Dr. Lorna Fadden

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Event Review: Language Detectives: Part II

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Written by Stephanie Warner; copy edited by Meagan Kus

Recap of EAC-BC’s branch meeting on February 18, 2015.

I’m a fan of British murder mysteries and police procedurals, so it was a thrill for me to attend a talk by Dr. Lorna Fadden, a real-life language detective. Dr. Fadden is an assistant professor at Simon Fraser University, where she teaches introductory linguistics courses. She also researches in the following areas:

  • Canadian varieties of English and how language manifests online
  • discourse analysis (specifically, police interviews and internet luring)

Her website and SFU profile give detailed information on her research.

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Event audio: Language Detectives

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It’s official. EAC-BC’s November 21, 2012, lecture on forensic discourse analysis was a hit.

It’s official. EAC-BC’s November 21, 2012, lecture on forensic discourse analysis was a hit. The speaker, Dr. Lorna Fadden, had us at “discourse analysis.”

Dr. Fadden structured her lecture around several of her cases, including a stalking case (which involved analyzing letters and emails) and a sexual-abuse case (which involved analyzing witness statements). She also presented details about a case that she had recently worked on as a witness for the prosecution, which required her to testify whether a series of text messages constituted “a suicide note or a credible threat.”

Listen to audio recording (EAC log-in identity and password required).

Next stop: Burnaby and Vancouver Island

Rumour has it that Dr. Fadden will be delivering this lecture on Vancouver Island sometime in the next few months. Watch WCE’s event listings for details. She will also be moderating a Philosophers’ Café event entitled “Is Language Changing for the Better or Worse?” in Burnaby on December 5, 2012. Learn more.

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