Spotlight on Forensics Linguistics During Two-Day Workshop

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UKZN’s University Language Planning and Development Office (ULPDO) hosted a two-day forensic linguistics workshop at UKZN’s Howard College campus.

Facilitated by the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), Professor Monwabisi Knowledge Ralarala, the workshop explored forensic linguistics - a relatively new field of study in Africa which offers the potential of a pioneering research initiative in South Africa and beyond.

Ralarala, a Canon Collins Educational and Legal Assistance Trust alumnus and the 2017 recipient of the Neville Alexander Award for the Promotion of Multilingualism, defined forensic linguistics as the interface of language and the law.

‘If I were to broaden the definition, I would define forensic linguistics as the use and application of linguistic evidence and language practice to legal processes and matters with the primary purpose to provide viable solutions to such complexities, thus promoting access to justice,’ he said.

Topics covered included police interviewing and sworn statements; reliability of linguistic analysis; expert witness credibility; admissibility of linguistic evidence, and bias and discrimination. Arguably, these often-contested aspects of forensic linguistics highlight the importance of careful and transparent application of linguistic analysis in legal proceedings to ensure access to justice, fairness and impartiality in the administration of justice.

Ralarala said promoting such an initiative at selected institutions of higher learning - UKZN included - served to ‘catalyse forensic linguistics to catalyse new and niche areas of scholarship in ways that could foster interdisciplinary collaboration and offer important possibilities for research and postgraduate study.

‘To this end, the intellectual work in this new discipline may include but is not limited to, the study of legal texts, the linguistic study of the legal process and investigative linguistics. With this brief background, it is apparent that forensic linguistic research is highly interdisciplinary, involving disciplines such as linguistics, psychology, criminology, policing and law, to mention a few,’ he added.

Ralarala explained that this research is making headway in assisting with ‘improving access to justice and ensuring that the constitutional mandate for language rights and practice are practically implemented and realised in multilingual societies such as South Africa.

‘Already, the work is contributing to civil society and helping to build a research corpus through ground-breaking research at UWC. This interdisciplinary research is poised to improve the current legal system and understanding of multilingualism. Collaborative relationships are in the pipeline with a view to strengthening ties with researchers mainly in South Africa and on the African continent,’ he said.

Director of the ULPDO Mr Khumbulani Mngadi reflected on the highlights of the workshop. ‘It brought us new partners, including the KZN SAPS and the KZN Department of Justice - this bodes very well with our new strategy that values community engagement,’ said Mngadi.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Teaching and Learning Professor Sandile Songca emphasised the importance of delving into the arena of forensic linguistics while welcoming delegates from SAPS, the Department of Justice, KZN Municipalities, language practitioners, and UKZN staff and students to the workshop.

ULPDO’s Mr Njabulo Manyoni was the programme director and UKZN lecturer and linguistics specialist Dr Muhle Sibisi delivered the vote of thanks.

Words: Raylene Captain-Hasthibeer

Photograph: Njabulo Hadebe