Tag: crime

Categories
Sociolinguistics History English

Glib, Glim, and Grunt: A Secret History of Thieves’ Cant, the Anti-Language of the Underworld

Estimated read time 1 min read

In the shadowy corners of Renaissance England, a secret language was born out of desperation and defiance. Known as Thieves’ Cant, this “anti-language” was more than just criminal slang; it was a sophisticated tool for survival, designed to deceive law enforcement and forge a powerful identity among the outcasts of society. Delve into the murky history of this linguistic fortress and discover the words that powered the underworld.

Categories
Forensic Linguistics Pragmatics Psycholinguistics

The Power of a Question: How Linguistic Manipulation Shapes Police Confessions

Estimated read time 6 min read

A confession can seem like the most straightforward form of evidence, but the language used to obtain it is incredibly complex. Police interrogations are a masterclass in linguistic manipulation, where the very structure of a question can build a cage of guilt around a suspect. From questions that presuppose guilt to strategically vague promises, the language of the interrogation room can create a coercive environment that sometimes leads to the innocent saying “I did it.”