Forensic linguistics -

aquila wrote:I may be a bit off topic here but it's so easy to have a thought and then not know where to find the topic so please Mods feel free to stick this in another thread.

Just looking at the content on the paper GM is writing on strikes me as a little odd. I've spent too much of my life watching people present on a large sheet of paper with a magic marker (grrrr) and mostly they either draw boxes or circles. I can't recall anyone draw a diamond shape (or something close to a masonic symbol).

It would be interesting to know if there is evidence of GM's previous (prior to Madeleine's disappearance) style of presentation on paper.

A very good point aquila, having made many presentations myself during my working life i have never used those symbols to highlight a point, nor have I ever seen it done before.
However it could be a method he always uses. Did he use a flipchart at the police do he was invited to or did he just speak?

Statement Analysis blog is going to examine statements madein the case.....excellent news...so we can look forward to some good analysis:.

quote: As requested, we will seek to apply Statement Analysis to this case. Below is a general description of what happened from Wikipedia.com.


As the statements are located, analysis will be done, and eventually, some commentary. quote



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Think they will be kept busy as there have been many replies already with suggestions of where to find statements made..... thought it might be worth copying comments here:



27 comments:
Orgona said...
Peter,

you're not only great at doing statement analysis, but you can read my mind too. Or so it seems.
Looking forward to it.

Orgona
Tue Aug 31, 03:16:00 PM EDT
Techmom said...
Hi Peter,

The website, themccannfiles.com, seems to have a great number of the parents' interviews archived. There are multiple interviews posted on each of the pages linked below.


The McCanns' First Interviews 25 May 2007

The McCanns' TV Appeals/Interviews

Kate's solo interviews

and
"Various Transcripts"


Looking forward to reading your analysis (what's the multiple for analysis? analysises? analysi? lol)

>^.^<
Techmom
Tue Aug 31, 04:08:00 PM EDT
Karri (Camsmom) said...
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This is the offical Maddie website. They write updates on it, however not sure its them or someone they have hired to do the website. Its very professional.
Tue Aug 31, 05:18:00 PM EDT
Anonymous said...
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Tue Aug 31, 05:57:00 PM EDT
Anonymous said...
I think Techmom means [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Tue Aug 31, 06:05:00 PM EDT
hobnob said...
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] has all the files including all mediastements interviews with kate and gerry and sundry tapas 7 pals, transcript of the panorama program (with that you have to watch as in the transcript they say tanner says they carried whereas in the actual programme tanner says "I carried" which got everyone immediate attention.

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this site has all gerrys blog comment including amended ones though a couple were whoosh clucked before we realised to save them ( the one regarding him dumping a freezer in particular no one can prove he said it though many remember seeing him say it)
It does help to watch them in videos just to see how verbally inarticulate they become considering they are doctors with lots of big sighs tuts, you know's err's and ermms. They can barely string a sentence togeather and it is fun to see how statements change from day one with the smashed shutters door hanging off told to all their relatives to open shutters and curtains blowing and unlocked patio dooors as the abduction could't have happened else.
thanks again peter for giving this your time and consideration you have a lot of people awaiting your comments with great interest. all wnating justice for a little girl neglected by her parents
Tue Aug 31, 06:05:00 PM EDT
Blaze said...
This is great! Thank you Peter for looking at this case. I hope you'll have time to do one of Gerry's blogs or one of their interviews.
Tue Aug 31, 07:24:00 PM EDT
evrli said...
LOL...:) Peter! tell your wife Thank You for me!
THANK YOU for the amanda knox, donna brock info...:)
am so behind.....:)
Tue Aug 31, 11:50:00 PM EDT
IRONSIDE said...
Hello Peter, Although Wiki give a summary you have to read the files to understand the case and the discrepancy or to put it bluntly the lies involved.

To give you an example.

The SMITH sighting....would have been perfect for the McCanns, it would have cleared them.

Here we have a family who told Police they saw a man with Madeleine at the very moment it was claimed she was abducted...just before 10pm May 3rd. A child with bare feet wearing pink pyjamas.

NOW this is very important...Gerry McCanns blog 37 days after Madeleine disappeared June 11th 2007

Read this...


After returning from the beach we did the Irish version of Crimewatch-‘Crimecall’. There are a lot of Irish tourists in and around Praia da Luz and although the awareness of Madeleine’s disappearance in Ireland is extremely high, we want to ensure that everyone is aware of the appeal and we want the Irish public to come forward with photographs of people who they do not know who were in and around Praia da Luz in the 2 weeks leading up to the 3rd May. The address to upload photographs is: to [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] . We have also asked for people to contact their local police if they have seen a man matching the description of the suspect carrying a child seen around the time of Madeleine’s abduction. He is 30-40 years, 1.70-1.80m (5’7”-11”), caucasian and was wearing a dark jacket, beige or mustard coloured trousers with dark shoes. No major news on the investigation front- we still believe it is just a single phone call away.


---------------------------

UNKNOWN to Gerry Mccann the SMITHS had already returned to Portugal and given their witness statements in secret back in May.

VERY IMPORTANT the SMITH family are IRISH.


Martin Smith on seeing Gerry McCann arrive back in England and leaving the plane had the shock of his life...HE is 80% sure the man he saw that night was none other than GERRY MCCANN.

He phoned the police to give this information.

The SMITH sighting can be found in the POLICE FILES.
Wed Sep 01, 11:33:00 AM EDT
Anonymous said...
Seems strange that the mother screamed "They have taken her".

