"It is not my intention to be a killjoy...": Objecting to a Licence Application-The Complainers

Steven Cammiss*, Colin Manchester

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This paper explores the constructed nature of legal complaints through the adoption of a socio-linguistic model with an emphasis upon pragmatics and elements of conversation analysis. When making a legal complaint, we posit that there is a conflict between effective communication and the uptake of politeness strategies. Furthermore, how complaints are 'worked up' in situ is a product of the arena in which such complaints are made. Through a textual analysis of the methods of complaining adopted by those who make representations to the licensing authority, for the purposes of objecting to a licence application, we show the tension between making oneself clear and being polite, and how complaints in different settings take different forms. We conclude by exploring the implications of our findings for legal processes-is it reasonable, for instance, to talk of 'consistency' in testimony if each complaint is worked up in situ-and for pragmatic theory more generally, i. e the applicability of Brown and Levinson's politeness model for legal processes.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)369-392
Number of pages24
JournalInternational Journal for the Semiotics of Law
Volume25
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2012

Bibliographical note

Copyright:
Copyright 2012 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • Complaining
  • Politeness
  • Pragmatics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Language and Linguistics
  • Law

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