Aboriginal language in the courts |
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The legal system can be difficult for many people because they find it hard to understand the process and legal terms used.
For Indigenous people, this is often complicated by:
- lack of familiarity with the system
- lack of confidence in dealing with it
- confusion that can occur between speakers of Australian Standard English and Aboriginal English.
Aboriginal English is a distinct dialect of English and is the ‘first language’ of most Aboriginal people in Queensland. It is easy to mistake an Aboriginal English speaker for a speaker of Australian Standard English.
In legal matters, whether criminal or civil, such a mistake can mean that evidence can be misinterpreted or lost. This can prevent the legal process from operating properly and a lack of understanding may increase the Indigenous community's existing distrust of the system
The Aboriginal Language in the Courts handbook, as part of the Aboriginal English in the Courts project, was produced to help the court communicate more effectively with speakers of Aboriginal English.
Download the Aboriginal Language in the Courts handbook.
Last reviewed 26/05/2009 |
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