Who's "they"? Why didn't she say "Someone has taken her"??
Wed Sep 01, 08:38:00 PM EDT
Anonymous said...
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Wed Sep 01, 09:31:00 PM EDT
Sugarbabe said...
It also seems strange when she said -They-ve taken her- WHO did she mean , she has TWO daughters and yet everyone knew immediately she meant Madeleine. The simulated abduction was planned from the moment Madeleine was found dead in the apartment.


Take a look also at the Gaspar statements. Two Doctors who were on intimate relations with the Mccanns.

This evidence was held back from the investigation by Leicestershire Police for SIX months...it has been suggested there was paedophilia in the group, after reading this statement I also have a BAD feeling about what happened to Madeleine.

This case NEEDS to be re/opened by the Portugues police and this group of DOCTORS made to speak up...There are SEVEN other children who may be at risk.

The Statement that could help the inquiry and crack this case wide open.


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Thu Sep 02, 12:39:00 AM EDT
Sugarbabe said...
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Peter, please read the SMITH sighting and understand this could have cleared the McCanns AND yet the Mccanns will not go near it.

Brian Kennedy the McCanns backer has meddled with witnesses , Mr Smith is one of them also Robert Murat, Paul Gordon, Jeremy Wilkins ALL have complained to the police about the pressure they have been under from TEAM MCCANN.

Complaints made to LEICESTSHIRE POLICE about Brian Kennedy and his contacting witnesses and yes their fear, have been made...People ARE afraid of the McCanns.

Leicestershire Police have REFUSED to investigate these complaints. They are not interested.


No one should under estimate how CLEVER Dr.Gerald McCann thinks he is.

The ONLY reason for McCann not to want to meet with Martin Smith and his family is because face to face Martin Smith may well say to McCann it was you I saw that night.

Would Gerry McCann himself walk through the streets with a sedated child dressed in Madeleines pyjamas to create a simulated abduction...he needed witnesses his word alone would not be enough.

Sound far fetched? then you do not know Gerry McCann.
Thu Sep 02, 12:53:00 AM EDT
Anonymous said...
Please be sure to watch Kate explaining the small window of opportunity in which to take Madeleine - the "whoosh cluck" video.

Another point to consider is how the Portuguese police begged Gerry not to mention Madeleine's eye defect to the public, as it could sign her death warrant. Gerry went ahead anyway, saying "We knew the abductor could do something to her eye but it was a good marketing ploy"

Last but certainly not least, Gerry's comment:“We want a big event to raise awareness that she is still missing...I think it would be later this year...it wouldn’t be a one-year anniversary, it will be sooner than that"

Apparently Gerry knew his daughter would still be missing in a year!
Thu Sep 02, 04:43:00 AM EDT
Anonymous said...
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Video of Kate McCann and the window of opportunity
Thu Sep 02, 04:47:00 AM EDT
Anonymous said...
Gerry McCann has always denied sedating the children, something made him change his mind.

Fiona Payne one of the group said in her police witness statement, she found something ODD. Kate kept putting her hands in front of the twins faces to check if they were breathing the night May 3rd after Madeleines disappearance.


The McCanns had no idea the police files would be made available to the public. The Mccanns have read the files and must have been shocked to see Fiona had made this comment in her statement..

Later Gerry changes his mind and now suggests the twins WERE sedated but not by him but by the 'abductor'

As already mentioned Gerry thinks he is SO smart he can walk on water.


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Thu Sep 02, 04:53:00 AM EDT
Anonymous said...
Anonymous, regarding your link to the video of Kate, explainig the 'window of opportunity' - when I checked it out it says "the video you have requested is no longer available" or words to that effect. Hopefully, it is available elsewhere.
Fri Sep 03, 05:43:00 AM EDT
evrli said...
this remionds me of the jon benet case...i believe one parent hurt the child, the other parent covered it up......

Mark Warner Ocean Club/Portugal website:

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shows a map/layout of the resort
Sat Sep 04, 06:24:00 PM EDT
Anonymous said...
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/category/the-disappearance-of-
madeleine-mccann/60-reasons/


.
Sun Sep 05, 07:03:00 PM EDT
Techmom said...
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think Techmom means [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]


Yep! I goofed that one, but the links below it are good.
Thanks Anon! =)
Mon Sep 06, 01:23:00 AM EDT
Anonymous said...
As soon as the excellent blood and cadaver dogs alerted to a death in the McCanns holiday apartment the case should have been regarded as a murder investigation, and not brushed under the carpet as a possible accident.

Maybe then there would have been more cooperation from the McCanns and their friends on holiday with them. Who can believe that Kate McCann refused to answer over forty questions regarding the disappearance of her daughter! Also they refused to return for a reconstruction of that night.

More so it should be a murder investigation because of the statements made by the former friends of the McCanns who had previously been on a holiday with them. They had been so concerned when Madeleine went missing they had to go report their concern to the police about possible paedophile involvement because of what they had seen and heard on that former holiday.

The 'Gaspar statements' have so far been kept under wraps by the McCanns, yet they are available to read on the internet should anybody wish to do so.
Thu Sep 23, 11:09:00 AM EDT
Peggy from PA said...
As in the JonBenet Ramsey case the thing that seems so similar (to me) is the influential people who immediately circled the wagons around the parents. It was as if there was far more concern to protect the parents than there was for finding the truth about what happened.
Sun Nov 14, 10:36:00 AM EST
Janne said...
David Payne is a doctor who was on that famous holiday in Portugal. He is suspected of pedophilia from one friend of the McCann's. Friends name is Katherine.

