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Denver, 1:41 PM
Mon Nov 9
36 posts in the last 24 hours
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11/05/09
11/05/09
Otherwise unless it's a really important strategy requiring game - I never felt the reason to talk. Plus my voice sounds awful on the mic. #valve
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Once years back during an epic game of Warhawk were strangers came together to actually communicate, we had this awesome Brit calling out 'suggestions' from some vantage point. I say suggestions, because he wasn't directly ordering us, and not being an ass about it.
His jovial attitude and sharp eyes helped us win. #valve
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Our American members are certainly among the most talkative of us all (and probably the loudest too) and they can bring a great life to the TS channel.
Us Irish folk talk quite a bit too but it tends to side more along the lines of: "Ya fecker","Ya Bastid","Ya hump!", "I'm gonna shove that knife up your arse in a minute", etc. You get the picture, it's all in good fun though.
The couple of Brits and Welsh we have are pretty quite, it has to be said, they will however let you know when they've got you good with a smarmy laugh.
Our Belgian and German contingent are both talkative and quiet at the same time...if that makes any sense.
Anywho, while I'd rather not listen to a bunch of prepubescents shouting and trying to be funny over their mic, it is good craic to have a lively channel of good natured folk when gaming - There's nothing like hearing the screams and curses of your victims! #valve
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The people of Northern Ireland are also technically British, that doesn't mean however that they all like to be called British, I was merely trying to avoid any offense. #valve
11/05/09
Warning, the video DOES have some foul language, so it might be NSFW or you of delicate sensibilities. #valve
11/05/09
You know they're called football hooligans, right?
Soccer hooligans are those middle america moms you see shouting off on the side of school games. #valve
11/05/09
The term "football" pretty much applied to any sport evolving at the time (turn of the 18th century) that didn't take place on the back of a horse. USUALLY including kicking the ball into a goal, but even Rugby, Cricket, and Baseball were considered "football" at the time, just different areas within.
After a while, the most popular sport of that region became synonymous with "football," while the others became known as their sub-class names (the previously mentioned Rugby/Cricket/Baseball.)
Of course, some sports surged in popularity past the sport that claimed the "football" moniker (like Baseball in America, though football seems to be overtaking it these days). But overall, "football" usually refers to the popular sport of the region. Yes, most of the world knows Soccer as "Football," but the North American version of "Football" referring to gridiron sport and the use of said term is no less valid as they both evolved at the same time.
Of course, you couldn't have two sports named "football" and not be confused, so the North American solution was to call it by what it was called before "football" referred to a single sport. That was, of course, Soccer. Well, that's not quite right either.
[www.gavinrymill.com]
The accepted origin of the word "soccer" is that its a contraction of the word "Association" with reference to "Association Football". The Football Association was formed in October 1863 when the rules were standardised by a meeting of eleven clubs. With one of the written rules now being that the carrying of the ball was not permitted this finally set in stone the biggest practical different between Association Football and Rugby Football.
In 1889 the word was "socca", later it was "socker" in 1891 and finally seemed to settle on "soccer" by 1895. The word is supposed to have evolved in University slang, created by shortening the word "Association" and adding "er". They had other expressions such as "brekkers" for "breakfast" and "rugger" for "rugby."
So we call them Soccer Hooligans. Still a perfectly valid use of the word with the same meaning, just a cultural difference.
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Care to qualify that somehow? Because to me, football will always be gridiron. #valve
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@PapaBear434:
I object. #valve
11/05/09
Cut and paste Wikipedia all you want. Football is football, America only calls it soccer because Rugby was changed slightly and given that name already. Besides all of the above scripture is irrelevant because..
@Football holligan' is a C20th European media-coined-term so it is what it is. Sure you can go and change it up and write a dissertation to back yourself up but it's still different.
I won't go into American mis-pronunciation of certain words (also called 'cultural differance or US English) as that would be rude and unfair, plus I'd need to write my own dissertation to go along with it.
Gummi bears for effort though! :D #valve
11/05/09
So, I'm wrong, even though I have history to back it up, but you're right because you say so?
Sorry, guy, not the way it works. #valve
11/05/09
@PapaBear434: #valve
11/05/09
It had to do with playing it on foot, as in "Not on the back of a horse" like most sports of the day did. Not the ball, not what you did WITH the foot, just that you were playing on foot.
