, Lead Digital Content Writer for Taction USA
There are so many unique and interesting disciplines in the world of forensic science. One of the most interesting is forensic linguistics. The science of Linguistics itself has always fascinated me. Years ago, even before I was involved in the crime scene world, I went to my local library and checked out numerous books on Linguistics. The study of word, context, association, and the psychology behind it is interesting! Forensic Linguistics takes that science one step further. It helps to analyze statements from victims, suspects, and witnesses. The science also aids in uncovering more about a person based on their wording. For example, simply reading an email can tell you much about an individual. Without paying attention to what the email says you can look at individual words for clues. You may be able to tell how educated they are by their level of vocabulary. You may be able to tell what part of the country they are from by certain slang used in the text. Finally, the study of Forensic Linguistics can help investigators determine who wrote a note or underlying messages. I encourage you to expand your knowledge this year. If you are looking for a subject particularly interesting and will force you to think outside of the box, this may be it!