Which team do you root for? It’s a strange question, when you think about it. What does supporting a sports team have to do with the underground parts of plants, fundamental causes, poking around, or any of the other things the word root can mean, as a noun or verb?
A prominent folk etymology takes its cue from the 1908 song “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” Its famous chorus contains the lines “Let me root, root, root for the home team / If they don’t win it’s a shame,” linking the idea of cheering for one’s team to that of home, the place where a person “has roots.”
Or perhaps the fan is “rooted” to the team itself, as Paul Dickson reports in his “Baseball Dictionary”: People popularly believe that “the term comes from the notion of a fan who is so close to his or her team that he or she is ‘rooted’ to it.”
These explanations make a lot of intuitive sense, but are unlikely to be true.
In his “Studies in Slang,” etymologist Gerald Cohen proposed instead that the definition of root meaning “to cheer” comes from the rooting – digging up the ground in search of food – done by pigs and other animals.
An 1889 New York newspaper makes this connection, describing how a fan “rooted more energetically and with twice the freedom of a Yorkshire porker.” As the quote reveals, rooting was conceived of as a highly physical activity when it was first used this way in the 1880s.
Mr. Cohen speculates that rooting would have involved clapping and stomping the feet – perhaps with so much force “that one is visualized as digging a hole.”
Merriam-Webster suggests that our term comes not from digging done by pigs but from loud mooing done by cattle. In dialects in the north of Britain and in Ireland, the verb rout (often pronounced so as to be indistinguishable from “root”) refers to making a lot of noise – such as a bull bellowing, as well as, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, a person crying out, roaring, or shouting.
Today you can root for a team, or for a person, quietly at home, without any cheering or stomping at all – the word can simply mean “support” or “hope for the success of something.”
Unless, that is, your home is in Australia or New Zealand, where root is an indelicate slang word.
There, you’d say, “I barrack for Geelong” (an Aussie rules football team) or “Her only fault is that she barracks for the All Blacks” (the New Zealand national rugby team).
Barrack has nothing to do with pigs, cattle, or military barracks, for that matter. It’s simply another word meaning “to root for,” or “cheer on,” your team.
What team do you root for?
Thank you very much in advance!
The question and the answer using «support» are idiomatic BrE.
Thank you very much.
Now, I’ll wait for the AmE answer.
By the way, the Australian for this is different again: you
Thank you for adding. It will be useful.
It remains to be seen whether «root for» is used in AmE in the context I provided.
Thank you in advance!
Both «root for» and «support» are used in the actions of U.S. for sports fans, but the only «barrack» we have is sitting in the White House, as far as I know.
Thank you for answering.
‘Barrack’ came to Brazil and made a beautiful speech. Many people like him here.
Our president’s first name is Barack. (One «r».)
Barrack(s) are buildings used to house military personnel.
The British (my dictionary says «mostly» British) verb barrack is to shout at, or for, a team or player at a sports event.
In BE, to barrack at a sporting event is to shout derisive and usually somewhat insulting comments at the team you do not support. It’s a bit like heckling.
As it is generally good-natured (or at least it used to be), it’s not surprising that same term is used in AusE for somewhat similar behaviour directed at the team you do support
1. I learned that the expressions «what team do you root for?»(AmE) and «what team do you support?»(BrE) are idiomatic ones.
2. I have seen and heard «what is your favorite team?» much more frequently than «what team do you support/root for?».
3. : Do you agree that the option «what is your favorite team?» is more commonly used in English? What do you think?
What team do you root for? What team do you support? What is you favorite team?
I root for the Lakers. I support Chelsea. My favorite team is the Warriors.
No, I’m sorry, I don’t think I do agree
If I was talking to a football fan, I’d be much more likely to ask «What team do you support?» than «What is your favourite team?»
(Actually, I’d be even more likely to ask «
do you support?»)
It would surprise me to learn that ‘what’s your favourite team?’ has supplanted either of the other forms you mention, but WRF is nothing if not mind expanding — I am prepared to be surprised.