Here is David Payne describing Madeleine: Extract from David Payne's rogatory statement to Leicestershire Police on 10 April 2008

24 April 2009

"Mmm..., errr... Madeleine's, errr... a very striking, errr... beautiful child, I'd almost - if I want a better phrase - call her doll-like, you know. She was very, you know, I think, you know, very unique looking child, errr...

she'd got very pretty, you know, blonde hair, errr... in a bob, she was quite a petite, errr... child and, you know, she was very bubbly, very, errr... you know, she was a very good child to, to interact with.

She was very bright, you could have a lot of fun with Madeleine, errr... and, you know, she, she was, you know, Kate and Gerry's, you know, pride and joy. They'd had a lot of trouble conceiving, you know, with IVF and everything and, you know, Madeleine was their miracle.

She was obviously very unique with the fact that she'd got the, you know, the iris defect, errr... but, you know, she was certainly a happy go lucky child, you know, she was, she would interact with the other children very well, as I said on the other, earlier recording, you know, she played very happily with Lily and, you know, indeed the other children. She was, you know, very... she is a very beautiful child and good fun."

(...)

"You know, I, you know, a fact I've come across already you know, she was a... she's a very bright child, you know, she wouldn't be the kind of mischievous child who, you know, and just try and get out of the flat and, you know, get up to mischief and that, you know, there's fun in all children but she certainly wasn't that kind of child. She was very bright."

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Like I have always said: Gerry did it. Maybe with some help.
Mon Jan 17, 12:02:00 PM EST
Seamus O Riley said...
Jann,

thanks for the post.

I haven't studied this case and I know that people feel passionate about it.

My free time for reading is limited and I am just beginning the Knox case, but will eventually get to this one, too.

thanks,

Peter
Mon Jan 17, 01:51:00 PM EST
Anonymous said...
Hi Peter

I think with their TV interviews they stick to the script they´ve worked out and like the Knox´s won´t be interviewed by anyone with tough questions. They´ll accept the ´neglect´ questions cos that´s their alibi. However their statements to the police and the statements of their friends and family have been contradictory. Gerry has made some statements that seem to have embedded confessions in them, notoriously the challenge to the Portugues police ´Prove I killed her´. On another occasion he said ´it was terrible when we found her´ I think he then managed to add ´missing´! Surely the statement should be it was terrible when we couldn´t find her!I´ve always found it strange how the ´guilt´ and being unable to sleep well only lasted a couple of days. They don´t ever really answer the questions put to them, remind me of politicians!

There´s no doubt that some of their friends lied and that they were all in the appartment for more than an hour before police were called. Some of that time was spent writing a list of who checked the children at what time (alibi building or just defending themselves from allegations of neglect?)- on the back ripped off of one of Madeleine´s books. I think they knew she wasn´t coming back, ugh. I believe the friends were involved in the cover up and inventing a sighting of the ´abductor´ 24 hours later. There´s no evidence she was abducted.

Why would they all cover up a murder or an accidental death? And why was Gordon Brown involved in pressuring the Portugese authorities to have the case dropped? Since when does the prime minister involve himself with missing children - and send a provate plane to get the parents safely home so they don´t get arrested?

The David Payne statement is all past tense.
Sat Jan 22, 11:48:00 PM EST
Peggy from PA said...
Source: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
"Missing Madeleine McCann in US: investigator
From: Herald Sun
February 19, 2011 1:58PM

Madeleine McCann

Missing ... British toddler Madeleine McCann. Source: The Daily Telegraph

THE parents of missing Madeleine McCann have welcomed new information that suggests their daughter may be in the United States. "

This morning's news was bitter/sweet. No matter what they find, and hopefully it will be Madeleine, her little life has been impacted by a, in my view, selfish decision by her parents.
Sat Feb 19, 09:51:00 AM EST
Rachael said...
Hi Peter,

Anon at 11:48 said:

"On another occasion he said ´it was terrible when we found her´ I think he then managed to add ´missing!'"

This made me wonder... if you received this, transcribed without a pause, to read "it was terrible when we found her missing", or "it was terrible, when we found her missing"... would you still flag it as sensitive, or deceptive, since one cannot find what they are missing?

It also made me wonder how often you refer to video or audio, when available to see if there is verbal punctuation that didn't translate. Do you take that into account?

Thank you in advance, and thank you for such a neat blog!

There's something bizarre here. The date is 28 august 2012, but comments are dated till a year back .... I remember that Peter wanted to do analysis last year and did one IIRC, but then dropped it for other, closer to home cases ...

Châtelaine wrote:There's something bizarre here. The date is 28 august 2012, but comments are dated till a year back .... I remember that Peter wanted to do analysis last year and did one IIRC, but then dropped it for other, closer to home cases ...

If Peter is Seamusoriley he's more than welcome to plunder this topic, it will save him quite some time. As he said, the McCannfiles, particularly Dr. Roberts' articles are very useful in this respect.

Jolly interesting comments! We live in hope. Especially the poster who stresses 'how clever Gerry McCann thinks he is' - totally agree, Delboy isn't in it.

Filched this from the same poster on MM whose insight started this topic in the first place:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]


[....] at 2.14 Gerry makes the point that 'the searches were directed at finding a missing body' [...]

