FORENSIC LINGUISTIC EXPERTISE AS A BRANCH OF LEGAL LINGUISTICS: THE PROBLEM OF TERMINOLOGY

Forensic linguistic expertise is a specialized field within legal linguistics that examines the relationship between language and law, particularly in legal disputes. This study explores various analytical methods, including semantic, syntactic, pragmatic, and stylistic approaches, to interpret disputed texts, determine authorship, and assess speech acts. The paper highlights the evolution of forensic linguistic analysis from an intuitive practice to a structured, standardized discipline. It also discusses the challenges of methodological inconsistency and the need for uniform guidelines to enhance the reliability and legal applicability of linguistic expertise. The findings emphasize the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration between linguists and legal professionals to ensure justice through precise language analysis. Key words: Forensic linguistics, legal linguistics, linguistic expertise, speech analysis, semantic analysis, syntactic analysis, pragmatic analysis, stylistic analysis, authorship attribution, legal disputes, linguistic evidence