In BrE you say support, e.g I support England, I support Arsenal, etc. You might also say I’ll be cheering for so and so, if its a game where you don’t regularly support either team, but have chosen one or the other in that instance.
That’s exactly how I’d ask the question. if I cared
On behalf of the US of A — surprise!
If I heard «what team do you root for,» I would scour the area trying to find the time machine that had transported me to 1956. And «support» is definitely BE. It’s «what’s your favorite team» in the US, or in a more specific context: «Are you a Cubs fan or a Cardinals fan?» (The correct answer is Cubs, by the way.
As a person only marginally interested in sports, I can have a favorite team without «rooting for» or «supporting» any of them so I find «Who’s (or What’s) your favorite team?» a much more useful and general question.
I think that «root for» is still used but it sounds humorously old-fashioned to me. Perhaps some more sports-minded Americans will add some comments.
I agree with Loob and Don Ew. If the person seems to be a football fan, I ask, «Who do you support?» (Of course, if he/she is wearing one of those ridiculously overpriced replica football shirts (it can happen), this question is not recommended.)
I’d like to add to all the good points made above that «the team I root for/support» and «my favorite team» are not always the same thing. My favorite team is, now and always, the Angels, but I am quite capable of rooting for or supporting another team if that team doesn’t happen to be playing the Angels. For example, I always root for anybody who’s playing the New York Yankees.
Perhaps, at least in AE, but we’d specify the sport and level, e.g. college or professional, since we have hoards of fans of college sports, as well as the professional variety, to satisfy their vicarious cravings.
«Support» sounds strange to my ear as well.
If I might be permitted a «jocular» comment, «athletic supporter» is a device to protect the male genital organs during sporting events and thus is often used in a rather ribald manner if somebody refers to a sports fan as a «supporter.» (AE)
(I was wondering who’d be the first to bring this up)
Yes, if it’s a question of temporary support, eg. for what remains of EURO 2012, you could ask «Who are you (going to be) cheering for now (that your team has been knocked out)?» or you could use «support» in the present continuous: «Who are you supporting now?» (BE)
Is it ok to root for a sports team if you have no ties with that city?
Originally Posted by NewYorkRanger
MLS-Whenever NYC gets an MLS Team (Red Bulls don’t count)
I will continue to support them and only them for the rest of my life.
Originally Posted by Kyoung05
So, let’s say you have no ties to NYC, whatsoever. Is it okay to be a Yankees fan instead of a fan of your local team? Same with Boston and the Red Sox, New England and the Patriots, Dallas and the Cowboys and so on.
Well, is it?
i live in costa mesa. absolutely no ties with Los Angeles currently. all my immediate family lives in outer cities like simi valley (where i originally came from), fullerton (where my wife is originally from), pomona, and other cities.
however i root for the Lakers. i dont see no cops coming to take me away anytime soon.
HRoi
Root for over other teams? Sure. Support over your own city/geographical region’s team? Absolutely not.
I’m a Detroit Red Wings fan. I’ve never lived there.
Originally Posted by sho’nuff
I just called them. Look out.
Originally Posted by embowafa
Rules for Being a Fan — Bill Simmons (see: Loyalties section)
I’ve used these rules countless times to ridicule friends of mine whose loyalties are questionable. I understand random allegiances when you grew up in a town without a major sports team. However, if your formative sports fan years were spent in a town with a major sports team, you better have a damn good reason to not support them. Frankly, most people in this situation don’t have a good reason.
Originally Posted by zbromer
I tease him for it, but to his credit, he continues rooting for them in spite of their overall shittiness in the 2000’s.
Ama
There’s no way in hell I’d ever root for the 49rs. Steve Young, Joe Montana, and Dwight Clark can be dead, buried and ultimately have their monuments turn to dust over the eons and I would still never root for them.
Nil
If you root for the Cowboys or Patriots and aren’t local you deserve to have your teeth kicked in.
