Sociolinguistic accommodation strategies utilized by international student-athletes & their interlocutors

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34629/cpublica.728

Keywords:

communication accomodation theory, sociolinguistic accomodation, sports administration, sports management, communication

Abstract

An international student-athlete (ISA) is a foregin student who is living abroad in the United States and competing in a sport at a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) institution. These students are unique, as they face the challenges inherent in both of these roles. Utilizing communication accommodation theory (CAT) as a theoretical framework, 15 current ISAs were interviewed as part of a descriptive case study to observe the sociolinguistic accommodation behaviors employed by ISAs and memebers of their teams throughout their collegiate journeys. Findings revealed high levels of linguistic convergence were required of ISAs, as interpretability and emotional expression were the two major communication strategies used by others when speaking with ISAs. Implications of these communicative practices and the role they play in helping ISAs assimilate are discussed.

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Author Biographies

  • Dr. Hayden Coombs, Southern Utah University

    Dr. Hayden Coombs, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of sports management teaching for the Department of Communication at Southern Utah University. His primary research area focuses on international student-athletes and the NCAA, but his research interests extend beyond sports administration topics, including sports media, news media, religious media, and social media. He is also a syndicated columnist and proud to serve as the managing editor for the Utah Journal of Communication. He lived in Évora, Portugal from 2007-2010 and frequently visits the Lisbon area.

  • Dr. Braden Bagley, Southern Utah University

    Dr. Braden Bagley, Ph.D., is a professor of communication at Southern Utah University. Bagley's research in the health communication field has focused on the ways in which communication can be used to promote health behaviors and improve health outcomes. Specifically, he has investigated the use of technology-based interventions, such as mobile apps and social media, to promote healthy behaviors and prevent chronic diseases. Bagley has also examined the role of interpersonal communication in shaping health behaviors, including the influence of family and social networks on health decision-making. Additionally, he has explored the impact of health literacy and numeracy on patient-provider communication and health outcomes. Overall, Bagley's research has contributed to our understanding of the complex interplay between communication, technology, and health behavior, and has practical implications for the development of effective health communication strategies.

  • Dr. Ryan Barnhart, National University

    Ryan Barnhart, better known to his students as "Dr. B", has an earned Doctor of Health Science from the California University of Pennsylvania. In addition to his expertise in health, wellness, and exercise science, Ryan is a 3x CASE Award-winning educational fundraising, development, and higher education professional with specific experience and expertise in curriculum design and instructional engineering, faculty administration, enrollment management, andragogy, university development and advancement, and athletic administration.

  • Maris Graudins, Southern Utah University

    Maris Graudins is an undergraduate student at Southern Utah University, where he is studying sports communication. He is currently working for the NHL's Nashville Predators and eagerly looks forward to graduate school.

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Published

2023-12-15

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 35 (2023): Number with Special Issue

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Articles

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How to Cite

Sociolinguistic accommodation strategies utilized by international student-athletes & their interlocutors. (2023). Comunicação Pública, 18(35). https://doi.org/10.34629/cpublica.728