I hadn't realized until I looked it up (something I should do more often), that soccer was coined from assoc from Association Football. This lead to mob football and medieval football. My favorite was Royal Shrovetide Football which is played annually in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, England, UK.

quote:

here are very few rules in existence. The main ones are:

* Committing murder or manslaughter is prohibited. Unnecessary violence is frowned upon.
* The ball may not be carried in a motorised vehicle.
* The ball may not be hidden in a bag or rucksack.
* Cemeteries, churchyards and the town memorial gardens are out of bounds.

I read a newspaper article about the Prince of Wales who has turned up (i.e., started) the game a couple of times.

Interesting, Zmj. BTW, I consider you one of our "Google specialists" so I do think you look things up frequently for us, and we appreciate it.

This comment: "decked with Union Jack bunting" was not one I'd have expected, at least from talk on this board.

I am glad they had rules against murder.

zm: Agree with k and appreciate your diligence

There's also a thread on Wordcraft Jr: http://s2.forumforfree.com/index.php?mforum=wordcraftjr&showtopic=789

quote:

This comment: "decked with Union Jack bunting" was not one I'd have expected, at least from talk on this board.

Why not? Prince Charles is the heir to the throne of the United Kingdom and the Union Flag (only the Union Jack when flown on the Jackstaff) is the official flag for the UK.

Actually, I got that idea from you, Richard. I thought you had said that the flag wasn't all that important in England. Yet, Prince Charles is wrapped up in it at a game?

The Union flag is often flown at special events and recently the English flag has also been prominent because of the World Cup.

However, you will very rarely see a Union flag flown outside someone's house or even a public building unless there is some special need to celebrate.

However, I have noticed, in the USA, that many people fly the Stars and Stripes outside their private dwellings, special event or no.

In fact, the paragraph "...He was led down a street decked with Union Jack bunting as he carried the match ball, before being lifted by three of the players...." is, I see, ambigious. But I feel quite sure that it was the street that was decked with the bunting, not our heir to the throne! Charles's sartoriality might be questioned by some, but I doubt he'd let his standards of dress slip so far as to wear coloured bunting over his jacket!

My neighbour has been flying a St George's cross outside his house for the last few months, and I salute it sarcastically every morning. He says if anybody from the EU comes to tell him to take it down he will sue them for treason.