The English language word "football" may mean any one of several games, or the ball used in that game, depending on the national or regional origin/location of the person using the word. Because of the existence of different codes — that is, sets of rules — of "football", confusion or controversy may result from unqualified usage of the word. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... A football is a ball used to play one of the different sports known as football. ... One of the most influential doctrines in history is that all humans are divided into groups called nations. ... Look up Region in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Look up Football in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

In countries where English is a first language, the word "football" generally means the most popular form of football in that country. Because of the large population of the United States, relative to other English-speaking countries, American football is the game most commonly called "football", by native speakers of English. However, of the 45 national FIFA affiliates in which English is the main or official language, only the federations of Canada, Samoa and the United States have "soccer" in their names. This is because many countries, with relatively small populations of native English speakers, nevertheless have English as an official or main language, and favour British English usage, thus using "football" for Association football. Also, use of the word football by the other 42 affiliates does not necessarily reflect popular usage of the word "football" in their countries. For example, controversy has arisen in both Australia and New Zealand, because — while the majority of people in both countries use the word "soccer" — the national governing bodies in both countries, in the early 21st century, decided to rename themselves, using the word "football" instead of "soccer", and to insist on unqualified use of the word "football" for their code. This is a list of countries of the world sorted by the total English-speaking population in that country. ... United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA, French for International Federation of Association Football) is the international governing body of association football. ... British English (BrE) is a broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere. ... Football (soccer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... The 21st century is the present century of the Anno Domini (common) era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ...

In addition to American football and Association football, the word "football", used in isolation, may refer to other codes, such as Australian rules football, Canadian football, Gaelic football, or one of the two codes of rugby football: rugby league or rugby union. High marking is a key skill and spectator attribute of Aussie Rules Precise field and goal kicking using the oval shaped ball is the key skill in Aussie Rules Football Australian rules football, also known as Australian football, Aussie rules, or simply football or footy is a code of football... Canadian football is a sport in which two teams of twelve players each compete for territorial control of a field of play 110 yards (100. ... Gaelic football (Irish: Peil or Caid ), commonly referred to as football, Gaelic or GAA (gah), is a form of football played mainly in Ireland. ... A BCRFC match at Boston College Rugby football, often just referred to as rugby, refers to sports descended from a common form of football developed at Rugby School in England. ... Rugby league football is a full-contact team sport played by two teams of thirteen on a rectangular grass field. ... A rugby union scrum. ...

There are also many non-English languages where the common term for Association football uses a phonetically similar word to the English term "football". (See the Football (soccer) names article.) The names of football refer to the terms used to describe the sport most commonly referred to as either football or soccer in the English speaking world. ...

Etymology

While it is widely believed that the word football, or "foot ball", originated in reference to the action of a foot kicking a ball, this may be a false etymology. An alternative explanation has it that the word originally referred to a variety of games in medieval Europe, which were played on foot.^[1] These sports were usually played by peasants, as opposed to the horse-riding sports more often played by aristocrats. This explanation is supported by the fact that the word football has always implied a wide variety of games played on foot, not just those that revolved around kicking a ball. In some cases, the word has been applied to games which involved carrying a ball and specifically banned kicking. For example, the English writer William Hone, writing in 1825 or 1826, quotes the social commentator Sir Frederick Morton Eden, regarding a game — which Hone refers to as "Foot-Ball" — played in the parish of Scone, Scotland: A false etymology is an assumed or postulated etymology which is incorrect from the perspective of modern scholarly work in historical linguistics. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... In a detail of Brueghels Land of Cockaigne (1567) a soft-boiled egg has little feet to rush to the luxuriating peasant who catches drops of honey on his tongue, while roast pigs roam wild: in fact, hunger and harsh winters were realities for the average European in the... A young rider at a horse show in Australia. ... Aristocracy is a form of government in which rulership is in the hands of an upper class known as aristocrats. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the King (Queen) England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II  -  Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification  -  by Athelstan 967  Area... William Hone (June 3, 1780 - November 6, 1842) was an English writer and bookseller. ... Opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway 1825 (MDCCCXXV) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Sir Frederick Morton Eden (June 18, 1766 - November 14, 1809) English writer on poverty and pioneering social investigator. ... Scone is a large village, a mile north of Perth, Scotland. ...

