Kathakali Chatterjee wrote this article.
I was recently watching a football game on television. A player was running freely with the ball towards the opponent’s court, without being stopped violently. 
This freestyle running was a very familiar and comfortable scenario to me but it made my roommate extremely irritated -- “God****t, get the guy down!”
I then realized I was watching "football" in the USA, not the "football" I grew up with.
“A tie game? What’s the point of playing? It doesn’t make sense! And, why there are so few scores! How come the player can run around with the ball without being stopped…!”
My roommate’s expression was priceless.
Well, it makes sense in football – I mean soccer! That’s the whole point!
Soccer is a game of skill, tactics and footwork…it’s not about power! I understood my roommate and I were in two different pages, absolutely opposite.
There was more misunderstanding to come...
My roommate was horrified hearing that people play "test cricket" for five days and "one-day cricket" is a whole day game.
Stadiums are normally packed with thousands of enthusiast supporters.
“Don’t the players have other things to do in life? Don’t they get bored? What if something comes up? What if they just don’t wanna play?”
Now it was my turn to look shocked.
“What are you talking about? These guys are professional players, they earn truckloads of money, and the rules are something like that…” I was visibly lost… I didn’t know how to explain it.
Well, I thought, the 2007 World Cup cricket tournament was coming… that might be a better time to "explain" things… but I doubt it... because I think my roommate will still be wondering why on earth two teams are stuck in the field there for the whole day!
This freestyle running was a very familiar and comfortable scenario to me but it made my roommate extremely irritated -- “God****t, get the guy down!”
I then realized I was watching "football" in the USA, not the "football" I grew up with.
“A tie game? What’s the point of playing? It doesn’t make sense! And, why there are so few scores! How come the player can run around with the ball without being stopped…!”
My roommate’s expression was priceless.
Well, it makes sense in football – I mean soccer! That’s the whole point!
Soccer is a game of skill, tactics and footwork…it’s not about power! I understood my roommate and I were in two different pages, absolutely opposite.
There was more misunderstanding to come...
My roommate was horrified hearing that people play "test cricket" for five days and "one-day cricket" is a whole day game.
Stadiums are normally packed with thousands of enthusiast supporters.
“Don’t the players have other things to do in life? Don’t they get bored? What if something comes up? What if they just don’t wanna play?”
Now it was my turn to look shocked.
“What are you talking about? These guys are professional players, they earn truckloads of money, and the rules are something like that…” I was visibly lost… I didn’t know how to explain it.
Well, I thought, the 2007 World Cup cricket tournament was coming… that might be a better time to "explain" things… but I doubt it... because I think my roommate will still be wondering why on earth two teams are stuck in the field there for the whole day!
This is a perfect article to counter Super Bowl fever today, Katha, thanks!
I understand "soccer" really means "football" beyond America -- but does "soccer" have a definition beyond America or not?
David: I believe soccer is used in places like Australia? The word could be used in our land, but you'd get many strange looks!
As for cricket, there's always Twenty20 cricket.
Try explaining the rules of cricket to a Frenchman with poor English - it was hilarious!
20/20 Cricket is an adrenaline ride and a half - now if they could have a 20/20 Superbowl .........
Joe!
What is "Twenty20 cricket?"
Nicola --
Why are the rules of cricket funny?
Hi David!
I don't know about other countries, but In India the word 'soccer' means nothing...people will give you a blank look, 'strange looks' as mentioned by Joe, to be precise!
That’s a word that looks good in the dictionary!
I had this conversation with my roommate recently, thought I would share it with all.
I could see where he was coming from, as I was absolutely lost after coming here…couldn’t understand why people were saying they were playing ‘football’ when it looked like ‘rugby’!
Then I came to know… :D
Hi Joe,
Thanks for joining!
I know that twenty20 cricket is gradually popular and I understand people don't have time and patience to watch a whole day game...
But the concept of twenty20 cricket is like an amputed version, I miss the whole artwork - if that makes sense!
I know twenty20 cricket is the future though!
Nicola!
I know what you mean... :D
Thanks for the explanation about "soccer" meaning nothing in India. Now that's funny!
:lol:
It's always 'football' David!
No one would understand what 'soccer' is! :D
Languages are so funny sometimes, Katha!
You should write an article about the differences between words and meanings in India and America when you came here to study.
Well, the greatest one I stumbled on was on the very first day on my way to the University from the airport; in reply to my ‘thank you’ I heard – ‘You bet!’
???
Why on earth should I bet? Do I look like a gambler? Is the cab driver asking me to join him in a casino??? What’s going on…???
Hundreds of thoughts were racing in my mind.
Fortunately I kept my mouth shut – it’s always good to keep people in doubt than to prove my stupidity for sure! :D
I love it, Katha! How did you eventually learn the meaning of "you bet"?
I got it within a day - I observed the way it was used and eventually understood the meaning...felt relieved knowing no one expected me to gamble! :D
Hi Katha --
Well, explain it to me! I've used the phrase, but when you think about it -- it makes no sense whatsoever to use "you bet" as any sort of response to "thank you."
Is "you bet" short for "you betcha" or what? Tell us your conclusions!
David,
I am not sure if ‘you bet’ is a shorter version of ‘you betcha’ – because I heard people using both.
I think ‘you bet’ means ‘no problem’, ‘of course’, ‘definitely’ – depending on the situation with an underlying meaning – ‘I will do it again anytime for you’ when it is used in reply to ‘thank you’.
That’s how I interpreted it because I think I heard ‘you bet’ in reply to ‘thank you’ for ‘n’ number of times.
Katha --
Yes, I agree "you bet" is used as a response to "thank you" all the time, but it makes no sense.
What does "bet" have to do with the thanks?
I fear common usage doesn't explain the real meaning, context, or provenance of the phrase in colloquial foundations.
Please research this and give us the definitive scholarly answer!
David, I researched when I first heard it...unfortunately couldn't find any of the links now...
Will try again!
Now let me watch the figure skating...I mean Superbowl! :D
Ok, David - I can't access this JSTOR link any more but I am sure I read something on "you bet" here.
http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0003-1283(193010)6%3A1%3C19%3ATDOSI%3E2.0.CO%3B2-M
Following are the rest:
http://www.wordwebonline.com/en/YOUBET
http://www.allwords.com/word-you%20bet.html
http://forum.wordreference.com/archive/index.php/t-272935.html
I am sure I will be a great supper for Akismet!
Wonderful research, Katha, thanks!
Go back to your figure skating.
:wink:
The abridged / colloquila version of the rules of cricket.
The Rules of Cricket
You have two sides, one out in the field and one in.
Each man that's in the side that's in goes out, and when he's out he comes in and the next man goes in until he's out.
When they are all out, the side that's out comes in and the side thats been in goes out and tries to get those coming in, out.
Sometimes you get men still in and not out.
When a man goes out to go in, the men who are out try to get him out, and when he is out he goes in and the next man in goes out and goes in.
There are two men called umpires who stay out all the time and they decide when the men who are in are out.
When both sides have been in and all the men have out, and both sides have been out twice after all the men have been in, including those who are not out, that is the end of the game!
Now that's head-spinning crazy! Thanks!
:lol:
I always think of the commercial for soccer in Springfield on the Simpsons television show when I think of soccer.
Of course Homer is excited, but he has never heard of the players. ;)
Akismet grabbed my soccer comment. :mrgreen:
I fished it out, Chris! You need to report that message to WP.com feedback!
Awesome Chris! Thank you!