Book Review - Forensic Communication in Theory and Practice: A study of discourse analysis and transcription by Franca Orletti & Laura Mariottini (eds)

Forensic Communication in Theory and Practice: A study of discourse analysis and transcription
This edited volume is a useful addition to the body of academic literature bringing in- formation to the English-speaking world about the practice of forensic linguistics in non-English-speaking countries – a body which, despite valuable contributions in the current journal and elsewhere, remains too small. A particularly welcome aspect of the book is its inclusion of several chapters on an area too lightly covered in academic literature in any language, namely transcription of covert recordings (conversations captured secretly, by telephone intercept or by ambient or undercover recording, and used as forensic evidence in criminal trials). In this, as in other topics covered, another commendable aspect of the book is the intertwining of theoretical and practical topics captured by its title. The contents are based upon papers presented at the conference Theories, practices and instruments of forensic linguistics organised by the book’s editors in Rome, 1-3 Dec 2014. After an introduction by the editors, the book is divided into four parts, which I overview briefly, before adding some evaluative comments.