The game was this: he who at any time got the ball into his hands, run [sic] with it till overtaken by one of the opposite part; and then, if he could shake himself loose from those on the opposite side who seized him, he run on; if not, he threw the ball from him, unless it was wrested from him by the other party, but no person was allowed to kick it.^[2] [Emphasis added].

However, there is no conclusive evidence for either theory regarding the origins of the word.

The word "soccer" originated as an "Oxford '-er'" slang abbreviation of "association", and was popularised by a prominent English footballer, Charles Wreford-Brown. This origin is evident in the sometimes-heard variation, "soccer football". The Oxford -er is a colloquial, sometimes facetious, abbreviation once prevalent at Oxford University (from about 1875), which gave rise to such slang as rugger for Rugby football, soccer for Association football and the now archaic footer for either code (but more usually soccer). ... Charles Wreford Brown Charles Wreford Brown (9 October 1866 _ 26 November 1951) is usually credited with inventing the word soccer as an abbreviation for association football. ...

Usage

Australia

In Australia, the word "football" has at least four different meanings, depending on geographical location and/or cultural factors. Australians usually mean Australian rules football or rugby league and rugby union when they use the word football, although some people refer to association football (soccer) as "football". The Australian men's soccer team is commonly known by the nickname "Socceroos" (the country's women's team is known as the "Matildas"). High marking is a key skill and spectator attribute of Aussie Rules Precise field and goal kicking using the oval shaped ball is the key skill in Aussie Rules Football Australian rules football, also known as Australian football, Aussie rules, or simply football or footy is a code of football... Rugby league football is a full-contact team sport played by two teams of thirteen on a rectangular grass field. ... A rugby union scrum. ... First international New Zealand 3 - 1 Australia (Dunedin, New Zealand; June 17, 1922) Biggest win Australia 31 - 0 American Samoa (Coffs Harbour, Australia; April 11, 2001) Biggest defeat Australia 0 - 8 South Africa (Adelaide, Australia; September 17, 1955) World Cup Appearances 2 (First in 1974) Best result Round 2, 2006... First International Australia 2 – 2 New Zealand Sutherland, Sydney, Australia; 6 October 1979 Largest win Australia 21 – 0 American Samoa Auckland, New Zealand; 9 October 1998 Worst defeat United States 9 - 1 Australia Ambler, PA, United States; 5 June 1997 World Cup Appearances 3 (First in 1995) Best result Round...

Most Australians fall into five categories when it comes to using the word football:

• In most of the Australian states, the word "football", or its shortened form "footy", refers to Australian rules football (which is also called "Australian football" or "Aussie rules"). Although most people in these states are aware that there are two forms of rugby football, both are often referred to simply as "rugby".
• Most people in the states of New South Wales and Queensland, in which rugby league is the most popular code, refer to both rugby league and rugby union simply as "football" or "footy". Australian rules is often known in these areas incorrectly as "AFL" (a name which, strictly speaking, refers to the main governing body and competition within the code). However, in some regions within New South Wales and Queensland, Australian rules is popular, and "football" may refer to that code.
• Rugby union is usually referred simply as "rugby" by its followers, who generally refer to rugby league as "league". However, the same people sometimes use the word "football" for one or both games.
• In areas in which two or more codes of football are popular, especially the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory, the Riverina and Cape York, the word "football" could refer to any code. The names "Aussie rules" (or just "rules"), "league", "union" and "soccer" are usually used, to avoid confusion.
• Association football is commonly known as soccer in Australia. In 2004, the governing body changed its name to Football Federation Australia, and began to refer to soccer as "football", causing controversy. Sports reporters at the Special Broadcasting Service, the Sydney Morning Herald, and several other Sydney-based outlets now refer to the code as "football", without qualification. However, national media organisations, and those in other major cities, generally still use the word soccer. Association football is hardly ever referred to as "footy" in Australia.

