Investigating a Discourse Community: Soccer Players

The discourse community observed was the small community of soccer players, who played and trained together. I conducted the observation as the outside observer, who observed the team during the training process as well as in their regular life in the course of their communication outside the peach and the training process. The distinct feature of the discourse community observed was the wide use of professional terms and specific language that soccer players use on the regular basis and which are not always understandable for outsiders. The specific language used by soccer players is closely associated with their sports background and the play which has become a part of their life and their language.

When one gets into the community of soccer players, it may be difficult to get the point what players are talking about, especially if one has little experience and knowledge of soccer. In this regard, it is worth mentioning the fact that I have experienced certain difficulties with comprehending some terms used by soccer players, which they used during the training process and play, such as ‘bicycle kick’,  ‘blast’, or ‘bomb’ and many others. At first, it is difficult to get the point but steadily, one gets acquainted and learns some terms used by soccer players. However, still an outsider experiences difficulties with the proper use of those terms and jargon of soccer players, while soccer players use their specific discourse and jargon in a natural way as if they use this language all their life.

The discourse analysis of the language used by soccer player has revealed several noteworthy trends. First, soccer players use their specific language on the pitch, during the game or during the training process. They use it extensively and prefer using jargon and their special terms instead of conventional vocabulary and words used by other people, even when they talk about soccer. The use of the specific language and jargon was, therefore, attributed to the game and training process mainly. They used the language they were accustomed to.

Second, I have noticed that the jargon or discourse used by soccer players in the course of the game and training process involves the use of words and phrases which are shorter compared to the conventional vocabulary being used by soccer players. This is why I concluded that they used their jargon to make their communication more effective. Short, simple words help them to communicate them with each other fast and effectively. These features are pivotal for the effective communication and interaction between soccer players. Soccer is the team sports that involves the interaction of eleven players on the pitch. They have to understand each other perfectly. The use of their jargon helps them to convey their messages fast and accurately. The speed is also pivotal in soccer because players do not have much time for sharing their ideas or messages. Instead, they should get messages of each other as soon as possible. Otherwise, they will just waste the time and their rivals may intercept the ball or launch a dangerous attack. This is why the speed of the communication between soccer players turns out to be pivotal. Their jargon helps them to maximize the speed and effectiveness of their communication, especially during the play.

Furthermore, soccer players continue to use their jargon in their informal communication with each other even beyond the peach, when they are just talking about soccer in their regular communication with each other. In such a way, they use the discourse they are accustomed to and they comprehend each other perfectly, although an outsider may experience difficulties with understanding their discourse properly. Therefore, soccer players comprise a community that uses a different discourse, when their sport is involved and when they talk to each other.

At this point, it is worth mentioning the fact that, when they communicate with outsiders, they rather shift to the standard language and use the conventional discourse, instead of their professional discourse. In such a way, they close possible communication gaps that may emerge between them and outsiders, when they talk about soccer. They do such transitions easily and almost instinctively. For example, when I communicated to soccer players, they knew that I have little knowledge of soccer and they used their jargon, while communicating with each other and transited to the standard English, when I joined the communication. They did not experience any substantial difficulties, while making such transitions. Moreover, they could maintain the communication using both the conventional language and their jargon simultaneously, for example, when I talked to two-three players and they talked to me and each other simultaneously.

Furthermore, the observation revealed the fact that there is a sort of international discourse used by soccer players because I talked to some international players, who came from abroad, and they used the same or very similar jargon in their native language as well. They admitted that they knew some terms before they have got into the English speaking community. The use of similar terms means that soccer players use similar discourse, regardless of physical, cultural and language boundaries.

Thus, soccer players comprise the community that uses a very special discourse based on special language that has been elaborated by soccer players and that is applicable in soccer players’ community internationally.

Works Cited:

Klass, P. She’s  you basic LOL in NAD, p. 133-137.

The terms offer and acceptance. (2016, May 17). Retrieved from

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016.

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

freeessays.club (2016) The terms offer and acceptance [Online].
Available at:

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]
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