Department of General Linguistics

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Browsing Department of General Linguistics by Author "Alexander, Muneer"

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    Intercultural communication and the community of practice in a South African sport team
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2014-12) Alexander, Muneer; Huddlestone, Kate; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of General Linguistics.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study aims to investigate the impact of individual sociocultural and linguistic differences on the creation of a successful sports team on and off the field. The specific team of interest for this particular study is the Western Province amateur cricket team, based in Cape Town, South Africa. The sociocultural and linguistic differences of the participants were examined using theories focusing on intercultural communication and the various strategies that can be put in place to overcome the barriers of intercultural difference within a sports team. To this end the linguistic repertoires of participants were captured through the use of language biographies. The study further investigates how participants consider themselves to be a part of the team’s community of practice (CofP), and seeks to identify obstacles in terms of acquiring and maintaining membership of this CofP. The data is analysed with the use of thematic analysis (TA) methodology. In total 17 members of the Western Province amateur cricket team participated in the study, two coaches and 15 players. They are speakers of English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa. Questionnaires which elicit both personal and linguistic background information, as well as information on perceived linguistic competence, were used for data collection. Along with the questionnaires, structured interviews which aimed to determine language preferences in receiving feedback and level of comfort when communicating with speakers of different languages and from different cultures, were conducted. The questionnaire and interview data reflect the linguistic preferences of the participants, however also show that all participants conform to the team’s lingua franca in order to understand and communicate openly without misunderstanding. The study shows that sociocultural and linguistic differences can act as a barrier to a sports team’s dynamic and environment, but these barriers can be overcome to create a successful and cohesive community of practice on and off the field.