Did you know the Macquarie Dictionary has a podcast? It is called Word for Word, produced by Kate Sherington for Macquarie Dictionary and Pan Macmillan Australia – and it is excellent!
They recently published Episode #22 featuring yours truly – and you’ll never guess what it is about…
Forensic Linguistics – Crime and Punishment
When it comes to bugging a suspect, re-interpreting a dusty statute, or presenting evidence in a criminal trial, the shifting tides of language draw the law with them. In this episode, forensic linguist Helen Fraser tests our ear-witness fallibility with speech evidence from a real-life murder case. Plus, the Macquarie team remembers that time they had to investigate a ransom note. Join us as we explore our language: the ways we use it, the ways we abuse it, and the ways we ultimately change it. Listen here.
The episode is about much more than just forensic transcription, and features a lot more interviewees than just me, so it is well worth listening to even if you are already an FT buff. Plus Kate gives her own new and very entertaining, while still serious, twist to the topic of forensic transcription.
Among other interesting tidbits, she makes mention of a series of 10 podcasts called Black Hands – which tells the story of the 1994 murder of David Bain’s family, in Dunedin, New Zealand.
David Bain is the voice in the famous forensic transcription demo video that features on our front page (if you haven’t checked it out – please do so now: it is just 90 seconds and most people find it mind-boggling).
Black Hands is produced by Martin Van Beynan, and takes a very particular view of the murders. If you listen to it (which I recommend, because it is well put-together and informative), do make sure you check out some reviews, and especially that you take note of the countering arguments published by David Bain’s supporters.