Language in Sport

Real-Time Talk in Training and Games

Andrew S. Ross, David Caldwell (University of South Australia, Australia), Y.J. Doran

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English

Routledge
15 September 2025

Sociolinguistics; Semantics; Sports training & coaching

Series: Routledge Research in Language and Communication

This collection showcases the language of “doing” sport, emphasizing the real-time talk of players and coaches during training and games toward elucidating real-time language use and encouraging effective sporting pedagogies. While there is established work at the intersection of linguistics and sport, this book places a particular focus on real-time participation, as opposed to media reporting or post-match commentary.

The volume is divided into two sections which look at language in action in sporting contexts, with the first part dedicated to player communication and the latter on coaches’ engagement with players, to explore such issues as team building, leadership, player guidance, and instruction through language. Examples are drawn from a wide range of sports across levels, including basketball; volleyball; Formula 1; rugby; cycling; and skiing across professional, amateur, and youth leagues. Taken together, the volume makes the case for an integrated social and linguistic perspective on language use in sport in real time to better understand its impact on players, foster more inclusive sporting pedagogies, and continue to grow sport research in interdisciplinary directions.

This book will be of interest to students and scholars in language and communication, applied linguistics, discourse analysis, sociolinguistics, and the sociology of sport.

Edited by: Andrew S. Ross, David Caldwell (University of South Australia, Australia), Y.J. Doran
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm,
Weight: 623g
ISBN: 9781032583914
ISBN 10: 1032583916
Series: Routledge Research in Language and Communication
Pages: 240
Publication Date: 15 September 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Primary
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Andrew S. Ross is a Senior Lecturer in Applied Linguistics at the University of Canberra, Australia. David Caldwell is Associate Professor in English Language and Literacy at the University of South Australia. Y. J. Doran is Associate Professor in English Language and Literacy at the Australian Catholic University.