Soccer: World's most offensive noun?

[Gnevin]

In northern parts of England football would firstly refer to Rubgy

Really?
Newcastle? Sunderland?

Yes in northern of parts ie not the whole north , the parts where Rugby is the first game

[MW]

I mean ive experienced outrage at my use of football for soccer

When did gaelic start getting called football?
Just curious, as the Gaelic is Peil, so when did an english term start to be used for the sport.

My impression (and I stand to be corrected) is that there was uncodified 'football' (brought to Ireland by the 'English garrison' originally), often a mass game with towns and villages having giant 'battles' with few rules, then various English public schools developed their own versions, then attempts were made to codify the game to eable some sort of unified game, first by the Football Association (then by the International Football Association Board, when the Scottish FA, Irish FA and FA of Wales oined the FA to form international competition) on the one hand, and the 'rebels' of the Rugby Football Association on the other.

In Ireland, for reasons GAA members will be able to explain, in addition to the arrival of the two codes mentioned above (the Irish Football Union and the Northern Football Union of Ireland, playing the 'Rugby' code, were both formed in 1874, and mered as the Irish Rugby Football Union in 1879; the Irish Football Association, playing the 'Association' code, was formed in 1880), another, 'Gaelic' code was added in 1887 after the formation of the GAA.

As for American football, as I understand it the uncodified 'football' was taken to North America by British colonists, and inter-collegiate football developed throughout the 19th century - much like the English public schools, many having their own version. A decision was taken in the 1870s to codify the game for inter-collegiate competition, and the Rugby rules were the template adopted (the Rugby game being very opulat at Harvard, for example). American football has evovled from several major divergences from Rugby rules since then, beginning with Walter Camp of Yale in the 1870s and 1880s.

Anyhoo...I say don't get too het up by people calling whatever code by the name they prefer, and make some effort to make yourself understood if you're speaking to someone else.

[thejuice]

term Socer is an abrievaition of association football isnt it. For me I always call it soccer just not to confuse things with all the other versions of football i play or am interested in, i also use short hand versions for each.

football = Gaelic Football
aussie rules = Australian
NFL = American football
soccer = accosiation football

dont see why anyone would make a big deal out of this, but i guess some people would argue about the colour of the sky.

[Gnevin]

I mean ive experienced outrage at my use of football for soccer

When did gaelic start getting called football?
Just curious, as the Gaelic is Peil, so when did an english term start to be used for the sport.

In Ireland, for reasons GAA members will be able to explain, in addition to the arrival of the two codes mentioned above (the Irish Football Union and the Northern Football Union of Ireland, playing the 'Rugby' code, were both formed in 1874, and mered as the Irish Rugby Football Union in 1879; the Irish Football Association, playing the 'Association' code, was formed in 1880), another, 'Gaelic' code was added in 1887 after the formation of the GAA.

What are you trying to say?

[MW]

I mean ive experienced outrage at my use of football for soccer

When did gaelic start getting called football?
Just curious, as the Gaelic is Peil, so when did an english term start to be used for the sport.

In Ireland, for reasons GAA members will be able to explain, in addition to the arrival of the two codes mentioned above (the Irish Football Union and the Northern Football Union of Ireland, playing the 'Rugby' code, were both formed in 1874, and mered as the Irish Rugby Football Union in 1879; the Irish Football Association, playing the 'Association' code, was formed in 1880), another, 'Gaelic' code was added in 1887 after the formation of the GAA.

What are you trying to say?

I'm saying I don't know the reasons behind the development of the GAA's football code. I know a little bit about the reasons behind the development of the RFU's code - the clubs that played a version of football similar to that at Rugby school refused to join the FA in 1863, or quickly withdrew, because it outlawed such practices as hacking, tripping, running with the ball and holding (seemingly this focussed on hacking, though when the RFU was formed in 1871, it outlawed hacking too).

[DirtyDozen12]

dont see why anyone would make a big deal out of this, but i guess some people would argue about the colour of the sky.

Exactly right, mountain out of a molehil.  Who gives a crap what its called, i play both gaelic and soccer and last time i checked they both involved a ball and using your feet, therefore both are considered football!!!!! 

[Fiodoir Ard Mhacha]

make some effort to make yourself understood if you're speaking to someone else.

Ok, maybe call it English soccer, Scottish soccer, Norn Iron soccer etc..

[Donagh]

It the "insiders" plotting along with the GAA's Head Assimilator of Foreign Games.

