Shoes or Boots? Field or Pitch? Zero-zero or nil-nil? Etc.

[sebakoole]

I'm sure there was probably a thread like this before the BS crash, but since I can't find one post-crash I'd like to get people's input on this subject. I'm putting this in the Business & Media forum
because that's where the contrasts in terminology seem to be most pronounced (so to speak). I'm just curious what terms you use, when you started using them and where you learned them from. I grew up in the late 70's in a suburb of DC and learned my vocab from my coaches. They used shoes instead of boots, field instead of pitch, zero-zero instead of nil-nil, etc. I'm sure there are some out there who grew up at about the same time, but maybe had non-American coaches who used the British-English words. I don't have any preference nor do I have any axe to grind, but I would like to hear from those who do have a preference and who do have an axe to grind and why that is.

[GoDC]

You are doing the right thing. Speak American, not English.

[notebook]

Originally posted by GoDC
You are doing the right thing. Speak American, not English.
I agree. All the English terms and colloquialisms (sp?) sound alright, even kind of cool, coming from a Brit, but sound like affectations when they come from an American. Makes the person sound like a wannabe. And why would we want to be anything but American?

[QPR Kevin H]

Here we ************ing go. I say this thread lasts about 6 posts before being moved or locked.

Say whatever you want - as long as people know what you're talking about. And dont worry about what other people are saying, unless you dont know what they're talking about.

[Godot22]

I think that some words like "pitch" and "nil" are so ingrained into the culture of the game in English-speaking countries that they don't sound terribly affected. More obscure ones, like "kit" or "strip" instead of "uniform" are probably worth avoiding, unless you're saying them just to get people to ask what you mean, which is pretty much affected speech in a nutshell.

As for the biggie, the usage conflict which launched a thousand pointless tirades: I use the term "football" only when it is clear from the context that I don't mean some other code of football: i.e. rarely to never in America, virtually always in Europe.

[bungadiri]

For starters, I think this thread will get more responses in the Rivalry or Beautiful Game forum.

I began playing soccer as an adult, in the US, among, primarily, Irishmen. Apart from being just about the most forgiving teammates imaginable (and they had to forgive a lot), they didn't really affect the terms I use talk about the game.

I use a mixture.
On the American side:
I say field instead of pitch, cleats (or flats) instead of shoes or boots, zero instead of nil (unless I'm giving my Welsh teammate a hard time). I say soccer instead of football, unless I'm talking to non-Americans and then I say football hoping that's clearer. Actually, I used to say football to non Americans, but this is so frequently followed by them asking "do you mean soccer or American football?" that lately I have been sticking exclusively to "soccer".

On the English side:
I say out of touch instead of out of bounds, because I like the sound of it and because it automatically implies a throw-in rather than a corner/goal kick. I've recently been persuaded by my reading on BS and elsewhere to refer to the "game" of soccer, generally, and call a particular instantiation of that game "a match". I like this because it seems logical to make that difference.

And, generally speaking, I am with Sebakoole in not having an ax to grind about soccer terms. However, I do think that people who spell it "axe" instead of "ax" are pretentious *********************s.;)

[artigiano]

Originally posted by bungadiri
I say out of touch instead of out of bounds, because I like the sound of it and because it automatically implies a throw-in rather than a corner/goal kick.

I believe the term is actually "into touch". Which is one of the English game terms I avoid using because it is so different from "out of bounds" and does sound a bit pretentious.

I go for the Americanized choices almost exclusively. I even call defenders and mids, fullbacks and halfbacks on occassion because that's the way they taught us as kids back in the 70's and 80's.

My favorite English football term was one I heard during a game where one team blew a two goal lead. Announcer said, "It's all gone pear-shaped." Which I think is a reference to playing with a ball that's out of round.

[Dave216J]

OK, I've been around a lot of European and American soccer/football fans, and use lots of the terms interchangeably, but I was hoping someone could answer a question for me. The other day on a broadcast of a British commentator doing a game, he said that the defense was "at all 6s and 9s." Then I played FIFA 2001 at a friends house, and in the process of getting whooped, the commentators told me that I had "6s and 7s at the back."

What do these expressions mean, or rather (since I gather that they mean the defense sucks) where do the expressions come from?

[DC Forever]

I'm glad to see that us D.C.ers are sticking together on this one. I think that there is a disease of "Mallisnism" in the American soccer fanbase -- a subset of fans who don't want the sport to be part of the mainstream sports world, because they only fell in love with it at first because it made them feel superior to other people.
It becomes even more grating in the voices of non-soccer announcers or commentators who think that they have to use that kind of language to talk about the game.

English people say "nil" not because that's the "proper football term" but because that's the English colloqiolism for nothing. It makes sense from them. It doesn't from George Michael.

I'm a D.C. United fan (not supporter) who loves to go cheer on the team (not side) Saturday night then go strap on my cleats (not boots) Sunday afternoon for a good pick-up game (not kickabout) on the local soccer field (you get my point).

I am, however, more than happy to punctuate these activities with a Guiness. Patriotism only goes so far.

[Frieslander]

I use English and American terms pretty interchangebly. What I don't like is when people say "kit" or "strip," as previously mentioned. My reason for this though is that I believe people normally use it incorrectly. I've been led to believe that "kit" and "strip" are supposed to me the entire uniform, but most Americans seem to be refering only to the shirt. On the otherside of the coin, I hate the american term "jersey" because when I read the thread title, "west ham gets new jersey" I get all confused cause I'm from New Jersey. :D I just say shirt.