History is forgotten by popular culture, but it doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. #valve
11/05/09
Simply put, at the turn of the 18th century, ALL sports not played on horseback was known as "football." It was played "on foot." Things evolved from there.
Cricket came to be around the same time, along with baseball, "soccer," and other sports. You would ask someone if they wanted to play a game of "football," and they would say "Sure, what do you want to play?" because it wasn't immediately clear what you wanted to play, only that you didn't want to play polo. #valve
11/05/09
Did you not even read the entire POINT of the name? It wasn't referring to what you smack the ball with, it was referring to how it is played. On foot or on a horse.
I realize the irony of the name NOW, considering almost all sports are played on foot and the fact that gridiron football has very little foot or ball involved. But in historical context, there is a reason. #valve
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11/05/09
You could be right there, only "Baseball" in it's early incarnations was known as Football, or "Base Football." Kind of just added the "Base," like you would take tag and make it "Freeze Tag." Eventually, it was just baseball.
Since Cricket and Baseball or cousins, and they came into being around the same time, it's not a huge assumption to think they would be classified under the same moniker.
So no, I don't have an actual link proving it. But it doesn't take a big intellectual leap to come to the conclusion. #valve
11/05/09
No, I'm right because I have half the world to back me up, you're wrong because you have a bunch of words that say so.
As it happens, that's actually the way law, language and culture works. Literally. #valve
11/05/09
Firstly because no-one really knows the true etymology of the word football. It could be because it is a game played on foot with a ball or because it is a game where you kick the ball with your foot. No-one really knows.
And secondly because the etymology of a word means jack shit in regards to its current meaning. The only thing that matters in regards to a words meaning is what the majority of people think it means and the majority of people think football refers to a game where 22 men kick a spherical ball around a pitch with their feet.
Don't even try to argue that Gridiron is anything like as popular worldwide as Association football. #valve
11/05/09
Just because the majority of the world thinks the word "Ironic" as defined by Alanis Morissette is correct doesn't mean it is.
Just because the majority of the world population thinks "football" only means Association football doesn't make it right, either.
Besides, the etymology of the word is pretty well documented, as even Websters notes the history concerning many sports. You're just sticking your head in the sand regarding the facts involved.
As for the popularity, I never tried to say American football was as popular as soccer. Obviously, that's not the case. But here in the States, yes, it's MUCH more popular and we have adopted the name to our sport, just as others have done.
And it's easy to see why, as it's a very uniquely American in it's sensibilities. The idea of two armies, lining up against each other, holding the line and not letting other other push past. The "this is my territory and you shalt... Not... PASS!" is a very much American bullheadedness in sport form.
Soccer (Football, if it makes you feel better) is all about the speed and endurance, where American gridiron is all about the strategy and trying to out-maneuver the other team. #valve
11/05/09
"Just because the majority of the world thinks the word "Ironic" as defined by Alanis Morissette is correct doesn't mean it is. "
Incorrect. If the majority of people think that the Alanis Morissette version of the word ironic is the real meaning of the word, then that is the real meaning of the word. If you don't like that, become French, because thats how the English language works: majority rules.
"Besides, the etymology of the word is pretty well documented, as even Websters notes the history concerning many sports. You're just sticking your head in the sand regarding the facts involved."
Incorrect. While the word "football" has been used to describe many games played on foot that involve a ball, the earliest recorded usage of the word football (in the 15th century I believe) described the ball, rather than the game. Logic follows that if you are describing the ball of the game as a "football" that the game itself involes using your feet to move the ball, rather than it being a generic term to describe a ball related game played on foot.
"As for the popularity, I never tried to say American football was as popular as soccer. Obviously, that's not the case. But here in the States, yes, it's MUCH more popular and we have adopted the name to our sport, just as others have done. "
You missed my point. An English word means whatever the majority of English speakers think it means. Gay, bad, wicked, cool, cheap, dirty, fag etc.
All of these words used to mean something entirely different to their current meaning. If we follow your logic, faggot means a bundle of sticks. Thats what it originally meant. But I know a fag as a ciggarette as do most British people. Most English speakers however know it as a pejorative term for a homosexual. No-one refers to a bundle of sticks as a faggot anymore so while it still technically can mean that, the true modern usage of the word has nothing to do with sticks because the majority of people do not think it means that.
