Crimebusters

Forensic linguistics is an area of language study that applies the analysis of texts to a real-life, crime-solving setting. By analysing the frequency of particular words, patterns in pronunciation and spelling, tracing the intended meanings of messages or the markers of their regional or national origins, forensic linguists can use their skills to identify who text producers are, or in some cases who they are not. In cases in the USA, forensic linguists have looked at suicide notes to work out whether the person who wrote them were really the people who had died, or whether the "suicide" notes were in fact forgeries created to fool the police and hide murders.

We won't look at anything that morbid here. Instead, we'd like to introduce you to the fictional town of Bufton on the Worrel, where local residents have been in uproar over the opening of a new supermarket. The local council, in the face of strong opposition, allowed Frescos supermarket to open a shop in the town centre and this has led to a campaign of intimidation and violence from some outraged protesters, including the smashing of the shop's windows and threats to members of the local council.

The local police have arrested three members of the "No Go Frescos" campaign group and called in a forensic linguist to work out which of these three suspects might be responsible for the death threat sent to a member of the local council. We'll give you a copy of the threatening letter and three separate pieces of language evidence taken from each of the three suspects.

Can you spot the guilty party and work out what the clues are? You need to be able to spot at least three separate and specific language clues to work out who might be responsible, so don't just assume that if it sounds a bit like someone that it has to be them. You need evidence that will stand up in court, not just a hunch!

The first piece of evidence is a threatening letter sent to the home of local councillor, Billy Burrows.

Dear Councillor Burrows

For what you have done to this town, you really ought to be shot. For many years now, the people in this town have made use of their local shops and facilities without the need for a branch of the global destroyer that is Frescos supermarket. 

Frescos is a chain that has spread across the country like an unpleasant rash. And like an unpleasant rash, it starts by causing mild irritation and occasional discomfort before taking over the whole affected area and leading to intense pain and suffering. This is the situation in which the local shopkeepers, tradesmen and residents find themselves today.

Frescos has taken over the whole of the town centre, damaging local businesses and causing at least three local butchers and bakers to close down. It has clogged up the roads of the town like fatty food clogging the arteries of an unhealthy man. And it has led to the insufferable late night disturbances of delivery lorries making an infernal racket into the small hours and in the early morning.

I warn you now that the recent attacks on the new Frescos supermarket are just the beginning of a much wider campaign. You have joined forces with this rapacious and unprincipled company, have trousered their cash and must now pay the price. Councillor Burrows, prepare to meet thy maker!

The next three pieces of evidence are copies of letters sent to the local paper by  the three key suspects. All of the letters were published in the local paper but what's reprinted below are the unedited versions that the suspects wrote themselves, before they were edited for publication.

suspect 1- Max Headstrong

Dear Editor

I am writing to express my extreme disappointment over the opening of a new Frescos store in Bufton on the Worrel.

For many years, this town has had a number of thriving local businesses, run by local people and supplying the local community. The decision to locate a store as large as Frescos in the town will surely cause several of the smaller local establishments to close down, as well as subsequent problems to other local businesses.

And this is exacerbated by the deleterious effect of increased traffic, caused by deliveries to the supermarket. Many of us live in Bufton because it is not like the urban sprawls of Dudley and Coventry, yet here we are, allowing the Frescos chain to turn our town into such a mess.

What is particularly disappointing is the role of the local council who have not listened to the concerns of local residents and instead ploughed on with their own agenda. They shall be held to account for this. Let this be a warning.

Yours

Max Headstrong

suspect 2 - Miranda Gyimah

Dear Editor,

I would like to write to complain about the new Fresco’s supermarket opening in our beautiful town. I am amazed that the Council would let this chain open a shop in our town: the affect on our local shops will be terrible and we will all suffer as a result.

Were we consulted about this? No, we were not. Are we happy out this decision? No we are not. The councillors responsible should be ashamed of themselves!

Yours,
Miranda Gyimah

suspect 3 - Denzil O’Connor

Dear Editor

I am writing to make clear my very strong objections to the arrival of a Frescos supermarket branch in our town centre.

This supermarket has branches all over the country and is rapidly spreading into every corner of our lives. To allow a branch to open here is a terrible mistake. The impact on local tradesmen and shopkeepers will be appalling and we will all suffer as a result of this outrageous decision.

As a town, we ought to be up in arms about this decision which has bypassed local democracy and trampled all over our rights. The local council has not heard the last of this unprincipled move to impose its will upon us.

Yours

Denzil O’Connor

If you think that you know who sent the letter and you have found your 3 pieces of linguistic evidence, then email your answer to emc at englishandmedia.co.uk (changing the at to @) with "Crimebusters" in the subject line. Include your name, email address and your school or college name, and let us know whether or not you're coming to the conference. We'll pick one lucky winner out of the hat and give you an exciting prize on the day!

Language on teh interwebz

Technology is changing our language rapidly as we can see from the masses of new words that appear to describe new technologies. Back in the 1980s when we were happy to get a 16k rampack for our ZX81s we were used to floppy disks and memory cassettes, but in the 1990s it was all CDs, DVDs and USBs.

We often see old words repurposed too, so now we find terms like icon, desktop, avatar and mouse used in ways quite different to their original meanings.

One constant in all of this though is the user of the technology: you and me, in other words. And it's the ways in which we use technologies to express our identities that one of the conference speakers, Angela Goddard will be looking at.

Focusing her attention on online exchanges she'll be looking at the ways in which we interact and create personas online, thinking about the ways in which new technologies offer us the chance to express ourselves in new ways. With Facebook and Twitter becoming worldwide means of communication and taking the place of traditional media forms, it's a focus that's increasingly important to language experts and Angela Goddard will be taking a close look at how this is developing.

Whether you're doing AQA B with the ENGB1 Language and Technology question, or AQA A and have started thinking about Language Change on the ENGA3 paper, it's going to be an informative and interesting session.