The Language of Crime

Jack Hitt talks with Sasha Weiss about what forensic linguistics can tell us about how we communicate, care of the New Yorker.

From the intro...


For listeners new to the field, Hitt explains that forensic linguists study the semantic tics, unusual phrasings, and other verbal clues that reveal “how people unconsciously signal who they are through their language.” These methods have long been used in civil courts to settle disputes over trademarks or patents, but they are increasingly being used to help solve criminal cases as well.