kiltforhire

This isn’t so much a blog post more a post on my initial bafflement in Australia.

I came to Australia over seven years and I will never forget my first week, sitting in a pub and talking to some random strangers – as I am want to do.

They asked me which team I support. Rangers I said…and Partick Thistle. They asked me if that was Union or League.

I was baffled. Like seriously baffled. Leagure or Union!!?? But they are they are rugby codes not Fitba’ codes.

So I enquired. I asked them what they meant and they said Rugby Union or Rugby League. I then asked them why when we were talking about football they then started talking about rugby. They said in Australia there are three football codes: Rugby League, Rugby Union and Australian Rules Football.

So what do you call football I enquired. Soccer was the answer.

I pressed them on this and asked them which of the four sports used the foot + the ball more than any other. We all agreed that it was football aka soccer. Just in case you were curious the word soccer comes from Football a SOCCiation.

Since being here I have noticed the Football Federation of Australia have been doing their best to change the minds of masses from soccer to football, hell even the media call it that most of the time but alas I believe it is too deep in the Australian psyche that I doubt it will change. So if you ever come to Australia and someone asks you which football team you support – buy them a beer and ask them to explain 🙂

See also:
pants = trousers not underpants
thongs = flips flips not sexy ladies underpants
lollies = sweets not just lollipops (yeah I haven’t figured this one out yet)

If you know of any other words that Australians use that are different around the world – feel free to comment!