He keeps using this expression.... a 'missing body'. But why would he include the word 'missing'? Surely he means the searches were directed at finding 'a body' and that the failure of the searchers to do so offered them some reassurance. But the fact that he includes that the body being searched for was 'missing' suggests that the body had gone missing from where it should have been. If M had died in 5a, then one would expect her body to be found there and no search would be required. However, if M didn't die in 5a, her body wouldn't be a 'missing' body, it would be a body. The only way the word 'missing' could be construed as innocent in this context, would be if he'd said 'the body of our missing child' but he didn't and he never does. How does G know that if there's a body, it's a 'missing' one? Only if he knows there was a body in the first place.

unquote

tigger wrote:Filched this from the same poster on MM whose insight started this topic in the first place:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]


[....] at 2.14 Gerry makes the point that 'the searches were directed at finding a missing body' [...]

He keeps using this expression.... a 'missing body'. But why would he include the word 'missing'? Surely he means the searches were directed at finding 'a body' and that the failure of the searchers to do so offered them some reassurance. But the fact that he includes that the body being searched for was 'missing' suggests that the body had gone missing from where it should have been. If M had died in 5a, then one would expect her body to be found there and no search would be required. However, if M didn't die in 5a, her body wouldn't be a 'missing' body, it would be a body. The only way the word 'missing' could be construed as innocent in this context, would be if he'd said 'the body of our missing child' but he didn't and he never does. How does G know that if there's a body, it's a 'missing' one? Only if he knows there was a body in the first place.

unquote

Good morning Tigger. Quote....'They've taken her' would then apply.

Nina wrote:

tigger wrote:Filched this from the same poster on MM whose insight started this topic in the first place:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]


[....] at 2.14 Gerry makes the point that 'the searches were directed at finding a missing body' [...]

He keeps using this expression.... a 'missing body'. But why would he include the word 'missing'? Surely he means the searches were directed at finding 'a body' and that the failure of the searchers to do so offered them some reassurance. But the fact that he includes that the body being searched for was 'missing' suggests that the body had gone missing from where it should have been. If M had died in 5a, then one would expect her body to be found there and no search would be required. However, if M didn't die in 5a, her body wouldn't be a 'missing' body, it would be a body. The only way the word 'missing' could be construed as innocent in this context, would be if he'd said 'the body of our missing child' but he didn't and he never does. How does G know that if there's a body, it's a 'missing' one? Only if he knows there was a body in the first place.

unquote

Good morning Tigger. Quote....'They've taken her' would then apply.

Good morning to you too! Yes - and when stating this as they did and do in numerous interviews, it would be perfectly true. So no need for itchy noses, ears and bum. I've always thought the careful wording of this phrase meant they themselves did not remove the body. Which is why there is no hint of cadaver odour on Gerry's clothes.

tigger wrote:

Nina wrote:

tigger wrote:Filched this from the same poster on MM whose insight started this topic in the first place:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]


[....] at 2.14 Gerry makes the point that 'the searches were directed at finding a missing body' [...]

He keeps using this expression.... a 'missing body'. But why would he include the word 'missing'? Surely he means the searches were directed at finding 'a body' and that the failure of the searchers to do so offered them some reassurance. But the fact that he includes that the body being searched for was 'missing' suggests that the body had gone missing from where it should have been. If M had died in 5a, then one would expect her body to be found there and no search would be required. However, if M didn't die in 5a, her body wouldn't be a 'missing' body, it would be a body. The only way the word 'missing' could be construed as innocent in this context, would be if he'd said 'the body of our missing child' but he didn't and he never does. How does G know that if there's a body, it's a 'missing' one? Only if he knows there was a body in the first place.

unquote

Good morning Tigger. Quote....'They've taken her' would then apply.

Good morning to you too! Yes - and when stating this as they did and do in numerous interviews, it would be perfectly true. So no need for itchy noses, ears and bum. I've always thought the careful wording of this phrase meant they themselves did not remove the body. Which is why there is no hint of cadaver odour on Gerry's clothes.

But there was on Kate's trousers and top. These trousers and top imo would be day time wear. It was cool in the evenings so a low sleveless top and thin cut off trousers would be very chilly. This makes me think that Kate cuddled a dead Madeleine during daylight hours, just a thought.

News of the World online: 27th May 2007 (from McCannfiles)

[....]
On a flying visit to Rothley this week, Gerry was unable to go into the house, let alone Maddie's room.
Either that pesky achilles tendon playing up again or conscience? Don't know what's more likely.

He confessed: "As I drove into the village I was thinking, 'There should be five of us coming home'. But this is not a time for grieving. We believe she is still alive so grief is not the appropriate emotion.
On their return from Marocco they did state that they wanted to grieve, just over two weeks later.

"We are absolutely determined to get her back. But it could have been worse - we could have lost the twins too. There were three children in the room. That's the worst nightmare." Doesn't happen often but words fail me.
unquote.

tigger wrote:News of the World online: 27th May 2007 (from McCannfiles)
"We are absolutely determined to get her back. But it could have been worse - we could have lost the twins too. There were three children in the room. That's the worst nightmare." Doesn't happen often but words fail me.
unquote.

Indeed they could have lost the twins...kate mccann left them all on their own to run back to the Tapas!!

Couldn't resist putting this snip here.
From:
Irish Interview 13/5/2011. (see separate topic)

at approx. 25 min.11 sec. Gerry says ‘It’s a terrible situation actually - apart from your daughter going missing..... unquote

I'm lost for words but basically he is defining the terrible situation he/they were in being separate from having lost your daughter to a paedophile (this is based on Gerry's own phone call at 11.00 pm that evening as attested by witness Mackenzie).

"apart from your daughter going missing" is a distancing remark and puts [yet again] the emphasis on themselves. They are the ones to be pitied ...

