Preparing For The Interview
Everyone Wants To Talk
People's Words Will Betray Them
True Stories Come From Memory
The Shortest Answer Is The Best
Everything Has A Meaning
Use The Same Language
People Do Not Want To Lie
The Denial
Starting The Interview
Get Them Talking To You
Obtaining A Statement
Analyzing The Statement
Look At The Language
Specific Words
Unique Words
Unusual Words
Untruthful Words
Test Your Knowledge
Lesson One Test
Send Email
Introduction Page
Analyzing The Statement
Look At The Language Used By The Subject
Specific Words
One of the first things you want to look for in a written statement or listen for in a verbal statement is the language used by the subject. Since people do not want to lie, they will often used words that will qualify their statement. Technically they are not lying. However, by recognizing exactly what they are saying you will see if they are being deceptive and withholding information.
On August 17, 1998, President Bill Clinton testified for a federal grand jury about his relationship with intern Monica Lewinsky. The first thing the President did was take an oath to tell the truth. Once he was sworn in, the independent counsel questioned him about this oath. It was there belief that years earlier the President lied under oath at his Paula Jones deposition about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky.
Question: "Did the oath you took on that occasion mean the same to you then as it does today?"
Clinton: "Well, no one read me a definition then and we didn't go through this exercise then. I swore an oath to tell the truth and I believed I was bound to be truthful and I tried to be."
There is one word that I have a big problem with in the President's answer. It is the word "tried." The word "tried" means attempted, failed, didn't do it. The President is telling us that he tried but failed to be truthful in his Paula Jones deposition! He did not say, "I was bound to be truthful and I was truthful." He couldn't say that because people do not want to lie. After giving his grand jury testimony, the President admitted on national television that he did have an inappropriate relationship with Miss Lewinsky.
On September 18, 2002, Kentucky Governor Paul Patton denied he had an affair with Tina Conner a Western Kentucky businesswoman. In his denial, the governor stated,
"The full truth will come out. I think my conduct has been appropriate."
Remember to believe what people tell you. Patton states that the full truth will come out. This we can believe. It usually does leak out. He then says he thinks his conduct has been appropriate. This too we can believe. In his mind, the governor's actions have been appropriate. However, other people may feel his actions were not appropriate. The key word in this statement is "think." He thinks his conduct has been appropriate. This is not as definitive as stating "My conduct has been appropriate." The word "think" leaves open the possibility that he may be wrong. Three days after giving this statement Governor Paul Patton admitted that he did have an affair.
Careful attention must be given to every word used by the subject. Listen to what the subject is telling you and you will gain a lot more information.
| Continue Lesson One with "Unique Words" |