In Australia, American football, which has a small following, is sometimes known as gridiron, but is equally referred to simply as American football, without confusion. The states and territories of Australia make up the Commonwealth of Australia under a federal system of government. ... Capital Sydney Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Professor Marie Bashir Premier Morris Iemma (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 50  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $305,437 (1st)  - Product per capita  $45,153/person (4th) Population (End of March 2006)  - Population  6,817,100 (1st)  - Density  8. ... Capital Brisbane Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Quentin Bryce Premier Peter Beattie (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 28  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $158,506 (3rd)  - Product per capita  $40,170/person (6th) Population (End of September 2006)  - Population  4,070,400 (3rd)  - Density  2. ... This article is about the national league in Australian rules football. ... Capital Canberra Government Constitutional monarchy Administrator none Chief Minister Jon Stanhope (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 2  - Senate seats 2 Gross Territorial Product (2006)  - Product ($m)  $19,167 (6th)  - Product per capita  $57,303/person (1st) Population (End of November 2006)  - Population  333,667 (7th)  - Density  137. ... Capital Darwin Government Const. ... The Riverina is a prosperous agricultural region of south-western New South Wales (NSW), Australia. ... Categories: Australia geography stubs | Peninsulas | Headlands ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Football Federation Australia (FFA) is the governing body for the sport of football (soccer) in Australia. ... The Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) is one of two government funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television networks, the other being the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). ... ... The Sydney Opera House on Sydney Harbour Sydney (pronounced ) is the most populous city in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of over 4,200,000 people, and 151,920, in the city limits. ... Gridiron football is a term that refers to both American football and Canadian football. ...

Canada

In Canada, "football" can refer to either Canadian football or American football, often differentiated as either "CFL" (from the governing Canadian Football League) or "NFL" (from the US National Football League). Because of the similarity between the games, many people in both countries do not consider the two styles of football separate sports per se, but rather different codes of the same sport. If a Canadian were to say, "My brother plays football in the States", it would be clear from context that American football is meant. Association football, which is rapidly gaining in popularity, is called soccer. Lions Stampeders Eskimos Roughriders Blue Bombers Tiger-Cats Argonauts Alouettes The Canadian Football League (CFL), also known by its French name, Ligue canadienne de football (LCF), is a professional sports league located in Canada that plays Canadian football, and is the second most popular sports league in Canada. ... The National Football League (NFL) is the largest and most prestigious professional American football league, consisting of thirty-two teams from American cities and regions. ... United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ...

The usage of football, to mean the local code, is so strong in Canada that Canadian football is referred to as le football among French-speaking Canadians, and Association football is le soccer.

The Caribbean

In the English-speaking Caribbean, with the exception of the Bahamas, "football" and "soccer" are both used to refer to association football, but use of the word "football" is far more common. American football is exclusively referred to as "American football" and is largely unknown apart from American television. The nickname of the Trinidad & Tobago team, "The Soca Warriors", refers to a style of music, not the word soccer. First International Trinidad and Tobago 3 - 3 Dutch Guiana (Trinidad and Tobago; August 6, 1934) Largest win Trinidad and Tobago 11 - 0 Aruba (Port-of-Spain, T&T; June ?, 1989) Worst defeat Mexico 7 - 0 Trinidad and Tobago (Mexico City, Mexico; October 8, 2000) World Cup Appearances 0 (First in... Soca, or soul calypso, is a dance music that originated in Trinidad from calypso. ...

Ireland

In Ireland, "football" can mean association football or Gaelic football, depending on which code predominates within the speaker's community and political affiliation: Gaelic football (Irish: Peil or Caid ), commonly referred to as football, Gaelic or GAA (gah), is a form of football played mainly in Ireland. ...

• In urban areas of both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, "football" usually means association football.
• Ulster Unionists in Northern Ireland never refer to Gaelic football as "football".
• In rural areas, particularly the west of Ireland, "football" usually means Gaelic football.
• For many people, either sport may be called "football" depending on the context; conversely, without context, "football" is avoided because of its ambiguity. This is the approach taken by most of the Republic of Ireland media.