I am always fascinated by the McCann saga being like a badly staged
play, with hasty re-writes, the actors forgetting their roles and some
of their lines. The speedily- written, then revised, timelines to be
handed to the police are interesting from a language point of view and I
hope by " a forensic analysis of the timeline" as stated by DCI
Redwood, he meant that a close look is taken not just at the alleged
timings of the action, but also at the use of language.

I
imagine myself, having been part of a real drama where an abduction of a
child had happened from an aparmtent, sitting shortly after that awful
event in that same apartment, writing a timeline of events to assist the
police in establishing the time the abduction likely occurred and how
it took place, where ingress and exit had been.

My motivation as
a participant in a real event would be to note down as clearly as
possible, with abbreviations for speed, while making my timeline
understandable [ especially in for non- native speakers of my language],
what happened within a given timeframe.

I would make the
missing child the main focus initially, before establishing when checks
on that sleeping child happened and who made those checks.
Her absence is the catalyst for the timeline, so I would have established her presence.

e.g. 8.30 all children asleep, [M + twins in small bedroom 5a.]
9.00 all adults at tapas bar.

I might omit a verb for speed, using maybe an arrow plus names and places, to note who went where.
e.g. CHECKS
9.05 Gerry -5a.
9.15 Jane -5d.

but where it is important to emphasise you were CHECKING, maybe you
would not bother with a dash or an arrow, maybe you feel a need to write
the word. Just a thought...
There are abbreviations in the tapas
timeline, but there could have been more used. Maybe verbs were used to
put more emphasis on who DID what. If using a verb it should be past
tense throughout, at the time of writing a couple of hours have passed
and I would be sitting with my friends asking, before briefly noting
their answers.
" who got up to check first? what time did you check? what door did you go in? did you see anything strange? was everything/ were the children sleeping soundly?

the very brief answers I would note, [even if the replies were lengthy] in the past tense.
" checked, 9.00 / walked normal route/ didn't see anything strange/
kids were asleep/ closed the door/ went in [through the] patio door"

As my friends would naturally use the past tense, and I was writing as
they spoke, why would I switch tenses? It takes time, does not serve any
purpose at all......
or does it?

It is a device used by journalists but gets criticism:

t=Arial]]Grammar aside, using phony present tense flunks the
crucial “best friend” test. We tell stories to real people. Our scripts
should sound that way, like a friend talking to a friend. When your
buddy asks you, “Hey, what’s new?”, you don’t answer, “Six people die in
a multi-car crash,” do you? Nobody talks that way. If it doesn’t sound
conversational, it shouldn’t be in the script.[/size]

Most troubling, though, is the fundamental untruth of
this kind of writing. We’re supposed to be 100% truth-tellers. There’s
no room for any kind of falsehood. Saying “A man is shot” when it
happened 18 hours ago, is a lie. Most of us were attracted to this
business because of its inherent honesty. Nothing we write should
mislead people, not even a little.

We don’t have to abandon present tense writing. But let’s be honest
about it. Let’s not lie about something old to make it appear new.
That’s the lazy way out. Instead, let’s find what really is new. A fire
in the morning means they’re looking for the cause right now! Displaced
people have nowhere to sleep right now! A 6:00 A.M. gunfight means
police are searching for a killer right now! A factory explosion means
six workers are in the hospital right now! This is true present tense
writing, what the managers and consultants had in mind all along. Phony
present makes a story sound like a tease, or worse, a lie. Legitimate
present tense moves a story forward.


In [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] and [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], the historical present (also called dramatic present or narrative present) refers to the employment of the [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
when narrating past events. Besides its use in writing about history,
especially in historical chronicles (listing a series of events), it is
used in fiction, for 'hot news' (as in headlines), and in everyday
conversation . In conversation,
it is particularly common with 'verbs of communication' such as tell, write, and say (and in colloquial uses, go).

Literary critics and grammarians have said that the historical
present has the effect of making past events more vivid. More recently,
analysts of its use in conversation have argued that it functions not by
making an event present, but by marking segments of a narrative, [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
events (that is, signalling that one event is particularly important,
relevant to others) and marking a shift to evaluation.
my
note : the above is interesting, a genuine timeline might have a shift
in tense for that reason, certain events are more important than others,
e.g. seeing a man carrying a child. I do not understand why other
events would seem particulatly important in relation to others, for
example MO listening at all 3 apartment windows

Summaries of the narratives (plots) of works of fiction are
conventionally presented using the present tense rather than the past
tense. At any particular point of the story, as it unfolds, there is a now, and hence a past and a future,
so whether some event mentioned in the story is past, present, or,
future changes as the story progresses; the entire plot description is
presented as if the story's now is a continuous present.

WHAT WAS ON THE COVER OF THE STICKER BOOK?...THE WORDS " IMAGINATION STATION " HOW APPROPRIATE !

TIMELINE NOTES:
2 points of interest
1. Ella on writer's mind, twice wrote her name in error, then crossed it out. I wonder why that was?
2. Times are mentioned before anything else, apart from Matt and Jerry checks, names come first.
first use present tense JT sighting.... Jane CHECKED 5D [ she was there
that evening but not for her stated reasons imo] followed by

JANE SEES STRANGER& CHILD.

RUSS AND MATT CHECK ALL 3
RUSS RETURNS.


the 2nd timeline is an attempt to clarify things, it is neater and everything begins with a note of the time.
ALL ASSEMBLED AT POOLSIDE

MO LISTENS AT ALL 3 WINDOWS ALL SHUTTERS DOWN
GERRY MCCANN LOOKS AT ROOM ?DOOR OPEN TO BEDROOM

[ MY NOTE.......looks AT? not in? I think he mixed up Kate's and Gerry's stage directions here]
JANE TANNER CHECK 5D, SEES STRANGER WALKING CARRYING A CHILD.
9.30-9.55. NO STAGE DIRECTIONS AT ALL HERE, NO VERB. HE IS EMPHASISING THAT FOR 20 MINUTES HE WAS OFF STAGE.

apart from setting the scene at the tapas bar, and the drama of the alarm being raised, everything is present tense...


