BATTLING GENDERED LANGUAGE - AN ANALYSIS OF THE LANGUAGE USED BY SPORTS COMMENTATORS IN A TELEVISED COED TENNIS COMPETITION

In this study, we examine how sports commentators minimized women's at hletic participation, abilities, and achievements in the 1992 televise d ''Battle of the Champions'' tennis competition between Martina Navra tilova and Jimmy Connors. Using content analysis, we found clear diffe rences in naming practices, adjective and adverb use, amount and type of praise and criticism, and character flaws attributed to the players . In the unique case of male versus female athletic competition it als o becomes apparent that commentators ''gender'' the athletic event. Al though women have made great strides in sport, their achievements will continue to be meaningless as long as sports broadcasters undermine, trivialize, and minimize women's performances through biased commentar ies.