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Chapter 8. Context and genre in judicial argumentation

A case-study
  • Francesca Santulli
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Argumentation across Communities of Practice
This chapter is in the book Argumentation across Communities of Practice

Abstract

This chapter takes into consideration the role of context in the production of judicial texts, focusing on judgements as a genre which displays special argumentative and textual characters. The purpose of the research, hinged on a case study, is to investigate how deeply and in which ways some features of the professional community generating an argumentative text – namely, the legal system and the traditional rules typical of the judicial community in the Italian tradition – influence both the logic and the linguistic structure.

The case study combines quantitative and qualitative analysis. Frequency lists and concordance lines produced with the Wordsmith Tools software are analysed and compared with data emerging from qualitative investigation in a discourse-based perspective, focusing on the actual use of argumentation. The analysis shows how the judge develops the argumentative line, taking a stand in the interlocutive dimension, and thus complying with legislative and discursive norms typical of the Italian judicial context.

Abstract

This chapter takes into consideration the role of context in the production of judicial texts, focusing on judgements as a genre which displays special argumentative and textual characters. The purpose of the research, hinged on a case study, is to investigate how deeply and in which ways some features of the professional community generating an argumentative text – namely, the legal system and the traditional rules typical of the judicial community in the Italian tradition – influence both the logic and the linguistic structure.

The case study combines quantitative and qualitative analysis. Frequency lists and concordance lines produced with the Wordsmith Tools software are analysed and compared with data emerging from qualitative investigation in a discourse-based perspective, focusing on the actual use of argumentation. The analysis shows how the judge develops the argumentative line, taking a stand in the interlocutive dimension, and thus complying with legislative and discursive norms typical of the Italian judicial context.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Cross-disciplinary perspectives on context-specific argumentation practices 1
  4. Section I. Theoretical perspectives on argumentation – revisited
  5. Chapter 1. Uncontroversial arguments 21
  6. Chapter 2. Connection premises 39
  7. Chapter 3. Argumentative and non-argumentative rhetorical content 57
  8. Section II. Argumentation practices in political discourse environments
  9. Chapter 4. Questioning the questionable 73
  10. Chapter 5. Reason and passion in political rhetoric 99
  11. Chapter 6. Interpersonal style(s) in diplomatic argumentation online 127
  12. Section III. Argumentation practices in legal discourse environments
  13. Chapter 7. The interpreter-mediated police interview as argumentative discourse in context 151
  14. Chapter 8. Context and genre in judicial argumentation 177
  15. Section IV. Argumentation practices in debates on societal and family issues
  16. Chapter 9. Caught between profitability and responsibility 197
  17. Chapter 10. Multi-participant TV debate as an argumentative activity type 229
  18. Chapter 11. The transmission of what is taken for granted in children’s socialization 259
  19. Section V. Argumentation practices in multi-modal discourse environments
  20. Chapter 12. Visual arguments in activists’ campaigns 291
  21. Chapter 13. Attacks on the cartoonist’s strategic manoeuvring 317
  22. Subject index 341
  23. Name index 339
https://doi.org/10.1075/aic.10.09san

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Cross-disciplinary perspectives on context-specific argumentation practices 1
  4. Section I. Theoretical perspectives on argumentation – revisited
  5. Chapter 1. Uncontroversial arguments 21
  6. Chapter 2. Connection premises 39
  7. Chapter 3. Argumentative and non-argumentative rhetorical content 57
  8. Section II. Argumentation practices in political discourse environments
  9. Chapter 4. Questioning the questionable 73
  10. Chapter 5. Reason and passion in political rhetoric 99
  11. Chapter 6. Interpersonal style(s) in diplomatic argumentation online 127
  12. Section III. Argumentation practices in legal discourse environments
  13. Chapter 7. The interpreter-mediated police interview as argumentative discourse in context 151
  14. Chapter 8. Context and genre in judicial argumentation 177
  15. Section IV. Argumentation practices in debates on societal and family issues
  16. Chapter 9. Caught between profitability and responsibility 197
  17. Chapter 10. Multi-participant TV debate as an argumentative activity type 229
  18. Chapter 11. The transmission of what is taken for granted in children’s socialization 259
  19. Section V. Argumentation practices in multi-modal discourse environments
  20. Chapter 12. Visual arguments in activists’ campaigns 291
  21. Chapter 13. Attacks on the cartoonist’s strategic manoeuvring 317
  22. Subject index 341
  23. Name index 339
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