Could it be that some or all of this timeline was not written 3rd May
after the " abduction" but was part of the staging....a quick cover up
was needed, actors given their roles to play and script, some of which
was muddled up or forgotten, meaning rewrites were necessary,
An important part of any drama are the STAGE DIRECTIONS.

When it comes to modern theater,stage directions—the descriptive text
that appears within brackets in a script—are an important piece of the
puzzle. They speak for the playwright when he is not there. They provide
details about how the playwright has imagined the environment and
atmosphere. They describe critical physical aspects of the characters
and settings. Stage directions can also be critical in dictating the
intended tempo and rhythm of the piece. Whether they establish a
production’s overall tone or elucidate particular actions of characters,
stage directions help tell the complete story that is in the
playwright’s mind. Stage directions accomplish all of this, using a simple convention that structurally separates them from the actual story.

Imo the timeline was written well before 10 pm 3rd May, as part of the
staging for the night, or if written at that time, the present tense was
a device. Either way from a language viewpoint timeline= FICTION.

russiandoll

That is very interesting and informative. I had not looked at the Timeline and the way it was written in that way, but just to note the sequence of events.

Using the present tense does make it sound like stage setting and who should be doing what and when.

The trouble is that we are generally just trying to get information when reading the statements and we don't see the way in which the information is given.

Good observations, russiandoll. I'm right with you.

Yes, the use of the present makes it seem as if the ensuing story was being scripted at that moment, rather than a report of what had already happened. It sounds very much as though they were creating what they thought was a plausible scenario, which is probably exactly why it has sounded totally implausible ever since.

Even when we describe a scenario as being "stranger than fiction" it can sound completely believable in any case if told with sincerity.

When I was checking Peter Hyatts
"Statement Analysis" blog today, I stumbled [again] upon the
following:

quote
Lights
Doors Opening/Closing, windows opening/closing
Coverings; blankets, towels, etc
Water; washing, bathing, showering, laundry, etc
as possible linguistic indications of sexual activity including sexual abuse.
We often find the word "child" within the language where
possible abuse exists or is considered.
unquote

That immediately reminded me of some details of the Madeleine McCann case.
There's no need to quote the many statements regarding Doors and Windows. Their
opening and closing has been discussed at length.
There's been also a lot of discussion about Madeleine being on top or under the
covers, as well as the whereabouts of the pink comfort blanket.


When looking at "water; bathing, showering", we're immediately
reminded of Kate alleging to have taken a shower and a bath within a space of
50 minutes on May 3. And the crying episode "puzzling" them,
wondering when that might have been? While they were being bathed ...?



But then we have the use of the word "child", instead of daughter,
girl, Madeleine ... For example:

Gerry, Lisbon February 2010


* the important thing is that there is an innocent
child missing and that
search must go on.
* Where is the
child? We are
looking for that evidence. Where is the
child?


Gerry, the Stockholm interview 2012
* of course at the time someone stealing your child was the furthest thing
from our minds

Kate, ditto
* there’s no
way a young child could
have got out
* how should a mother or father grieve when their child is abducted
* people will say how can they laugh when their child has been abducted


ETA Admin. Copy/Paste in a comment = a nightmare ... I'm giving up. Hope the above is still comprehensible ;-)

Heavily snipped, can be found in McCannfiles.com.

Pilgrimage in Portuguese lands Joana Morais

By Antonieta Janeiro
12/12/2009
Thanks to Joana Morais for translation

They are mistaken those who thought that the famous Doctors McCann were travelling to Portugal to assist the first session of the claim filled against Dr. Gonçalo Amaral regarding the temporary injunction, because of 'insults' made against them in the book 'Maddie, The Truth of the Lie'.
[...]

Besides the frustration of having entered a court for nothing, they mainly felt the frustration of not having anyone waiting for them to give them that superstars status. Quite the contrary!

There was a bunch of red carnations that was offered to them, but whose meaning they did not know – it was the «poisoned chalice».( see [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Visibly tense, uncomfortable and disappointed, they went forward with the «plan B» : A PILGRIMAGE TO THE PAST.

It was, after all, what the McCanns really wanted - MEDIA and PROPAGANDA.
They failed in Lisbon ... they headed to the Algarve!

Unfortunately, that theory that "the killer always returns to the crime scene” seems to apply to them.
They returned to the macabre route of the church and rocks on the beach.

It was very clear heard, at the Courthouse door, the failed act of Kate saying that Maddie was entitled to a decent funeral, «...Madeleine has the right to a proper...uhm... a... a proper ... a proper... search »

God be praised! Where (in this context) the adjective «proper» applies to the noun «search»?!? Are there, by chance, «fitting searches», «decent searches», «due searches »....??????????

If she had hesitated in the adjective «right», «accurate», etc…, before saying 'search', it would be different, especially since she was speaking fluently. She was not looking for an exact adjective to define an idea or concept.

Now, PROPER ??????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then, later in Aldeia da Luz, she had another slip, stating that it was THERE where she felt closer to Maddie.

[..]

Lisbon, December 12, 2009

at the risk of being boringly repetitive...

