Breaking the Legal Stereotype: Stereotypes and Social Class of Barristers in Television Dramas

A stereotype as discussed by Allport (1954) cited by Coupland and Jaworski, (1997) is an “exaggerated belief associated with a category. Its function is to justify (rationalise) our conduct in relation to that category”. What this research aims to consider is how the legal stereotypes are perhaps loosening from the representation of television legal dramas, how social class, specifically working-class characters are breaking the legal stereotype and how a stereotype reveals a “kernel of truth” Zawadski (1948) cited by Coupland and Jaworski (1997) that can ultimately reflect on a stereotyped social identity in the legal profession. Zawordski’s point demonstrating how social class affects one’s language when tied to a certain practice. Social class can be interpreted as; “fundamental to the social structure and therefore to analysing the functioning and impact of the welfare state” Ginsburg (1992, p. 189) cited by Mooney and Lavalette (2000). This is of interest as the legal stereotype depicts, at times, the educated, wealthy, male. Studying social class, particularly working- class representations in television dramas can break this stereotype and fundamentally, reflect on a different social identity within this profession. The data and analysis procedure will consist of a collection of YouTube videos, that look at the language portrayed by the working-class characters in kavanagh QC (1995-2001) and Silk (2011-2014). The transcribing will enable an analysis of the language used by the main character from a working-class background, to see whether they break the legal stereotype, whether they accommodate. Effectively, does the legal stereotype change in the eyes of the television perspective? How has class changed the social identity of the legal profession? What linguistic features are present to represent the working-class attitudes to the legal profession? Coupland, Nikolas and Jaworski, Adam [Eds.] (1997) Sociolinguistics: A reader and coursebook. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Mooney, Gerry and Lavalette, Michael [Eds.] (2000) Class struggle and social welfare. New York: Taylor and Francis.