Title: Contextual Complexities: The relationship between context and language in radio sports commentating
This paper will first describe the conceptual design features of the notion of context as proposed in Systemic Fuctional Linguistic theory. It will then use this description to explore one context type; that of Australian rugby league radio sports commentaries. Focus is placed on the interdependency of the contextual variables of Field, Tenor, and Mode, with particular reference to the attribute of institutionalisation. This study provides insights into the complex nature of the rugby league radio commentary context and the need for further research into exploring the complex nature of the contextual variables themselves. Some of the ways in which contextual complexity is realised in the lexicogrammatical features of the language of the radio commentary, such as intonation patterns, and Transitivity choices will be proposed.