Using language analysis in the determination of national origin of asylum seekers: an introduction

One of the newest areas of forensic linguistics concerns the use of 'language analysis' in the determination of the nationality of refugee claimants or asylum seekers (i.e. in testing their nationality claims). We first explain briefly in general terms how and why this language analysis is carried out; second, we review existing linguistic literature concerning such analysis; and third, we examine in more detail the steps involved in the language analysis of refugees to the Netherlands (claiming to be) from Sierra Leone. This article sets the stage for the more detailed studies found in each of the three subsequent articles, as well as the general guidelines on this issue recently developed by an international group of linguists.