Training, Language and Culture (Jun 2023)

A socio-onomastic study of the 2022 FIFA World Cup football teams’ nicknames

  • Sameer Naser Olimat,
  • Dana Khalid Mahadin,
  • Kholod Naser Olimat

DOI
https://doi.org/10.22363/2521-442X-2023-7-2-9-20
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 2
pp. 9 – 20

Abstract

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Despite growing research interest into the language of sports, little research investigates football teams’ nicknames significance and fan attitudes. The objective of this study is two-fold: to explore Jordanian youth attitudes and views towards these nicknames using a close-ended questionnaire, and to classify and analyse the nicknames into different categories from a socio-onomastic perspective. The study aims to answer two research questions. 1. What are the socio-onomastic categories of the 22nd World Cup football teams’ nicknames? 2. What are the views and attitudes of Jordanian youth towards the 22nd World Cup football teams’ nicknames? The current study uses a mixed methods approach. A list of the 22nd World Cup football teams’ nicknames was collected from several football sources. These nicknames were classified and analysed from a socio-onomastic perspective based on Skipper (1990), Leslie and Skipper (1990), and Wilson and Skipper (1990). In addition, a close-ended questionnaire was developed and distributed to 1000 undergraduate students from different Jordanian public universities. The data analysis reveals that the Jordanian fans, while aware of the origin and meanings of their teams’ nicknames, do not use them exclusively in their discourse. The findings demonstrate that around three quarters of the Jordanian fans follow the 22nd World Cup teams due to reasons other than geographical or ethnic affiliation. The results also show that football team nicknames can be complex in their construction from a socio-onomastic perspective and capitalise on different national, animal, metaphorical, and cultural symbols. From a socio-onomastic perspective, football teams’ nicknames are complex and capitalise on different national, animal, metaphorical, and cultural symbols. Further research is recommended on the importance of national football nicknames in light of increased globalisation and commercialisation of sports, and utilisation of nicknames by different users and on different platforms.

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