Linguistic Disadvantage in Jury Trials

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Linguistic Disadvantage in Jury Trials

Lessons from Hong Kong and Beyond

Sociolinguistics Semantics, discourse analysis, stylistics Translation and interpretation Social discrimination and social justice Law and society, sociology of law Legal profession / practice of law: general Law as it applies to other professions and disciplines International law: courts and procedures Legal systems: courts and procedures Jury trials

Author: Eva N.S. Ng

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Language: English

Published by: Edinburgh University Press

Published on: 30th November 2025

Format: LCP-protected ePub

Size: 176 pages

ISBN: 9781399510721


Eva Ng’s Work on Post-Colonial Hong Kong Courtrooms

Eva Ng’s groundbreaking work delves into post-colonial Hong Kong courtrooms, where jury service is exclusive to well-educated individuals deemed capable of understanding English proceedings.

Using authentic audio recordings of two jury trials to assess jurors’ comprehension, Ng highlights the challenges faced by Chinese jurors, who labour under the double disadvantage of unfamiliarity with legal discourse and insufficient proficiency in the English language used by the court.

Ng’s study goes beyond conventional textual analysis by examining also the impact of speakers’ physical voicing on jurors’ comprehension.

She addresses the notion of trial by peers, issues of linguistic diversity, disadvantage and inequality in jury service participation in a wider context.

Ng advocates for the use of court interpreters to improve comprehension and ensure equitable justice.

Her interdisciplinary study offers valuable insights and recommendations for researchers and practitioners in linguistics, law, translation and interpreting, aiming to enhance the quality of interpretation in courtrooms and promote fairer legal outcomes.

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