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Comment by sparky_z | Hacker News Reader

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?

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

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.

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

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