Mrs McCann, when you wish to impress the intrinsic value or worth of a person as opposed to an object, it makes sense for you to compare the NOUNS.

When you were annoyed at the posh woman for not emoting enough after you informed her your child was missing, why did you then not make the sensible comparison?

I would as a reader have expected to see you describing how you said to yourself or your friend Mrs Payne..

You would think I had ****ing told the woman my [ insert worthless by comparison object, PEN, WALLET, PASSPORT, WATCH] had gone missing, been stolen/ been taken. [ as opposed to my child ]

similar or same verb, see? Because the action is not what you are impressing upon the reader, but the worth of what has gone.

Now, you would never sensibly be telling another person the following would you, in any reasonable circumstances

that a can of beans had fallen off a shelf?

Well, in company, you might, if you had made a loud noise you wanted to explain ?
But you wouldn't go outdoors and tell a stranger that a can of beans had fallen off a shelf, would you?
There would not be in any circumstances a commotion you wanted to explain to a neighbour....commotion about a can falling off a shelf , would there? You would not be making a hullabaloo about this event.
You would, however, be making a lot of noise about something much more valuable falling,
and most especially about your precious child.

You see Kate, your use of FALLEN in the context can only make sense if something of value to you FELL.
Of course you can't say " as if a can of beans had been taken"
you had to use a different verb for some reason that makes sense to you.
And the one verb you chose to replace STOLEN
was FALLEN.

only one reason I can think of, as to why.

Portia, you remind me of young Swiss/French author Dreyfuss again with his price-winning novel "Belle Famille". The story, very much [and deliberately] like the one we know to be the McCann's, develops around their young child, left alone in a holiday apartment, and falling down in the kitchen, trying to reach something on the upper shelf, whilst holding a knife ... and dying ... In his book, it's the mother who throws the little dead body into the Ocean.

Hello chatelaine....are you referring to my post above? If so I am glad that you too see the illogical use of the verb "to fall " in the context in which Kate used it. It really does [ to my linguist's mind] only make sense in a different context.
Another thing....of all the nouns/objects which Kate could have chosen, why a can in particular and why specifically a can of beans?


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russiandoll wrote:Hello chatelaine....are you referring to my post above? If so I am glad that you too see the illogical use of the verb "to fall " in the context in which Kate used it. It really does [ to my linguist's mind] only make sense in a different context.
Another thing....of all the nouns/objects which Kate could have chosen, why a can in particular and why specifically a can of beans?


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***
Yes, Russiandoll, I think there is a meaning to the use of "to fall". And I have the feeling that the "can of beans" may have slipped out subconsciously too. However, it's not something I can put my finger on, so far. I'll try and find the photos of the kitchen in 5A again. There are a couple of them from different angles - I do have a recollection of a big American fridge e.g. Would want to check if there are shelfs and maybe a stool ...

I have meanwhile found some kitchen photos. The shelves, or rather the top of the cupboards, are rather high.
Does anyone remember the EXACT source of "Cuddle Cat was on a high shelf"????

As the brain knows the truth, it often causes us to tell it while we're talking. The same brain knows at the same time, that we do NOT want to tell it. So in a split second the original "truth" is translated and comes out in a associative manner. I'll give you a hilarious, but at the time rather embarrassing example: long time ago we had a radio in our car [I seem to think it was called 12MC] with which we could communicate with others having the same wave length. This required - in combination with the "normal" radio - quite a number of antennas on the car, to which we fondly referred to as "pikkies" [perhaps to translate as "dickies" little dicks ...?]. One day we were going to install the latest model of t.v. antenna on the roof. It could be manipulated from inside, fed t.v. to all rooms in the house and even to the neighbours [this was early 70's - the very first private t.v. via cable [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]]. As I was proudly explaining the system to visitors, my mind was causing me to use the usual "pikkie" [dick], but at the same time realised that wasn't an expression to use in company, so I said: "We're going to put a huge PRICK on the roof". [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] for a hole 2 x 1 to disappear in ....

Now then, when we look at Kate saying "as if a can of beans had fallen from the shelf" ... I am associating this with
* something which has fallen
* from a high shelf
* and it's beans

It's interesting to look at the many meanings of the word beans, apart from the vegetable, especially in AE slang.
* my bean = my head
* use your beans = use your brains
* give someone beans = give someone a hiding
* bean someone = hit someone on the head
* I don't care a bean = it does not concern me

I've never understood Kate McCann's animosity toward Mrs fenn. If Madeleine was abducted, it makes no sense at all. Under the circumstances I'd have thought the first people you'd question would be the neighbours as they may have seen or heard something which could turn out to be helpful. A few years ago I was burgled and when the poice arrived one of the officers said, "I hope you've got a nosey neighbour... they can be worth their wait in gold".

Châtelaine wrote:As the brain knows the truth, it often causes us to tell it while we're talking. The same brain knows at the same time, that we do NOT want to tell it. So in a split second the original "truth" is translated and comes out in a associative manner. I'll give you a hilarious, but at the time rather embarrassing example: long time ago we had a radio in our car [I seem to think it was called 12MC] with which we could communicate with others having the same wave length. This required - in combination with the "normal" radio - quite a number of antennas on the car, to which we fondly referred to as "pikkies" [perhaps to translate as "dickies" little dicks ...?]. One day we were going to install the latest model of t.v. antenna on the roof. It could be manipulated from inside, fed t.v. to all rooms in the house and even to the neighbours [this was early 70's - the very first private t.v. via cable [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]]. As I was proudly explaining the system to visitors, my mind was causing me to use the usual "pikkie" [dick], but at the same time realised that wasn't an expression to use in company, so I said: "We're going to put a huge PRICK on the roof". [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] for a hole 2 x 1 to disappear in ....

