Authorship · Stylometry · Linguistic EvidenceFile Z-03 · Thursday, July 9, 2026
FLING/ˈflɪŋ/n.
Forensic Linguistics
The language is the evidence.

Stylometry is a method used in forensic linguistic work to determine authorship by analyzing the unique style markers of an individual, which are the result of habitual and usually unconscious choices made by authors. It involves the observation and description of consistency and distinctiveness in language use, and can be used to present opinions statistically. Stylometry is considered a promising approach, but further research is needed to strengthen the science, and experts such as Grant and McMenamin argue for its potential in authorship identification. Stylometry can be combined with other approaches, such as corpus linguistics, to enhance its effectiveness in forensic analysis.

Definition drawn from The Routledge Handbook of Forensic Linguistics (Coulthard, May & Sousa-Silva, eds., 2nd ed.). Extracted text: /Volumes/mu-not/projects/zodiac/books/routledge_handbook_of_forensic_linguistics/routledge_handbook_of_forensic_linguistics.txt.

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