[bungadiri]

Originally posted by artigiano
I believe the term is actually "into touch". Which is one of the English game terms I avoid using because it is so different from "out of bounds" and does sound a bit pretentious.


I'm pretty sure that "out of touch" (as in "the ball rolled out of touch") is roughly equivalent to "out of bounds" and "into touch" is its opposite: "in bounds". I admit I don't have any references to back myself up, though. As for it being pretentious, I'll hide behind this bit from Godot22:

Originally posted by Godot22
...unless you're saying them just to get people to ask what you mean, which is pretty much affected speech in a nutshell.

I use it because I think it's clearer, which protects me from being pretentious/affected. I hope.

[Motterman]

Originally posted by Dave216J
Then I played FIFA 2001 at a friends house, and in the process of getting whooped, the commentators told me that I had "6s and 7s at the back."

What do these expressions mean, or rather (since I gather that they mean the defense sucks) where do the expressions come from?

I'm not sure, could it have something to do with shirt numbers? Footballers used to wear a certain shirt number based on their position on the pitch. Who will wear the #10 shirt for us this season? Who will wear the #9 shirt to replace Andy Cole at Manchester United this season? 9 is obviously a "striker" number and not a "defender" number.

Of course, that's just a guess as to what the commentators are actually referring to....

[Dr. Wankler]

I use some of the terms fairly interchangably, and avoid others. I have no problems with "nil" or "pitch" just as I have no problems with "love" in tennis or "diamond" in baseball.

It can be annoying, though. Who's the American announcer who refers to players BEING "the number 10 shirt" or "the number 2 shirt," which goes back to the (brief) days when the uniform number referred pretty specifically to one's position. He went overboard.

But it depends on who you're talking too. If they're fans, they'll know what you're talking about. If they're not, they'll think (rightly) that you're being a prick.

By the way, it's equally possible to be affected in your use of Americanisms as it is your use of Britishisms.

[tubby_butter]

I find speaking british 'football' similar to a white suburban kid who uses ghetto slang. He may find it cool in context, but when he tries it, it just doesn't fit. Unless in jest, of course.

The beauty of it is, it is a world game so you get a lot of little different sayings from all over. I say, speak the language of your peers. Then everyone understands.

You will find that there a few categories of people who use mostly English terms.

1. Someone who is new to the game (as a fan or player) and wants to impress others with their "knowledge" of terms that your average American pedestrian doesn't know.
2. Someone who reads a lot of soccer news/publications. Where, the most intelligent stuff that is written about the game is coming from English journalists (save a couple - Bradley, Connelly). It sounds better coming from them, so the reader speaks it.
3. Someone who has either been to England or has had English coach and wants everyone to know it.

[Motterman]

Originally posted by tubby_butter

You will find that there a few categories of people who use mostly English terms.

1. Someone who is new to the game (as a fan or player) and wants to impress others with their "knowledge" of terms that your average American pedestrian doesn't know.
2. Someone who reads a lot of soccer news/publications. Where, the most intelligent stuff that is written about the game is coming from English journalists (save a couple - Bradley, Connelly). It sounds better coming from them, so the reader speaks it.
3. Someone who has either been to England or has had English coach and wants everyone to know it.

4. Someone who has been immersed in English football for years and years and doesn't really give a toss about being grouped into a category.

[soccertim]

Most of the time that I would be tempted to use tems like pitch or nil I'm talking to someone who knows enough about the sport to know what I mean, so it doesn't matter. I do generally use cleats instead of boots, but I don't say "strap them on". Reading the language is always entertaining, though. Go to mlsnet.com today and you will see that Dallas is 2 points adrift of SJ, a statement you would never hear in other sports.

[GoHawks4]

I say cleats.
I say pitch.
I say jersey and kit.
I say out of touch.
I call it football when I refer to the enite sport at a world wide level.

[empennage]

Originally posted by bungadiri
I'm pretty sure that "out of touch" (as in "the ball rolled out of touch") is roughly equivalent to "out of bounds" and "into touch" is its opposite: "in bounds".

Actually I'm pretty sure that "into touch" = out of play. The reasoning behind this is that when the ball is out of bounds a player can touch it with his hands.

You have to remember that the Brits think things differently than we do. We thing that bugs mean when I watched a game with an British announcer is how they use the plural form of team. They say, "England are playing well today", but we say"England is playing well today." I know it's a minor thing, but it totally bugs me because it seems like incorrect grammar.

[rcoull]

Originally posted by Motterman


4. Someone who has been immersed in English football for years and years and doesn't really give a toss about being grouped into a category.

5. Someone who is ACTUALLY English....

And being English I don't care what terms are used...my wife (who's American) and I interchange English/American words/phrases all day long (Garbage/Rubbish etc..) as I do at work (AluminIum/Aluminum etc)...I don't see what the big deal is...some say Potato etc..etc... we all love the sport and thats the important thing...

-Richard

[Own Goal Hat-Trick]

wow, people actually care about this...

does it REALLY matter if you say cleats or boots or even shoes or kit or shirt or stripe or jersey or nil or zero or nothing or zilch or pitch or field or team or side or mannschaft or supporters or fans or stadium or ground or football or soccer or futbol or fotbol or fussball or calcio.

and all of you who say americans shouldnt say the "english" words, do you say "pub"? ever? do you ever go out for a pint? is there anything wrong with saying either? how about going down to the bar for a pint, or down to the pub for a cold one? you could not give a toss, or, equally, you just couldnt give a ************.

why should anyone force themselves to have a strict closed minded vocabulary that is geocentric. if you know the terms, and you know what they mean, why not use them? whats wrong with having an expanded vocabulary like that.