A Study On Discourse Information Processing And Its Role In The Courtroom Interaction Between Parties

From the perspective of discourse information analysis, this thesis explores the information processing between the prosecution and the defense in courtroom interaction. It aims to address the main similarities and differences in information processing between the prosecution and the defense, to explicate the main reasons for these similarities and differences, and to demonstrate the effect of information processing differences on its debate goal.Based on discourse information theory and the legal discourse information processing model, this thesis focuses mainly on Chinese courtroom discourse, with the purpose to find out the similarities and differences in information type, information content and information source. The present research shows that there exist certain similarities and differences. The present research also reveals that the reasons for the similarities may include language use, legal rules and courtroom regulations in which the litigating parties share a lot in common. We also find that the reasons for the differences may vary, including social relationship, legal consciousness and language strategy in which they take on differences.Besides, the analysis suggests that the differences in information processing have an effect on the debate goal. The correlation is that the felicitous information prominence for one party would facilitate the realization of their debate goal and improper handling of information would affect or even impair the effect of their debate goal.The present investigation into legal discourse information processing may add to the existing work on discourse information theory and may help to gain a deeper insight into the nature of courtroom interaction, and, may be useful in throwing light on information processing in courtroom interaction.