Linguistic Analysis of Linguistic Evidence in Criminal Cases: An Applied Study of Written Threat Letters

Abstract

This study seeks to explore the role of forensic linguistics in examining written threat messages, treating them as texts that may contain linguistic clues capable of revealing the identity of their authors. In this sense, language is not only a means of communication but can also function as evidence with judicial value.

The research is based on a small dataset consisting of five Arabic dialects (Egyptian, Gulf, Algerian, Levantine, and Iraqi), in order to highlight how threat expressions vary across regions. The analysis focused on the lexical level (vocabulary and semantic fields), the syntactic level (types and structures of sentences), and the pragmatic level (the distinction between direct and indirect threats and the strategies of intimidation).

The study also examined the concept of the “linguistic fingerprint,” referring to stylistic and dialectal features that distinguish one author’s writing from another, thereby giving forensic linguistic analysis practical relevance in investigations.

The findings indicate that threat messages are generally characterized by brevity, sharp tone, and a concentration of intimidating vocabulary, with frequent use of conditional and imperative sentences. Moreover, the results revealed significant variation among dialects, suggesting promising avenues for further research on forensic texts in the Arab context.