Illocutionary indicators of sarcasm in the genre of sports analytical articles

Background. The article focuses on the pragma‑stylistic mechanisms of sarcasm in the genre of sports analytical articles. The genre, which represents a detailed analysis of a sporting event or phenomenon together with its evaluation, is an evaluative genre within the discursive space of sports. The pejorative evaluation manifests in various forms of verbal aggression, including sarcasm. Based on the theoretical research study, the correlation between sarcasm and irony is examined, and differentiating parameters that help distinguish two phenomena are identified. In the practical part a pragma‑stylistic analysis of the most recurrent illocutionary indicators of sarcasm within the studies genre is provided. The purpose of the study is to identify illocutionary indicators of sarcasm in the genre of sports analytical articles and examine their linguistic side. Materials and methods. The research materials comprise a corpus of English‑language sports analytical articles (110 texts) from 2024, taken from digital versions of the British magazines such as The Guardian, The Independent, Metro. The main research methods include theoretical analysis and synthesis, corpus analysis together with discourse, contextual and interpretive analyses. The integrated application of the methods enumerated has given an opportunity to obtain reliable data on the most frequent illocutionary indicators of sarcasm and their linguistic representation. Results. The analysis revealed that sarcasm, as a form of verbal aggression, is a constitutive feature of the genre of sports analytical article. It serves as a means of expressing sharply negative criticism aimed at discrediting sports figures. Irony and sarcasm should be distinguished. Despite their shared dual nature (incongruity between expression and content), they differ in the authorial intent since irony creates a comic effect and sarcasm demeans the target of discussion. The illocutionary indicators of sarcasm exhibit stylistic diversity within the studied genre. The primary indicators such as comparative constructions, metaphors, patronymic attractions, litotes together with auxiliary indicators such as epithets, anaphora, asyndeton, alliteration were identified. Practical implications. The findings can be used for further research of verbal aggression, irony, and sarcasm, particularly sports discourse and its genres. Key results can be used in the development of university linguistic courses as well as specialized courses on sports discourse.