Die vangnet van die woord: forensies-linguistiese getuienis in 'n lastersaak

Abstract

The article takes the form of a report on a linguistic investigation of forensic texts which played a pivotal role in securing a conviction by the High Court of the Eastern Cape on a number of counts of criminal defamation in the case of the State versus Hoho. The report is introduced by a brief historical orientation of the field of forensic linguistics, both abroad (in particular in the USA), and its initial application in the South African context. A description is given of the run-up to, as well as the most salient details of, the case, informally known and reported in the media as the 'Father Punch case'. This is followed by a summary of the procedure according to which the linguistic data were processed, and then a presentation and discussion of some representative examples of the form in which the evidence was presented. Finally, an assessment is given of the potential value that the judgement could have on the future cooperation between the judiciary and linguists in South Africa.