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Comment by albertopv | Hacker News Reader

you mean football, as it's said all around the world outside of US, right?

Because the term "football" can have different meanings depending on where you are, but the term "soccer" is unambiguous and known to everybody*, it would make sense to exclusively use the term "soccer" when writing for an international audience, no?

Some people didn't manage to properly play Rugby so they named it "football".

> to properly play

It's ironic that in a dispute over correct writing, you've split your infinitive. "Properly to play" or "to play properly" are correct English grammar.

'Merica.

That is an archaic, prescriptivist opinion, not an actual grammar rule in English. There are many style guides but those are opinions, not rules.

Just because a couple hundred years ago, the British had a Latin fetish and tried to shoehorn in new rules doesn't mean anyone should ever follow them.

I'm sorry. I'm not a native English speaker and probably I watch too many american movies. Or should I say films?

Don't worry, some stuffed shirts made up the rule wholesale in the 1830s and a particular kind of pedant has been pushing it ever since. It's never been true.

Yeah, this is an odd quirk of some British grammars that wanted to imitate Latin. It's not an actual rule, and those grammars have been retired long ago.

Additionally, the term "soccer" was/is Oxford "-er" slang for Association football. The US might use it, but England coined it.

The majority of the worlds population call what you do in the US “American Football”.

Australia, much of Southeast Asia, and South Africa and its neighbors also use soccer.

- https://www.businessinsider.com/football-vs-soccer-map-2013-...

- https://www.businessinsider.com/why-americans-call-it-soccer...

Ask a football fan which countries they think of? Brazil, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, etc... Not the U.S., Canada, and ... Southeast Asia? The same is inversely true for hockey.

Countries that are new to football calling it "soccer" are like countries new to hockey calling it "ice-golf": there are other ways to be unique and draw attention.

Australia is now officially calling it football rather than soccer, they renamed their national association accordingly a few years back.

To someone who always called it football, the word "soccer" feels like a needless neologism.

To be fair, outside of US almost everyone calls this sport American Football, whereas the local translation of football in most countries simply refers to "soccer" ;)

Yes, Foosball is great. No need to run around a field or anything, and easily scales from 1 vs 1, 2vs2, and even 4vs4 play.

Hm, Foosball on the other hand is also a widespread word for table football...

Americans and Aussies always seem to confuse football with concussionball.

Handegg

You might be surprised to learn what the foot in football (all varieties) actually refers to.

I mean association football, which is known as soccer.

Football: the metric system of sports, popular everywhere except the US.

In Mexico it's called fútbol not football

Look at those two words for a while.

In Italy it's calcio (as in kick) but there are plenty of Football Clubs in Serie A.

Soccer in Canada as well.

No it isn't. Also why is it only ok to shit on the way Americans say things but not anyone else?

I guess your culture says nothing strangely eh?

> Also why is it only ok to shit on the way Americans say things but not anyone else?

Because A), in 99% of cases it is only the US that does shit weirdly, and above all, B) because in 99% of those cases, Americans are so fucking ultra-annoying in assuming their parochial way is The Gold Standard.

HTH!

Do Americans still use miles and Fahrenheit degrees? If so, shouldn't anyone do that in order to not be confusing?

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