Linespeople

Linespeople is a plural noun referring to individuals who work with lines in different professional contexts. The term is not uniformly standardized, and its most common usage is as a gender-neutral plural for line judges in sports. In other settings, it can describe workers who handle mooring lines on ships, or less commonly, staff who manage spoken lines in theatre or broadcasting.

In sports officiating, linespeople, or line judges, monitor boundary lines and call balls in or out. They position themselves along the court or field and signal calls to the chair umpire or scorer. In tennis and badminton, a linesperson may be assigned to specific lines such as baselines or sidelines; modern events may augment calls with electronic review systems.

In maritime and port operations, linespeople are crew or dock workers who handle mooring lines to secure vessels, assist with berthing, or manage line tensions during towing and cargo operations. They ensure lines are properly secured, knots are correct, and that lines are controlled to prevent damage or accidents during docking and departure.

In theatre and broadcasting contexts, the term is less standard. It can be used informally to refer to individuals who cue actors, track dialogue, or otherwise manage spoken lines, though this usage is not widely adopted in professional usage.

See also: line judge, linesman, mooring line, cueing, stage management.