The Task

Topic choice: language and crime/occupational language
Approach: user-based, documentaries, self-report
Investigation: Does the nature of a crime affect or change our language? An investigation into the linguistic differences in the speech of ........... and perpetrators of petty crime. 

My English Language investigation is questioning whether there is a difference between the language of murderers and psychopaths and the language of perpetrators of petty crime. I will analyse people who committed different crimes, from serial killers to petty theft, and compare their language use. I will also question real-life, petty criminals about their language use and analyse transcripts from TV show interviews such as 'Piers Morgan: Killer Women' and documentaries on serial killers and psychopaths such as Fred West and Bert Spencer to compare if and how their language is different to small time criminals. This will give an insight of how language is or is not changed as a result of a crime.

My investigation is a user-based investigation because I am investigating who uses a particular form or style of language.

I chose to do this topic because I find the area of crime very interesting. As well as being intrigued by the psychology of criminals, how a crime or prison changes a person's language also interests me. I am currently studying media studies and psychology as well as English language. My topic relates to both of these areas of study as I discuss psychopaths and how criminals' language is represented. I also take into account how certain criminals are represented to the public, whether it be through the media or their individual language.

Aim:
1. To use the results of my analyses to compare the speech of criminals and conclude how their crime may affect their language.