Page 476 - Handbooks of Applied Linguistics Communication Competence Language and Communication Problems Practical Solutions

454 Saskia Corder and Miriam Meyerhoff

However, the manner in which match tactics, for example, were discussed dif-
fered radically and involved the performance/iteration of linguistic routines that
are associated with very different groups of speakers in the community as a whole.
Discussion of tactics in Studmuffins very often used phrases that would more typi-
cally index casual conversation between intimates or indicate lightheartedness:

(6) Julie: That was funny that was quite an amusing game Sam every time
you went for the ball I was like “it’s your ball baby”
Sam: (laughter)
Julie: I stink
Wanda: Woo hoo I fouled I was like “whoops”.
(16. 10. 03, 006, 00:25)

Phrases like ‘“it’s your ball baby” and “I was like ’whoops”’ do not occur in the
Female Firsts’ discussion of match play and were a Studmuffins player to come
into Female Firsts and use them she would be ridiculed as too feminine and left
a peripheral member of the team. Female Firsts exercise strong sanctions
against behaviour that seems too ‘girly’, as shown in (7)–(8), and sometimes
refer to each other with male terms of address (9) or using “chick” to refer to
non-present women (10):

(7) [Sandy the goalkeeper for Female Firsts is defending herself for having let
through two goals]
Sandy: I had approximately two touches in the game
Player 2: and they were SHITE (laughter)
Player 1: she cost us two goals
Sandy: and I fell in the bun
Player 2: <on tiptoes, backing Sandy into the changing room wall> YOU
DIDN’T FALL YOU /?/ JUST CHUCK IN THE BUN YOU
KNEW YOU WERE DOING IT “<high pitch> I fell I fell in the
bun I really hurt myself”
(12. 11. 03 B, 002, 10:35)

(8) [Anna, in Female Firsts, is bleeding profusely from a very bad cut]
Player 1: Anna how’s your knee? <smiling>
Anna: Alright … Oh right yeh it’s really sore, <pretending voice>
ahhhh
(12. 11. 03 A, 004, 02:38)

(9) Player 1: Good one son.
(12. 11. 03, 002, 12:20)

(10) Player 1: Baldy – who was that chick you introduced me to?
(12. 11. 03, 005, 06:00)