The Name of Football in Various Languages
Exploring the Monikers of the Beautiful Game Across Languages. The sport we know as football bears different appellations in various tongues. Initially, it was christened "football" in England, and this name often persisted when the game found its way to foreign shores. However, as time passed, countries adopted more native-sounding titles.
 |
| The Name of Football in Various Languages |
For instance, when Argentina founded its inaugural football league in 1893, it was known as the "Argentine Association Football League." The governing body was dubbed the "Argentine Football Association." In 1912, the Argentine Football Association Hispanicized its name to "Asociación del Fútbol Argentina." In South America, after a few years, the sport also earned the title "fútbol criollo" (creole football).
A noteworthy distinction emerges when comparing the terms "football" and "soccer." While "football" is the prevailing term, "soccer" is widely embraced in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and a handful of other nations. In Italy, the game is known as "calcio," a name recognized beyond its borders.
In many cases, the local appellations maintain a strong resemblance to the English original. For instance, Brazil uses "futebol," while Spain adopts "fútbol." Remarkably, in France, "football" remains unchanged, spelling and all.
Multilingual Football: A Word Cloud
The sport of football boasts a rich linguistic tapestry worldwide. Here's a list of its monikers in different languages:
- soccer – American English (United States)
- fußball (fussball) – German
- futebol – Portuguese
- fútbol – Spanish
- calcio – Italian
- サッカー (sakkā) – Japanese
- फ़ुटबॉल (futabol) – Hindi.
- ফুটবল (futbol) – Bangla
- فوتبال (futbâl) – Persian
- футбол (futbol) – Russian, Bulgarian
- fotbal – Czech
- football – French
- voetbal – Dutch
- futbol – Turkish
- fotboll – Swedish, Norwegian.
Football Jargon in Different Languages
Many countries have retained original English terminology for various aspects of the game. For instance, in South America, "offside" remains in use. Here are some common football terms in multiple languages:
Italian:
- goal – "gol"
- penalty kick – "il rigore"
- corner – "il corner"
- goalkeeper – "il portiere"
- referee – "l'arbitro"
Portuguese:
- goal – "gol"
- penalty kick – "penalti"
- corner – "escanteio"
- goalkeeper – "goleiro"
- referee – "arbitro"
- offside – "impedimento"
Unveiling the linguistic tapestry of football, one can appreciate the captivating diversity of expressions for this beloved sport.