[Gnevin]

I mean ive experienced outrage at my use of football for soccer

When did gaelic start getting called football?
Just curious, as the Gaelic is Peil, so when did an english term start to be used for the sport.

In Ireland, for reasons GAA members will be able to explain, in addition to the arrival of the two codes mentioned above (the Irish Football Union and the Northern Football Union of Ireland, playing the 'Rugby' code, were both formed in 1874, and mered as the Irish Rugby Football Union in 1879; the Irish Football Association, playing the 'Association' code, was formed in 1880), another, 'Gaelic' code was added in 1887 after the formation of the GAA.

What are you trying to say?

I'm saying I don't know the reasons behind the development of the GAA's football code. I know a little bit about the reasons behind the development of the RFU's code - the clubs that played a version of football similar to that at Rugby school refused to join the FA in 1863, or quickly withdrew, because it outlawed such practices as hacking, tripping, running with the ball and holding (seemingly this focussed on hacking, though when the RFU was formed in 1871, it outlawed hacking too).

Why do you need reason it was a just a set of rule put around games always played in Ireland. Just as Rugby of today has very little to do with rugby of 1870, I'm sure Gaelic football was close to its Caid roots in the early days

[MW]

I just think it'd be interesting to know - the evolution of football is an interesying topic. It could range from anything from the IFA and IRFU codes being unappealing to Gaelic football's founders, to them being too 'Anglo-genic', to them not being not close enough to the games played in parts of Ireland.

[The Gs Man]

Who gives a flying f**k?

[Donagh]

Who gives a flying f**k?

Not the IFA anyway:

http://www.google.co.uk/search?as_q=soccer&hl=en&num=10&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&lr=&as_ft=i&as_filetype=&as_qdr=all&as_occt=any&as_dt=i&as_sitesearch=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishfa.com%2F&as_rights=&safe=off

[The Gs Man]

Who gives a flying f**k?

Not the IFA anyway:

http://www.google.co.uk/search?as_q=soccer&hl=en&num=10&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&lr=&as_ft=i&as_filetype=&as_qdr=all&as_occt=any&as_dt=i&as_sitesearch=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishfa.com%2F&as_rights=&safe=off

Soccer it is then!   

[Evil Genius]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source

soc·cer      /ˈsɒkər/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[sok-er] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun a form of football played between two teams of 11 players, in which the ball may be advanced by kicking or by bouncing it off any part of the body but the arms and hands, except in the case of the goalkeepers, who may use their hands to catch, carry, throw, or stop the ball. 

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[Origin: 1890–95; (As)soc(iation football) + -er7]

Flicking through OWC I see yet another tirade against the innocuous word "soccer". Despite the fact it is commonly used in other countries such as USA or Australia (notably places where there are other variations of "football".)    I believe the australians affectionately refer to their team as the socceroos.   

However over in OWC-land soccer seems to be a token of oppression?   What the fcuk is that all about?

Surely it is not that hard to acknowledge that there is another variation of football played in Northern Ireland and that the shorthand of Gaelic/Soccer is a useful one?

/Jim.

As a courtesy on this site, I am happy to use "soccer" when referring to Association Football.

However, ever since I can remember from growing up in a mixed rural area where GAA was strong, I referred to the three footballing codes as "Football", "Gaelic" and "Rugby", with no further qualification. 

Moreover, in all but a bare handful of the 190-odd countries of the world, mention of the term "football" inevitably means what Pele called "The Beautiful Game".

Therefore I don't get too upset when certain people insist on using the term "soccer" (or require me to do so), since like a fleabite, this may be an irritation, but is rarely fatal.

P.S. It almost amuses me when people make statements like: "... other countries such as the USA or Australia". How many more can they name? Indeed it is especially amusing when these are cited by GAA fans; after all, its not as if the Yanks or Aussies say "soccer" in order to distinguish it from Gaelic Football...

P.P.S. Following the recent revamp of the game in Australia, including the new A-League, plus their success in the World Cup, the Governing Body has renamed itself "Football Federation Australia", mildly discourages the term "soccer", and has at last recognised what the rest of the world (bar the USA and parts of Ireland etc) has long known: the game is"football" - see www.footballaustralia.com.au.
So that's one less on the list of "soccer-speakers"!

[Rossfan]

P.S. It almost amuses me when people make statements like: "... other countries such as the USA or Australia". How many more can they name? 

As most Countries dont speak Sacs Béarla they are hardly relevant to this debate.