Negotiating converso identities in the inquisition courtroom

What is it about?

In this paper, I examine identity construction and negotiation through face work in a Portuguese Inquisition trial, focusing on the case of Catarina de Orta. Analyzing both the inquisitor’s questions and the defendant’s responses, I show how impoliteness and self-politeness coexist in courtroom discourse. The inquisitor uses impoliteness to assert power, provoke negative emotions, and undermine the defendant’s credibility. In contrast, the defendant employs self-politeness to protect her face against these attacks. This interplay shapes the competing narratives of accuser and defendant, evolving with each interrogation.

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Why is it important?

Understanding identity construction and negotiation through face work in a Portuguese Inquisition trial is crucial for several reasons. This study, centered on Catarina de Orta’s case, sheds light on the power dynamics embedded in courtroom discourse. By analyzing the inquisitor’s use of impoliteness to assert dominance and the defendant’s reliance on self-politeness to maintain credibility, we gain insight into how language shapes historical legal proceedings. This research is significant because it reveals how speech strategies influence the perception of guilt or innocence, showing how social hierarchies and institutional power operate through discourse. The interplay between the accuser and the defendant reflects broader themes of resistance, authority, and identity construction, which remain relevant in legal and social contexts today. Additionally, by examining historical courtroom interactions, we can better understand contemporary interrogations and judicial communication, highlighting enduring patterns in language, power, and persuasion.

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