A Study On Topic Manipulation In Chinese Criminal Courtroom Questioning

This thesis attempts to highlight the function and practical value of topic analysis through the analysis of topic manipulation in two Chinese criminal courtroom questioning. It's hoped that some implications for the Chinese legal system can be drawn from this analysis.Researches about topic in China usually focus on sentential topics and seldom on discourse topics. Yet, researches abroad shows that discourse topic is a very useful analytic unit which has already exhibited its practical value in at least the following four fields: 1, in studying children's language development;2, in investigating power relationships;3, in exploring how to get acquainted;4, in analyzing taped conversational evidence and helping the jury make decisions. Topic analysis is first proposed and established as an analytical method by forensic linguists.With the guidance of Jan Svennevig's four principles about topical talk, this thesis tries to reveal the value of topic analysis in Chinese courtroom questioning through the analysis of topic manipulation in two criminal trials. Based on the transcription of two Chinese criminal courtroom questioning, this thesis is both descriptive and interpretive.The first part of the thesis has a very brief review of the researches available about topic analysis and reveals its value in the four fields, especially the field of forensic linguistics, and the research problems concerning this field in China. The second part introduces briefly the research method adopted in this thesis and the data employed in this thesis. The third part explores the features of discourse topics in Chinese courtroom questioning, upon which some terms are defined: procedural topic, substantial topic, super topic and basic-level topic. These terms lay a foundation for the succeeding discussion. The fourth part discusses topic manipulation in Chinese criminal courtroom questioning from three aspects: topic introduction and ratification, topic recalling, topic ending and topic shift. Some implications for the courtroom questioning are also drawn from this analysis and presented in the thesis. The last part concludes the value of topic analysis to courtroom questioning from two aspects and points out the flaws of this thesis.Through the analysis of topic manipulation in two Chinese criminal courtroomquestioning, it can be concluded that topic analysis is a practical method in analyzing discourse. It can help reveal some problems that currently exist in the Chinese court and help discover some discourse strategies that are adopted in the court and their functions.