Ranting as Rhetorically Responsive Social Actions on Sports-Talk Radio: A Critical Discursive Approach

Abstract

This study uses a critical discourse analytic approach to examine the use of rants by callers on a prominent sports-talk radio show. Rather than being simply invective or contentious forms of social interaction, the findings show that rants are typically carefully constructed social actions that often use disclaimers to manage strong epistemic stances regarding knowledge of both the sporting events and sports culture. Rants are often created in opposition to other caller’s comments, making them rhetorically responsive. Rants also generally solicited intersubjective affiliation from the talk show host and displayed carefully crafted, accountable identities that reflect stylistic forms of communication and cultural norms. The up-close, discursive orientation reveals the multifunctionality of ranting in sports-talk radio interactions.