Presupposition in the documentary ice cold: Murder, coffee, and Jessica Wongso: A forensic linguistic study

Al Anshory, Abdul Muntaqim and Septiani, Ghana Aldila (2025) Presupposition in the documentary ice cold: Murder, coffee, and Jessica Wongso: A forensic linguistic study. Parole: Journal of Linguistics and Education, 15 (1). pp. 64-76. ISSN 23380683

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Abstract

In 2016, Indonesia was captivated by the sensational cyanide murder case involving Mirna Salihin and Jessica Wongso, which resurfaced in 2023 through Netflix’s documentary Ice Cold: Murder, Coffee, and Jessica Wongso. While public discourse focused on the legal drama, little attention has been given to the linguistic mechanisms shaping perception within such forensic narratives. This study addresses that gap by examining how presuppositions construct meaning and potential bias in the documentary’s discourse. Utilizing George Yule’s presupposition theory within a forensic linguistic framework, the research identifies and categorizes presupposition types embedded in the dialogues. The study applies a qualitative method, collecting fifteen data samples through observation and note-taking of segments containing presuppositional cues. The analysis reveals the presence of 8 existential, 7 factive, 2 lexical, 4 non-factive, 3 counterfactual, and 1 structural presupposition, which indicate that the allegation of murder committed by Jessica Wongso against Mirna Salihin remains inconclusive. These linguistic patterns suggest how narrative framing and implied assumptions may influence audience interpretation of guilt and innocence.Ultimately, this study underscores the role of presupposition analysis as a tool in forensic linguistics for uncovering implicit meaning and assessing the fairness of language in legal discourse.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Keywords:	documentary film; forensic linguistics; Jessica Wongso; pragmatics; presupposition
Subjects:	20 LANGUAGE, COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE > 2004 Linguistics > 200403 Discourse and Pragmatics > 20040399 Discourse and Pragmatics not elsewhere classified 20 LANGUAGE, COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE > 2004 Linguistics > 200499 Linguistics not elsewhere classified
Divisions:	Faculty of Humanities > Department of Arabic Language and Letters
Depositing User:	abdul muntaqim al anshory
Date Deposited:	22 May 2026 16:16

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