Language and Legal Proceedings

This book investigates language-related problems which arise in courtroom discourse in the Republic of Cameroon, in Central Africa. While Cameroon has over 250 national languages, court cases are conducted in the two official languages: English and French. This is despite the fact that 40% of the adult population is illiterate in these languages, and means that lay litigants often encounter language-related problems during trials. In this study, the author makes use of Speech Act Theory and Interactional Sociolinguistics to analyse the speech acts of both legal professionals and lay litigants as observed in 37 legal cases, demonstrating how the use of exoglossic languages in a highly multilingual nation constitutes a serious issue. The book will be of interest to students and scholars of Forensic Linguistics, Language Policy and Planning, and Discourse Analysis, particularly those with an interest in the African context.

Applies forensic linguistics methods and theories to an African context, previously under-examined in the literature Interrogates the concept of the illocutionary act in light of courtroom discourse in Cameroon Draws on 37 transcripts of genuine court cases in the Courts of First Instance of Buea, Bafoussam, and Ngaoundéré

Autorentext

Endurence Midinette Koumassol Dissake is an independent researcher based in Buea, Cameroon. She holds a PhD in Applied Linguistics from the University of Buea, Cameroon, and during her studies she was granted a six-month research stay at the Goethe University of Frankfurt, Germany, sponsored by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. She has published a number of research articles on courtroom discourse analysis.

Inhalt

1. Introduction.- 2. The Legal System and Language Policy of Cameroon.- 3. Forensic Linguistic Studies Outside the Borders of Cameroon.- 4. Cameroon Courtroom Discourse Analysis.- 5. Consultation with Legal Professionals.- 6. Concluding Remarks.