A Pragmatic and Stylistic Analysis of Wrestling Discourse

Abstract

Pro wrestling is an entertainment form that traditionally has been disdained by purists for its inherent duality as a sport and as an arranged show. A disparity in its value is also observed in the cultural life of society, where it is regularly seen as not being a worthy subject of study. Research concerning pro wrestling has mostly been carried out in sociological terms, but there has been little academic work done in the area of linguistics. This paper explores the stylistic choices made by two performers of the WWE wrestling company in televised spoken segments, and analyzes their interaction with the audience employing pragmatic criteria.