Document Type : مقالات علمی پژوهشی
Authors
1
Assistant professor of Sport Management , Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran , /,
2
Assistant professor of linguistics, Department of linguistics, and foreign languages, Payame Noor University (PNU),Tehran,Iran/
Abstract
Sport has its own discourse which bears discursive features as sport spreads through body and language.. In sport discourse, we can see cultural indexes which have clear impact on sport discourse. Sport is like a medium for culture. When we learn sport knowledge we learn implicitly cultural patterns of the society in which that sport is popular. The cultural indexes are reflected in sport discourse in form of situation, social behaviors, customs, norms and values of the community. Performative discourses have three main key elements of act, value and change which are also present in sport discourse. In this paper, we intend to explain we could not remove all the cultural indexes of sport educational discourse just due to their differences with our cultural patterns and how they are efficient in improving discourse of sport. The methodology involves qualitative research through interviews with 15 randomly selected female fitness coaches. The findings confirm that cultural indicators such as verbal communication, social norms, values, location of sports clubs, diet, and sportswear deeply influence the effectiveness of sports discourse.Results show all indexes are involved effectively in the educational discourse of sport.
1. Introduction
Culture is s complex of teachings which we begin to learn from childhood through family and later from society and by educatin in school.Culture is both collective and individual based. We apply what we have learnt as culture in our life as it becomes habits even without conscious knowledge that we are apllying our culture. Erickson suggests several cultural elements and indexes out of which some are relevant to the current research and sport educational discourse.Those cultural indexes are as language, norms,values, ideologies, social positions and functiond based on which sport educational discourse will be analized inrelation to sport coaches as part of this dicourse. . Unlike casual or neutral communication, performative discourse is inherently purposeful, structured around the core elements of action, value, and change. These discourses do not merely describe reality—they enact it. In the case of sports, discourse becomes a medium through which athletes and coaches co-construct experiences of growth, discipline, and identity. In this paper, we intend to explain we could not remove all the cultural indexes of sport educational discourse just due to their differences with our cultural patterns and how they are efficient in improving discourse of sport. The research situates itself at the intersection of applied linguistics, sports science, and cultural studies, offering a holistic perspective on how culture and discourse intertwine in the pursuit of athletic development.
Research Questions:Main question of this research is if key elements of performative discourse is also implciltly involved in sport discourse. The second question is what values and efficient cultural indexes could be found in sport discourse.
2. Literature Review
Previous studies in sports discourse and cultural linguistics have explored the complex relationship between language, identity, and social behavior in athletic contexts. Among Iranian scholars, Asadi et al. (2022) emphasized that sports discourse unconsciously shapes communicative behaviors of athletes and staff, thereby affecting news writing and media portrayal. Taleghani et al. (2022) focused on the dominant discourse in women’s sports in Iran and its sociopolitical drivers. Rabiei et al. (2023) explored school-based sports discourse, drawing from Foucauldian discourse theory to argue that discourse shapes identity and cultural engagement.Ahmadi Kalate (2016) analyzed narrative structures in sports journalism and the performative versus non-performative nature of sports narratives. Arabnarmi (2018) discussed the role of TV discourse in shaping sports development through a discourse-theoretical lens. Despite these contributions, few studies have integrated both cultural and performative frameworks within a single analytical model applied specifically to sports education. This research is among the first in Iran to systematically assess cultural indexes as they function within the performative sports discourse of fitness and bodybuilding instruction.
3. Methodology
This research is designed as an interdisciplinary, qualitative, and exploratory study rooted in discourse analysis, sport sciences, and cultural studies. The researchers adopted a fieldwork-based methodology using semi-structured interviews and Delphi method techniques. A total of 15 female fitness and bodybuilding coaches aged between 30 to 45 were selected through purposive sampling. All participants had substantial experience conducting both in-person and online training sessions. Data collection involved oral interviews, guided by a researcher-developed questionnaire aimed at extracting insights about the influence of cultural indexes on sports educational discourse. After 13 interviews, theoretical saturation was reached, and two more interviews were conducted for validation. The Delphi method was employed in three rounds to refine and verify the importance and relevance of the cultural indexes. Experts were asked to rank and assess the significance of proposed indexes across three stages. At each stage, the average scores and comments were analyzed, and indexes with low impact scores were eliminated. The final round confirmed convergence of expert opinions and established a validated framework of key cultural factors. The data was analyzed thematically using a coding framework derived from the three pillars of performative discourse: action, value, and change.
4. Results
The study identified nine key cultural indexes that influence performative sports discourse: verbal communication, social norms, cultural values, ethnicity/nationality, sports club location, sports equipment, sports attire, nutrition plans, and role model representation. Results indicate that verbal communication and nutrition were universally acknowledged by all 15 participants (100%) as essential components of effective discourse. Coaches emphasized the need for motivational and culturally-sensitive language that adapts to the context of the learners. Social norms and values were highlighted by 80% and 66% of participants, respectively. Coaches reported adjusting their teaching approaches based on the gender, age, and religious beliefs of their trainees. For example, modifications to training plans during Ramadan or when dealing with conservative dress expectations demonstrated cultural flexibility. Ethnic and national backgrounds were noted by 73% of the participants as significant in determining communication preferences and group dynamics. Similarly, the economic and geographical context of the training venue impacted coaches' decisions regarding equipment and dietary plans. Sportswear was seen not only as functional attire but also as part of body language and motivational aesthetics, with 86% of coaches affirming its role. While all respondents agreed on the importance of nutrition plans, only 53% saw significant benefit in referencing elite athletes as role models, citing cultural disconnects. The findings reinforce the idea that performative sports discourse is shaped by context, culture, and the interactional dynamics between coach and athlete. Rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all model, effective discourse is adaptable, inclusive, and informed by socio-cultural realities.
Keywords
Subjects
Language Related Research