FROM “BACK” TO “BLACK”: A FORENSIC ANALYSIS OF A MISHEARD FOOTBALL UTTERANCE

Dheni Budiman

doi:10.33197/ejlutama.v10i2.343

Authors

Dheni Budiman Sekolah Tinggi HUkum Bandung

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33197/ejlutama.v10i2.343

Keywords:

forensic linguistics; digital pragmatics; phonological ambiguity; mishearing; digital discourse.

Abstract

This study examines the reinterpretation of Marc Klok’s utterance in digital discourse through forensic linguistics and digital pragmatics. The study focuses on the utterance “give me the ball back,” which was perceived by some audiences as “give me the ball black” and interpreted as a racist expression on social media. It aims to: 1) analyze the role of phonological ambiguity and mishearing in meaning transformation; 2) identify how digital audiences constructed social judgment; and 3) evaluate disputed utterances through forensic linguistic analysis. This study used a qualitative descriptive method with phonological, pragmatic, and contextual analysis. Data were collected from football match videos, online news, and social media comments. The findings show that: 1) the controversy emerged from phonological ambiguity between “back” and “black,” influenced by rapid speech, stadium noise, and limited audio quality; 2) social media intensified reinterpretation through collective audience responses; and 3) linguistically, the utterance functioned as a spontaneous football expression rather than an intentional racist statement. The study emphasizes the importance of contextual and evidence-based linguistic analysis in evaluating disputed utterances in digital communication.

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