Comments on: A Goal by Any Other Name…

By: Mi

Mi — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 05:17:13 +0000

soory Andrzej, why didn’t I notice your comment before posting?! No idea really.

By: Mi

Mi — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 05:16:23 +0000

We’ve got our “bramka” (like Czechs’ branka) as well for the posts, bar and net. It’s also used as synonym to “gol” though. not that it’s important, but if “golo” may (or may not) explain why Brazil has 5 WC’s more, then maybe this is why we haven’t won anything? :)

By: Andrzej

Andrzej — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 19:04:11 +0000

In Poland we also know the goal as “bramka”, “trafienie”, and if we take under consideration any kind of urban language it would be “buda”, “brama”. Thank you

By: Johonna

Johonna — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 07:31:46 +0000

I would say the use of the word “goal” around the world is far more likely be a result from the broadcast of EPL, South American and Spanish games than American globalization. Now, if the word was “touchdown” it would be an entirely different matter.

This is fascinating, though.

By: Darius

Darius — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 20:02:15 +0000

In Poland u can also say “bramka”

By: Omar Ingi

Omar Ingi — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:22:32 +0000

In Icleand we say “mark”

By: alessio

alessio — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 15:57:31 +0000

Speaking of translation, one of the reasons I´ve always called footy ¨soccer¨in the US is because contrary to Spanish/English opinion, it´s not universal. I don´t know what it´s called in most languages, but in Italy it´s calcio. (literally kick)

By: Jose

Jose — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 12:08:20 +0000

“Yea, maybe if it’s an important goal, I’d accept golgolgolgolgol (etc), but whenever I watch a game with spanish commentators, every goal is celebrated like that … so I try the mute button!”

I find that one annoying, but still, nobody does it better than Spanish announcers.

I like it best when it’s “Gol. GOOOOOOOOOOOL! GOLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZO, GOLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZO!” It just mean ‘big goal’ and it’s saved for special occasions (one I recall: when Brazil scored the opener against Argentina in Copa America 2007 Final).

By: Leon-Ben Lamprecht, Cape Town

Leon-Ben Lamprecht, Cape Town — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 08:08:01 +0000

In South Africa football/soccer is sometimes called diski. And a goal is “doel” in Afrikaans, or “laduma” (just say it: Laduuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuma!). Laduma is probably from fungalo, a mixture of languages from Xhosa and English and Afrikaans, used mostly in mines.

By: Drabik

Drabik — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 07:35:02 +0000

Which reminds, does anyone remember the world cup (1998 possibly?) commentator from brazil(possibly?) a few years back that tried to break the world record for the longest goooooooooaaaaaaaaaaall ?