Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / 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. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie het ten doel om die impak van individuele sosiokulturele- en taalverskille op die
skep van 'n suksesvolle sportspan, beide op en van die veld af, te ondersoek. Die spesifieke
span van belang in hierdie studie is die Westelike Provinsie amateur-krieketspan, gebaseer in
Kaapstad, Suid-Afrika. Die sosiokulturele- en taalverskille tussen die deelnemers word met
behulp van teorieë wat op interkulturele kommunikasie fokus en die verskeie strategieë wat
ingestel kan word om die hindernisse van interkulturele verskille binne 'n sportspan te oorkom,
te ondersoek. Vir hierdie doel is die taalrepertoires van deelnemers ingesamel met behulp van
taalbiografieë. Die studie ondersoek ook hoe deelnemers hul lidmaatskap tot praktyk
gemeenskappe beskryf, en poog om struikelblokke in terme van die verwerwing en
instandhouding van hierdie lidmaatskap te identifiseer. Die data is ontleed met die gebruik van
die tematiese analise (TA) metode. In totaal het 17 lede van die Westelike Provinsie amateurkrieketspan
deelgeneem in die studie, twee afrigters en 15 spelers. Hulle is sprekers van
Afrikaans, Engels en isiXhosa. Vraelyste wat beide persoonlike- en taalagtergrondinligting,
asook inligting oor waargenome taalvaardigheid, ontlok, is gebruik vir datainsameling. Saam
met die vraelyste, is gestruktureerde onderhoude, wat daarop gemik is om inligting oor
taalvoorkeure in verband met terugvoer ontvang en vlak van gemak in kommunikasie met
sprekers van ander tale en van ander kulture te ontbloot, gevoer. Die vraelys- en onderhouddata
het die taalvoorkeure van die deelnemers getoon, maar dit het ook getoon dat al die deelnemers
toegang het tot die span se omgangstaal, wat hulle in staat stel om te verstaan en openlik te
kommunikeer sonder enige misverstande. Die studie toon dat sosiokulturele- en taalverskille
as hindernisse tot 'n sportspan se dinamiek en omgewing kan optree, maar ook dat hierdie
hindernisse oorkom kan word om 'n suksesvolle en samehangende praktyk gemeenskap, op en
van die veld af, te skep.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/96110 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Alexander, Muneer |
| Contributors | Huddlestone, Kate, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of General Linguistics. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | viii, 83 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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