Stylistic features of English-language sports discourse

While the communicative and functional dimensions of sports discourse have been widely studied, less attention has been given to its stylistic aspects. This article intends to address that gap by identifying the stylistic features of English-language sports discourse and examining how they function across different mediums, including print media, broadcast (live) commentary, and digital platforms. The study uses a 300,000-word corpus from diverse sources to identify key stylistic devices such as alliteration, metaphor, periphrasis, epithets, gradation, euphemism, similes, and rhetorical questions. The findings suggest that these stylistic tools contribute to the emotional and descriptive calibre of sports narratives, with distinct patterns emerging across mediums: print media leans toward detailed and reflective language, live commentary emphasises immediacy, and digital platforms prioritise concise and interactive expression. The analysis has shown how these stylistic elements contribute to the effectiveness of sports discourse by garnering audience’s attention and enriching the storytelling process. The findings bring to the fore the stylistic richness of sports discourse and place emphasis on the importance of integrating stylistic analysis into broader discourse studies.