BETWEEN TRUTH AND LIES. (IM)POLITENESS STRATEGIES IN TRIALS

This paper describes the (im) politeness strategies that occur in oral trials (without a jury) because these are related to the credibility of the speakers, a matter of vital importance for the outcome of the trial. The participants are divided into groups according to their goals, with an "accuser's block" against a "defendant's block" and, between them, the judge, who is responsible for sentencing. It will be shown that in these contexts, where there is an implicit conflict, individuals give priority to their image of credibility rather than maintaining a good self-image. Thus, they do not hesitate to show a negative image of themselves if they believe it may be beneficial for the verdict. On the other hand, they often project a bad image of their opponent's group, preferably by addressing information that questions the truth of the facts related by their opponents. In short, judicial contexts constitute a complex framework of communication where interests take precedence over the desire to convey a good image (either of oneself or another actor).