Semantic Analysis of Deontic Modality in Forensic Linguistic Texts:

The Case of Forensic Documents

Mohammed H. Al Aqad
Faculty of Languages and Linguistics
University of Malaya, MALAYSIA
E-mail: alakkadmohmad@yahoo.com

Abstract
The focus of this study is in the domain of Forensic Linguistic which considers a very specific genre of
discourse. It seeks to examine how English and Arabic languages express deontic modality in forensic texts and
why this particle is used in such kind of documents. This a study is a significant in regard to provide some
insights into the features of English and Arabic in denoting modality in terms of forensic texts, and most
importantly is to arrive at a better understanding of the function of deontic modality in the genre of forensic
corpus. The study method adopted Newmark (1988) in order to determine the methods/ strategies of valid
translation, also this paper includes a descriptive analysis of a sample of five (5) forensic texts; each text provides
the same version in two languages: English and Arabic in order to examine the semantic change of modals used.
English is different from Arabic in regard of probabilities, obligations, usuality and inclination as well, in terms of
value of modality. For example: in English the word Must is used for subjective obligation, but in Arabic the
word yajeb must, is used for objective obligation, however; both languages hold a different type of recognition
of modal expressions. The data of the study is interesting due to the authoritative text involved, and widely used
in numerous cases. The findings from this study provide evidence that both of the two highlighted languages has
their own structures, styles and preferences in expressing deontic modality in forensic discourse, however; the use
of deontic modality in these texts is deliberately meant to offer information in a fuzzy and equivocal way. The
main conclusions drawn from this study are: despite the remarkable differences and preferences specific to each
of the both languages, these languages tend to use expressions of deontic modality as a manipulating instrument
to unearth the attitude of perpetrator.

Keywords: Deontic Modality, Forensic Text, Arabic and English, Semantic Change, Fuzzy Meaning.