The Bloomsbury Handbook of Language and Sport
Will be published approx. on 9. July 2026
Book
Hardback
592 pages
978-1-350-47703-2 (ISBN)
Description
The handbook brings together a growing body of research that explores the language people use when they are playing, coaching, administering, reporting on and watching sport. In addition to illustrating the variety of research being undertaken at the interface between language and sport, the volume conceptualises, consolidates and distinguishes the exciting and expanding field of sports linguistics that is emerging around these studies.
Grounded in the broader concerns of linguistics, sociolinguistics and discourse analysis, sports linguistics is a field united by an interest in understanding the role of language role in sport and the important ways in which language functions to enable people to engage in sport in its various contexts. It also unpacks the social issues and cultural patterns that are reconstructed through language in the contexts where sport is happening.
The chapters provide a state-of-the-art account of the research missions, methodological approaches, domains of study, key social issues and research applications that have emerged as foundational to the work researchers are doing in this field around the world. Contributors also consider the future of sports linguistics, locating domains, issues and opportunities a linguistic lens on sport might pursue to usefully and impactfully advance and connect the field to wider linguistic theory and social theories of sport.
Grounded in the broader concerns of linguistics, sociolinguistics and discourse analysis, sports linguistics is a field united by an interest in understanding the role of language role in sport and the important ways in which language functions to enable people to engage in sport in its various contexts. It also unpacks the social issues and cultural patterns that are reconstructed through language in the contexts where sport is happening.
The chapters provide a state-of-the-art account of the research missions, methodological approaches, domains of study, key social issues and research applications that have emerged as foundational to the work researchers are doing in this field around the world. Contributors also consider the future of sports linguistics, locating domains, issues and opportunities a linguistic lens on sport might pursue to usefully and impactfully advance and connect the field to wider linguistic theory and social theories of sport.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
With dust jacket
Dimensions
Height: 244 mm
Width: 169 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
454 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-350-47703-2 (9781350477032)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Kieran File is an Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Linguistics at the University of Warwick, UK.
David Caldwell is a Senior Lecturer in English Language and Literacy at the University of South Australia.
Lindsey Mean is an Associate Professor in the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences and co-director of the sport, media and culture research group at Arizona State University, USA.
David Caldwell is a Senior Lecturer in English Language and Literacy at the University of South Australia.
Lindsey Mean is an Associate Professor in the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences and co-director of the sport, media and culture research group at Arizona State University, USA.
Content
Introduction, Kieran File (University of Warwick, UK), David Caldwell (University of South Australia) and Lindsey Mean (Arizona State University, USA)
Part I: Approaches to Researching Language and Sport
1. Qualitative Discourse Analysis: Analysing Spoken and Written Texts, Jan Chovanec (Masaryk University, Czech Republic)
2. Systemic Functional Linguistics, James Martin (University of Sydney, Australia) and Yaegan Doran (University of Sydney, Australia)
3. Interactional Sociolinguistics: Exploring Social Interaction in Sporting Contexts, TBC
4. Corpus Analysis, Melissa Rene Kemble (University of Sydney, Australia)
5. Critical Discourse Analysis, Altman Peng (University of Warwick, UK)
6. Representational Elements, Lindsey Mean (Arizona State University, USA)
7. Multimodality, Tuomo Hiippala (University of Helsinki, Finland)
8. Linguistic Landscaping, Nicolai Jorgensgaard Graakjaer (Aalborg University, Denmark)
9. Narrative Inquiry and/or Research Interviews, Richard Pringle (Monash University, Australia)
10. Digital Methods, Simon Meier-Vieracker (TU Dresden, Germany)
Part II: Domains and Issues of Research Inquiry
11. Language in the Sports Media, Andrew Ross (University of Sydney, Australia)
12. The Language of Commentary, Marcin Lewandowski (Adam Mickiewicz University, Poland)
13. Language on the Pitch, Court and Field, David Caldwell (University of South Australia), Andrew Ross (University of Sydney, Australia), and Yaegan Doran (University of Sydney, Australia)
