Statement Analysis Principle: Language does not change on its own; something triggers the change. We note that when language does change, and there is an absence of indication within the statement to cause the change, that the subject may not be working from experiential memory, but simply has 'lost track' of his language.
This principle is applied to various scenarios with, oftentimes, very specific language.
"Man" versus Person, with "Person" gender neutral language may be concealment of gender for the purpose of deception.
"Guy" versus "Man" may mean the difference between attraction and disdain.
But what about bank theft, from within the bank, itself?
People who commit crimes sometimes go through a process, within themselves, where they become not only desensitized to the idea of stealing, but can move towards justification.
This is why we teach: "Don't ask if someone "stole" the missing money, ask if they "took" it."
This is the employment of morally neutral language.
There are those who could pass a polygraph if asked, "Did you steal the money?" even though they did it, because they have talked themselves into believing that they did not "steal" the money, but was "owed" the money by the company who had, in some way "stolen" from the subject.
This can happen under a myriad of conditions: everything from not being reimbursed to being cheated out of overtime.
What about those within the banking system?
How tempting is it for a teller to handle money all day, while under financial pressure? What about someone who is in a business in which they deal with money, all day long? There are plenty of businesses that still operate on "cash and carry" and have customers pay drivers, for example, in cash.
Generally speaking, those who deal with money (such as cashiers and bank tellers) do not often use the word
"money" when they speak. This is where "trained listening" does into play.
Professional jargon.
In various professions, certain language is expected. In the social services field, we hear someone who has been a client say "inappropriate" and "support" and other social service 'buzz words.'
In the legal profession, we hear similar phrases that we sometimes jokingly call "lawyer speak."
I once heard a car salesman describe his girlfriend as "low miles."
In the case of those in finance who handle cash, they often use their own professional jargon, or professional language which negates the significance of the money as
"money". It is often "cash" as the norm, especially when talking within the profession.
If the "cash" (as in "cash and checks") begins to show itself in the language of one as "money", there may be an element of change within the subject. The "cash" they handle all the time is not "money", as in something to be spent or saved. It is "cash" to them.
This is a process that transpires over time, internally, and reveals itself in the language. This mental process as
helping the person to deal with the fact that he deals with so much money
without having the use of it. "Cash" helps detach himself from the "money."
Here is the signal:
Once someone starts to think
about the material in front of him as "money", that should indicate
that the person has already crossed a line in his mind perceiving the
"money" as an item which can be used personally, spending or saving it.
Objection: That's not how it is where I live!
Answer: We can reverse this entire process.
Lets say, regionally where you live, tellers and cashier type positions call it "money" but call "cash" something they spend.
The principle remains the same. Find the reference point of professional language and listen carefully to any change from the norm.
The same principle is applied to emails.
Some emails are written quickly, without pronouns.
If this is the norm, so be it, but then make sure you take careful notice when a pronoun enters, breaking the pattern of the norm, as very important.
Think of this with tweets and other short messages like a text:
What is the norm?
Is there a deviation?
Whenever we are confronted with the deviation, it is the "unexpected", just as in how we analyze all statements.