Some methodological issues in language research: Dealing with transcribed interpreted courtroom data

Authors

  • Paul Svongoro

    Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of the Western Cape
  • Patson Kufakunesu

    Languages, Literature and Culture, University of Zimbabwe

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59400/fls.v5i3.1904

Abstract

Transcription is a crucial tool in language research, particularly in discourse analysis, as it provides a distillation of real-time interactions. In the 21st century, researchers are increasingly interested in studying authentic data samples, such as audio-recorded court hearings, to turn evanescent speech into readable and analysable formats. However, transcription involves a complex process of theoretical or methodological issues about language, making it a rich source of examinable data. Researchers need to develop adequate methodologies to make such data available for their research endeavours. This exploratory research presents transcription as a methodology for researchers interested in language and ethnographic methods, addressing critical considerations such as the data to be transcribed, the transcriber responsible, and how to represent it. The paper explores innovations in transcription and presents the benefits and challenges of transcription as a methodology, particularly in language research.

Keywords:

transcription; language research; courtroom data

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How to Cite

Svongoro, P., & Kufakunesu, P. (2023). Some methodological issues in language research: Dealing with transcribed interpreted courtroom data. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 5(3). https://doi.org/10.59400/fls.v5i3.1904

Issue

Vol. 5 , Iss. 3 (December 2023)

Article Type

Article

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Copyright © 2023 Paul Svongoro, Patson Kufakunesu

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This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.