14. Language in the Locker Room: Coach-Athlete Talk, Kieran File (University of Warwick, UK)
15. Language Use Between Officials and Players, TBC
16. Language Use and Sports Fandom, Cornelia Gerhardt (University of the Saarland, Germany)
17. Understanding Sport and Language Use on Social Media, Oz Ozinanir (University of Warwick, UK) and Louise Mullany (University of Nottingham, UK)
18. Language and Stadiums, Marcus Callies (University of Bremen, Germany)
19. Language in the Sports Boardroom, TBC
Part III. The Sociolinguistics of Sport
20. Identity in Sporting Contexts: A Linguistic Perspective, Nick Wilson (University of Limerick, Ireland)
21. Team Culture in Sporting Contexts: A Linguistic Perspective, TBC
22. Gender and Sport: A Linguistic Perspective, Eva-Maria and Melanie Fleischhacker Graf (University of Klagenfurt, Austria)
23. Leadership, Followership and Teamwork in Sport: A Linguistic Perspective, Stephanie Schnurr (University of Warwick, UK)
24. Multilingualism in Sport: A Linguistic Perspective, TBC
Part IV: Applications and Interventions: Applying Linguistic Insights to Sport
25. Improving Performance in Sport: The Role of Language, Kieran File (University of Warwick, UK)
26. Changing Attitudes on Racist Humour in Football, TBC
27. Using Corpus Analysis to Direct the Learning of Rugby Specific Language: Japanese Rugby Players, Stuart Benson (University of Aizu, Japan)
28. Using Sport to Shape Second Language Learning/Cultural Acculturation, Bryan Crandall (Fairfield University, USA)
Part V: Summing Up and Looking Forward
29. Looking Back to Look Forward: The Future of the Field of Sports Linguistics, Kieran File (University of Warwick, UK), David Caldwell (University of South Australia, Australia), and Lindsey Mean (Arizona State University, USA)
Part I: Approaches to Researching Language and Sport
1. Qualitative Discourse Analysis: Analysing Spoken and Written Texts, Jan Chovanec (Masaryk University, Czech Republic)
2. Systemic Functional Linguistics, James Martin (University of Sydney, Australia) and Yaegan Doran (University of Sydney, Australia)
3. Interactional Sociolinguistics: Exploring Social Interaction in Sporting Contexts, TBC
4. Corpus Analysis, Melissa Rene Kemble (University of Sydney, Australia)
5. Critical Discourse Analysis, Altman Peng (University of Warwick, UK)
6. Representational Elements, Lindsey Mean (Arizona State University, USA)
7. Multimodality, Tuomo Hiippala (University of Helsinki, Finland)
8. Linguistic Landscaping, Nicolai Jorgensgaard Graakjaer (Aalborg University, Denmark)
9. Narrative Inquiry and/or Research Interviews, Richard Pringle (Monash University, Australia)
10. Digital Methods, Simon Meier-Vieracker (TU Dresden, Germany)
Part II: Domains and Issues of Research Inquiry
11. Language in the Sports Media, Andrew Ross (University of Sydney, Australia)
12. The Language of Commentary, Marcin Lewandowski (Adam Mickiewicz University, Poland)
13. Language on the Pitch, Court and Field, David Caldwell (University of South Australia), Andrew Ross (University of Sydney, Australia), and Yaegan Doran (University of Sydney, Australia)
14. Language in the Locker Room: Coach-Athlete Talk, Kieran File (University of Warwick, UK)
15. Language Use Between Officials and Players, TBC
16. Language Use and Sports Fandom, Cornelia Gerhardt (University of the Saarland, Germany)
17. Understanding Sport and Language Use on Social Media, Oz Ozinanir (University of Warwick, UK) and Louise Mullany (University of Nottingham, UK)
18. Language and Stadiums, Marcus Callies (University of Bremen, Germany)
19. Language in the Sports Boardroom, TBC
Part III. The Sociolinguistics of Sport
20. Identity in Sporting Contexts: A Linguistic Perspective, Nick Wilson (University of Limerick, Ireland)
21. Team Culture in Sporting Contexts: A Linguistic Perspective, TBC
22. Gender and Sport: A Linguistic Perspective, Eva-Maria and Melanie Fleischhacker Graf (University of Klagenfurt, Austria)
23. Leadership, Followership and Teamwork in Sport: A Linguistic Perspective, Stephanie Schnurr (University of Warwick, UK)
24. Multilingualism in Sport: A Linguistic Perspective, TBC
Part IV: Applications and Interventions: Applying Linguistic Insights to Sport
25. Improving Performance in Sport: The Role of Language, Kieran File (University of Warwick, UK)
26. Changing Attitudes on Racist Humour in Football, TBC
27. Using Corpus Analysis to Direct the Learning of Rugby Specific Language: Japanese Rugby Players, Stuart Benson (University of Aizu, Japan)
28. Using Sport to Shape Second Language Learning/Cultural Acculturation, Bryan Crandall (Fairfield University, USA)
Part V: Summing Up and Looking Forward
29. Looking Back to Look Forward: The Future of the Field of Sports Linguistics, Kieran File (University of Warwick, UK), David Caldwell (University of South Australia, Australia), and Lindsey Mean (Arizona State University, USA)