"The "this is my territory and you shalt... Not... PASS!" is a very much American bullheadedness in sport form."
Except that its just an American version of the British sport Rugby (with more padding and tighter trousers). #valve
11/05/09
Your argument would only hold water if everyone used "Football" in the same context, and I personally was the only one saying this.
Unfortunately, a quarter of the world understands football in American context, the other 3/4 goes to you.
That's still a big disagreement. #valve
11/05/09
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11/05/09
Yeah I don't tend to talk, but mainly cos we get along fine without it.
I don't tend to use mic at all in random servers or macthmaking on console. If I'm playing with friends I'll use mic, but its mainly for natter, very little tactical talk going on.
Or we use it to sing Still Alive :P
Edit: In co-op I'll definitely be using a mic. can't play any co-op modes without it.
Edit2: also how the hell are we meant to talk into the mic as we are writing a strongly worded letter. We don't do smack talk, we do letters.
Edit3: I've just realised, Kotakuites server is the only American one I play.
admittedly I am admin so if any Americans do start talking smack a quick /admin soles it.
11/05/09
...Maybe they're just genetically superior to the lower Brits. #valve
11/05/09
11/05/09
Probably because they drink so much iron brew, gets them a bit hyperactive. #valve
11/05/09
Though I am gonna say right now that IRN BRU is delicious. #valve
11/05/09
TBH i'm not bothered about a leader, i just got out and try and shoot people in the head. But yeah the iron brew dudes are serious bidnizz (business). #valve
11/05/09
...Or maybe not? Scotland is part of Britain genius, so I think you're statement shows that it's complete farsical BS.
If you're Scottish to boot that makes it all the funnier. #valve
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And no, not Scottish. Welsh-descended Londoner, so about as far from Scotch as you can get and still be a Brit. #valve
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Call it stereotyping if you will, but there's a good reason that USA gamers are on the world's shit list. We don't exactly make an effort to dispel the negative image we've gained. #valve
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Ah now there stabbing people in prisons :)
(British only joke there) #valve
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I'm so sorry americans you have done nothing to make me want to engage in voice chat with you. The vast majority of you come across as complete dicks who's only insults seems to be the words 'fag' and 'n00b'. Everybody that I've met on live who haven't been utter C*ntrags have been Aussies, Brits, Irish and Canadians. I'll talk to them. In a privatre party. Where the Americans aren't allowed. #valve
11/05/09
I guess there's a bit of prejudice on both sides of the pond regarding the other... If I mention I'm from Britain I will almost always without fail be trolled about my consumption of tea and crumpets (something as retarded as me saying all Americans drink cool aid and eat blocks of unprocessed lard) or be told to speak real English whenever I say a word beyond 3 syllables, whereas if there's a bunch of Americans with thick regional accents drawling away on the other side of the tubes, eating down his headset and uttering redundant crap, there's less of a temptation to converse.
I went through an irritating phase back when I still paid for xbox live where I didn't meet one single American who wasn't a dick for about 3 months, and the first "American" to be cool turned out to be Canadian. I know the Xbox Live trolls aren't representative of the entire American population, but their frequency is enough to make me not want to talk to them! #valve
11/05/09
Then when I said something he said "I don't know what you are saying, speak English" which is pretty ironic when you come from England and to be told that by someone who bastardises the language every day. #valve
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I wonder if that makes your statement a double irony.
Any~hoo, I could probably recount stories of annoying Aussies, Canadians, and Brits, but that would be silly of course. People that are considered "trolls" online are usually just people determined to win by any means - sort of like trying to take out a batter during a pitch or shake up someone when crossing them on the field. It's stupid and unnecessary, but that's what you get when most schools are sports driven.
I usually just tune those types out by remembering that, "hey batta batta batta batta swi~ng," never worked on the field. #valve
11/05/09
Not every American is a stunning asshole, my friends, and not every British man is a well-mannered gentleman. National stereotypes *do* go both ways, even if the generalizations appear to be accurate. #valve
11/05/09
Anyway, opened my mouth to speak and as became the norm, low and behold Americans start with the "oh so witty" insults.
One went as far as to put on a french accent and say "Look everyone i'm from british"
That was when I gave up with it, if I was playing a game I knew had european servers or somthing along those lines i'll gladly use a mic. #valve