Now then, when we look at Kate saying "as if a can of beans had fallen from the shelf" ... I am associating this with
* something which has fallen
* from a high shelf
* and it's beans

It's interesting to look at the many meanings of the word beans, apart from the vegetable, especially in AE slang.
* my bean = my head
* use your beans = use your brains
* give someone beans = give someone a hiding
* bean someone = hit someone on the head
* I don't care a bean = it does not concern me

How funny about your prick Also a very interesting point you make about the sub-conscious.

Strangely, where I live the word bean is used in the early stages of pregnancy. It would often be said
By an expectant mum, myself and the bean are well, or one would tell an expectant mum to look after
Herself and her bean.

But this exchange, which was totally made up in any case because it was Gerry who spoke with Mrs. Fenn, doesn't appear until some four years later.
Primarily I think, to discredit Mrs. Fenn - it may be her insistence on hearing the crying on the 1st instead of the 2nd which earned her the everlasting hatred of Kate.
Then we get 'Fiona and I called her some choice words' - we are now asked to believe they shouted the equivalent of 'f...... ing t......r' which Kate tells us was her mantra during the interview. Not so 'totally unable to function' then if she was outside with Fiona turning the air blue.
Mrs. Fenn does not appear to have passed this information on. She said she spoke to Gerry at 10.30 and I see no reason to doubt her.
Don't forget that Gerry spoke to her at 10.30 and said the police had been called, which by the time the book was written could be proved to be a lie.
Police weren't called until 10.40 pm.

All this little vignette in the book tells me:
a) Kate dislikes and wishes to discredit Mrs. Fenn by portraying her as an uncaring posh woman.
b) Kate used the can of beans simile to emphasize the above point - something worthless and insignificant
c) by swearing at her with her bestest friend she also portrays herself as a young gutsy sort of woman - she seems to think that's attractive somehow, just like the many instances of contempt and fury in the book. We are asked to admire her for these qualities.

The use of the verb 'falling' may still be significant, but I don't think a child of four would be fatally wounded by falling off a sofa. Only if she was going at considerable speed and even then fatal injury would be very rare. Injury yes, fatal, no.
If she was doped and fell, even less likely as she'd be relaxed and floppy like a drunk.

tasprin wrote:I've never understood Kate McCann's animosity toward Mrs fenn. If Madeleine was abducted, it makes no sense at all. Under the circumstances I'd have thought the first people you'd question would be the neighbours as they may have seen or heard something which could turn out to be helpful. A few years ago I was burgled and when the poice arrived one of the officers said, "I hope you've got a nosey neighbour... they can be worth their wait in gold".

Indeed so.
Mrs Fenn might even have 'rescued' Madeleine from wandering around outside, but not known where she came from.
She might already have handed her over to Police.
She might have heard an entry, might have even spoken to an intruder, might have seen all sorts of things.
But Kate's response was to swear at her before ascertaining is she had any information.

There is no wonder that the police, when presented with the parents' incoherent statements and actions, concentrated on them.

And remember that whilst this was going on the heavily sedated twins were being left alone by both anaesthetists.

tigger wrote:The use of the verb 'falling' may still be significant, but I don't think a child of four would be fatally wounded by falling off a sofa. Only if she was going at considerable speed and even then fatal injury would be very rare. Injury yes, fatal, no.
If she was doped and fell, even less likely as she'd be relaxed and floppy like a drunk.

Good post, but I am not sure about that point.
Falling backwards onto a tiled / terrazzo / marble floor and landing on the back of the head could cause a sub-dural haemorrhage, which might prove fatal the following day, or overnight.
So crying for a hour, then being dosed up with Calpol, and put to bed to sleep it off, but being found dead the following morning, is certainly a possibility, and remains on my list of scenarios.
We had a lad in this area who slipped and fell backwards off a ladder, was perfectly conscious when the ambulance attended and had to be told to get in, and was taken away against his will, but died in the Intensive Care Unit in Malaga three days later.
Medical negligence would be a major issue, for both of them. "Our lives are over" ? ?

Again, back to forensic analysis, was not this said when officially M was just missing, and might have been found within an hour or so ?
How did GM know (know) that she was not coming back ?

PeterMac wrote:

tigger wrote:The use of the verb 'falling' may still be significant, but I don't think a child of four would be fatally wounded by falling off a sofa. Only if she was going at considerable speed and even then fatal injury would be very rare. Injury yes, fatal, no.
If she was doped and fell, even less likely as she'd be relaxed and floppy like a drunk.

Good post, but I am not sure about that point.
Falling backwards onto a tiled / terrazzo / marble floor and landing on the back of the head could cause a sub-dural haemorrhage, which might prove fatal the following day, or overnight.
So crying for a hour, then being dosed up with Calpol, and put to bed to sleep it off, but being found dead the following morning, is certainly a possibility, and remains on my list of scenarios.
We had a lad in this area who slipped and fell backwards off a ladder, was perfectly conscious when the ambulance attended and had to be told to get in, and was taken away against his will, but died in the Intensive Care Unit in Malaga three days later.
Medical negligence would be a major issue, for both of them. "Our lives are over" ? ?

Again, back to forensic analysis, was not this said when officially M was just missing, and might have been found within an hour or so ?
How did GM know (know) that she was not coming back ?

Back to falling - needed a 3rd edit! - falling off a sofa and combined blood spray on curtains and wall - surely no combination of fall and broken hyoid bone is likely?