Association football, when not called "football", is called "soccer". Gaelic football is often referred to informally as "gaelic" or "gah" (pronounced ([gæː]), or less accurately as "GAA" or "GAA football" after its governing body, the Gaelic Athletic Association (which also governs other Gaelic sports). Anthem: UK: God Save the Queen Regional: (de facto) Londonderry Air Capital Belfast Largest city Belfast Official languages English (de facto), Irish, Ulster Scots 3, BSL, NISL, ISL Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister of the UK Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Ian Paisley  - Deputy First Minister... In the context of Irish politics, Unionists are people in Northern Ireland, who wish to see the continuation of the Act of Union 1800, as amended by the Government of Ireland Act 1920, under which Northern Ireland, created in that latter Act, remains part of the United Kingdom of Great... The media in Ireland includes all the media and communications outlets of any other developed nation. ... A stylised Celtic cross serves as the traditional logo of the GAA. The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) (Irish: Cumann Lúthchleas Gael) is an organisation which is mostly focussed on promoting Gaelic Games - traditional Irish sports, such as hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball, and rounders. ...

New Zealand

In New Zealand, "football" usually refers to rugby union, but depending on context can also refer to rugby league or association football. It is, however, considered inappropriate to refer to "football" without supporting context as to which code the speaker means, so as to avoid confusion. Therefore while it is not uncommon for "football" (or the slang term "footie") to be used to refer to rugby union within context, it is usually not used otherwise. "Rugby", which almost universally refers to rugby union, is mostly used without any existing context. Rugby league is usually called "rugby league" or simply "league". Association football is usually called soccer. Australian rules football and American football are not very widespread, and are known as Aussie Rules and gridiron respectively. A rugby union scrum. ... A rugby union scrum. ... Rugby league football is a full-contact team sport played by two teams of thirteen on a rectangular grass field. ... Gridiron football is a term that refers to both American football and Canadian football. ...

South Africa

In South Africa, the names "football" and soccer are both used for association football, however "soccer" is more common. Rugby union is called "rugby".

United Kingdom

An example of the word "soccer" used in London in August 2006.

As in other English-speaking countries, the unqualified use of "football" in the United Kingdom tends to refer to the most popular code of football in the country, which in the case of England and Scotland is association football. However the term "soccer" is used by some, and understood by all as a slang term for association football in the same way that rugger is used for rugby union. For fans who are more interested in other codes of football, within their sporting community, the use the word football may refer to their own code and they may call association football soccer for brevity and clarity. However even within such sporting communities an unqualified mention of football would usually be a reference to association football. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2576x1932, 799 KB) Taken in London, August 2006 I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2576x1932, 799 KB) Taken in London, August 2006 I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the King (Queen) England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II  -  Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification  -  by Athelstan 967  Area... Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Cha togar mfhearg gun dioladh (Scottish Gaelic)1 Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II  -  Prime... A BCRFC match at Boston College Rugby football, often just rugby, may refer to a number of sports descended from a common form of football developed at Rugby School in England. ... A rugby union scrum. ...

In rugby union and rugby league circles, these games are sometimes referred to as "football". A rugby union scrum. ... Rugby league football is a full-contact team sport played by two teams of thirteen on a rectangular grass field. ...

Irish nationalists in Northern Ireland may use "football" for Gaelic football (see above). Outside the nationalist community in Northern Ireland, Gaelic football is usually known as Gaelic football. Irish nationalism refers to political movements that desire greater autonomy or the independence of Ireland from Great Britain. ... Anthem: UK: God Save the Queen Regional: (de facto) Londonderry Air Capital Belfast Largest city Belfast Official languages English (de facto), Irish, Ulster Scots 3, BSL, NISL, ISL Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister of the UK Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Ian Paisley  - Deputy First Minister...

Australian rules football and American football are not played or watched by many in the UK. Australian rules football is usually known as Australian football, or Australian rules. Likewise American football is usually known by that name, although Channel 4 popularised the use of the term gridiron when it showed American football on Saturday evenings in 1982-92, and this term is still used by some people.^[3]. It has been suggested that Channel Four Television Corporation be merged into this article or section. ...

