Added Appendix A: Recursive Pattern Lexicon for Insurance Fraud—seven signature linguistic patterns with definitions and language markers, forming the backbone of the recursive forensic lens.

appendix-a_recursive-pattern-lexicon.md

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+# Appendix A: Recursive Pattern Lexicon for Insurance Fraud
+
+This lexicon outlines key recursive linguistic patterns observed in fraudulent insurance claims.  
+Each entry includes a **name**, **definition**, and **common linguistic markers**.
+
+---
+
+### 1. Narrative Overcontrol  
+**Definition:**  
+Excessive effort to manage the flow and precision of the story, often signaling anxiety or rehearsed fabrication.  
+
+**Markers:**  
+- Overuse of timestamps (“At exactly 3:07 PM…”)
+- Highly structured sequences (“First… Then… Finally…”)
+- Repeated self-correction mid-sentence
+
+---
+
+### 2. Empathic Bypass  
+**Definition:**  
+Failure to acknowledge emotional resonance or human impact, especially when such acknowledgment would be expected.  
+
+**Markers:**  
+- Clinical or distant tone (“The subject proceeded to fall.”)
+- Avoidance of “I felt” or “They looked” statements
+- Descriptive flatness in scenes involving harm or distress
+
+---
+
+### 3. Temporal Drift  
+**Definition:**  
+Shifting or vague timelines, often introduced subtly to obscure sequencing or causality.  
+
+**Markers:**  
+- “Sometime later…”
+- Ambiguous connectors (“and then,” “after that”)
+- Time gaps with no transition
+
+---
+
+### 4. Claimant Displacement  
+**Definition:**  
+Shifting responsibility or focus from the claimant to external systems, agents, or vague forces.  
+
+**Markers:**  
+- Passive voice (“It was handled by someone else.”)
+- Deflection to bureaucracy or error (“The form was confusing.”)
+- Focus on institutional failure rather than personal experience
+
+---
+
+### 5. Overjustification  
+**Definition:**  
+Unnecessary detail used to rationalize or justify behavior beyond the level of inquiry.  
+
+**Markers:**  
+- “I only did it because…”
+- Premature defenses (“You might think I’m lying, but…”)
+- Layered alibis
+
+---
+
+### 6. Hedged Truths  
+**Definition:**  
+Truths surrounded by uncertainty cues to maintain plausible deniability.  
+
+**Markers:**  
+- “I guess…”, “Maybe…”, “As far as I know…”
+- Rising intonation or tentativeness in written phrasing
+- Apologetic qualifiers
+
+---
+
+### 7. Denial Looping  
+**Definition:**  
+Recursive return to denial statements, often escalating or elaborating without provocation.  
+
+**Markers:**  
+- “I swear I didn’t…” (repeated multiple times)
+- Rejection of implication before it's introduced
+- Emphasis on moral character (“I’m not the kind of person who…”)
+
+---
+
+This lexicon is a living framework.  
+New patterns are emerging with each recursive forensic case study.  
+We invite future analysts to contribute, extend, and refine.