An Analysis of the War Metaphors Used in Spoken Commentaries of the 2004 Edition of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) Matches in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Soccer commentaries on television are characterised by metaphor-carrying language and expression. After introducing the Interactionist Theory of Metaphor and the classic Cognitive Metaphor Theory, this article analyses how soccer commentators make use of war metaphor when describing live soccer matches. Based on a qualitative analysis of spoken commentary during the 2004 edition of Premier Soccer League (PSL) matches in Zimbabwe, the article proceeds to establish the kind of war metaphors that are typically used in live Zimbabwean broadcasts of soccer matches in English, and how certain metaphors interact with each other within the commentary. The analysis is grounded in the theoretical framework suggested by Ghaddessy’s Component Model (1988). The study argues that the players, their emotions, their character traits, actions on the pitch, the spectator’s behaviour and the description of results translate into a war scenario as a result of the commentator’s use of metaphor.