United States

In the United States, the word "football" refers to American football. Association football is called "soccer". Soccer is a less popular spectator sport, though it does have a considerable following, particularly among younger people and immigrants. Soccer is one of the most popular participatory sports in the United States among children (though its popularity is equalled or eclipsed by other sports in certain regions, especially baseball and ice hockey). Rugby union is generally known as rugby, with the "union" name rarely used. Gaelic football and rugby league have very small, albeit growing numbers of adherents. Australian rules football also has a very small following, but is known simply as "footy" by those who watched the Fosters highlights on ESPN and also by the sport's governing body in the country which often refers to itself "US Footy". Most people in the US are not usually aware of the distinction between rugby union and rugby league, and consequently both are referred to simply as "rugby". Because of the number of American players in the Canadian Football League, a small number of Americans follow Canadian football, which is occasionally broadcast on American cable channels. Because of the similarity between American and Canadian football, many people in both countries do not consider the two styles of football separate sports per se, but rather different codes of the same sport. If an American were to say, "My brother plays football in Canada", it would be clear from context that Canadian football is meant. United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... A view of the playing field at Busch Memorial Stadium, St. ... Ice hockey, known simply as hockey in areas where it is more common than field hockey, is a team sport played on ice. ... The United States Australian Football League (also known informally as the USAFL or US Footy) is an Australian rules football league that was conceived in 1996 and organized in 1997. ... Lions Stampeders Eskimos Roughriders Blue Bombers Tiger-Cats Argonauts Alouettes The Canadian Football League (CFL), also known by its French name, Ligue canadienne de football (LCF), is a professional sports league located in Canada that plays Canadian football, and is the second most popular sports league in Canada. ... Canadian football is a sport in which two teams of twelve players each compete for territorial control of a field of play 110 yards (100. ... Canadian football is a sport in which two teams of twelve players each compete for territorial control of a field of play 110 yards (100. ...

"Football" as a loanword

Main article: Football (soccer) names

Several languages use the English word "football" and corruptions of it as loanwords for Association football (soccer). That is, these words bear little or no resembalance to the native words for "foot" and "ball". Examples include: The names of football refer to the terms used to describe the sport most commonly referred to as either football or soccer in the English speaking world. ... A loanword (or loan word) is a word directly taken into one language from another with little or no translation. ...

• Catalan: futbol
• French: football
• Portuguese: futebol
• Spanish: fútbol
• Turkish: futbol

This has contributed to the adoption of the word football into the artificial language Interlingua. Interlingua is an international auxiliary language (IAL) published in 1951 by the International Auxiliary Language Association (IALA). ...

By contrast, many languages have calques of "football": speakers of those languages have devised equivalent terms by simply combining their words for "foot" and "ball". However, in German, "Football" is a loanword for American football. The German word Fußball, a calque of "football" (Fuß = "foot", Ball = "ball"), means Association football (soccer). // In linguistics, a calque (pronounced ) or loan translation is a word or phrase borrowed from another language by literal, word-for-word (Latin: verbum pro verbo) or root-for-root translation. ... United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... Football (soccer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...

Metaphorical meanings

A political football refers to a political issue that is used primarily as part of the 'political game', rather than as an issue to be addressed.

The nuclear football refers to the briefcase which accompanies the President of the United States, containing codes which would enable him or her to launch a nuclear attack, should the need arise. This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. ... Nuclear war, or atomic war, is war in which nuclear weapons are used. ...

Further reading

• Steve Boughey Soccer: Alan Shearer in town this week, Auckland Herald on Sunday, October 3, 2006. This article shows how soccer is used for association football in New Zealand and Australia and how Alan Shearer, a former captain of the English association football team, uses the term soccer to avoid confusion while visiting Australia and New Zealand.

Schematic map of Auckland. ... This article is about a newspaper. ... October 3 is the 276th day of the year (277th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Alan Shearer OBE (born 13 August 1970 in Gosforth, Tyne and Wear) is an English former professional footballer who played for the English national team and three English Premiership clubs: Southampton, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United. ...

Footnotes

1. ^ ICONS Online (commissioned by the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport; no date) "History of Football"; sports historian Bill Murray, quoted by The Sports Factor, 2002, "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport" (Radio National, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, May 31, 2002) and Michael Scott Moore, "Naming the Beautiful Game: It's Called Soccer" (Der Spiegel, June 7, 2006); (U.S.) Professional Football Researchers Association, (no date) "A Freendly Kinde of Fight: The Origins of Football to 1633". Access date for all references: February 11, 2007.
2. ^ William Hone, 1825-26, The Every-Day Book, "February 15." Access date: March 15, 2007.
3. ^ Matt Tench California dreaming The Observer September 2, 2001.