Similar threads
Originally Posted by kwilkinson
As long as you’re not rooting for the Cubs, yes. (No offense Ron, b/c I know you have ties to the city. But you have to admit that 95% of Cubs fans A) don’t know or care about anything related to baseball, and B) are douchey )
Can I be a Cubs fan if I grew up in Indiana, and come from a family of 3+ generations of Cubs fans that has its original homestead dating to 1842 in Illinois? I mean under your criteria I am borderline, but my blood is blue, very Cubbie blue. Your point about yuppie, Wrigley’s a beer-garden, idiot Cubs fans who are Cubs fans because it is cool, is well taken though.
It’s amusing to listen to some of the reasons people root for various teams. I met a guy who cheers for the Packers, Yankees, Celtics and Alabama, but he’s never lived in any of those places. Seems like he did an internet search for teams with wonderful histories.
I support the Twins because their AAA team is in my hometown. I’ve never been anywhere near Minnesota.
I think that’s acceptable reasoning
Originally Posted by TRINI
It’s hard to be an Isiah-the-GM fan.
It’s just hard trying to be a Larry Bird coach or GM fan
They both were great players and piss poor coaches and GMs
Dcg
If you grew up* in an area with a local* team, then no, it’s not acceptable (with few exceptions.)
*Definitions for both can be a bit fuzzy.
It’s also ******* unacceptable to live in NY and root for the Yankees, Mets, Giants, Jets, Knicks, Nets, Rangers, and Islanders (or the Chicago equivalent, etc.) In fact, whatever team you don’t root for should be hated. Mets fans should hate the Yanks almost as much as the Phils, and Yanks fans should hate the Mets almost as much as the Sox.
Originally Posted by dcg
Yeah, that’s even worse than I had it during the Pats/Giants Super Bowl.
Your question is a tough one, and is the type of thing that I would be willing to make an exception for. I suspect that if it happens, during the first few games you’ll find yourself either pulling for them or continuing to hate them. Just go with it either way.
Embarrassing personal anecdote — when I was young I was a Braves fan for a number of years. They were good and I was a frontrunning douche of a kid. I stopped being a fan when they finally won the WS — it was a total letdown. I realized that I would have enjoyed it a hell of a lot more had it been «my» team.
People who grow up in Philly and become Cowboys fans, I can’t help but wonder if they rooted for the USSR in the ’80s Olympics. ******* communists.
There was a big debate during last year’s World Series by the local radio hosts here on whether Mets fans should root for the Phillies or the Yankees. Personally, I rooted for the Yankees. As much as I hate the Yankees and wish that they lose every time I see them playing, I ******* hate the Phillies with a passion and would never root for them no matter what. Oh yeah, and while we’re at it, **** the Flyers, Eagles, Sixers, and this new ******* Philadelphia Union MLS team too.
Originally Posted by odoreater
Jimmy Rollins is a douche, as is Chase Utley (I was rooting for the Yankees too, I think).
I can see where Mets fans would think Rollins was a douche, but Utley is not.
Certainly neither approaches the douchiness of K-Rod, which is a statement I bet I could even get a lot of Mets fans to agree with.
Originally Posted by Stu
ive always been a laker fan, but i never was a clipper fan. i dont know, they are in the same city and use the same arena, but i could care less. i tried to care a bit, a few times, i went to a few clipper games (usually because they were free or got invited) but i couldnt care less. sorry.
Same here. Also, big Dodgers fan but not the Angels even though I could be at their stadium within 5 minutes from now. Ducks fan but could care less about the Kings. With no local professional team and always hating the Raiders, started as a Florida State fan (still am) as my intro to football was watching an FSU vs. UF game on tv. Shortly afterward when Warrick Dunn got drafted I became a TB Buccaneer fan and still am.
Originally Posted by StephenHero
If you’re an American, you shouldn’t be allowed to wear a soccer club’s supporter scarf.
Football, you American hating elitist bastard.
Caring about any professional sports team, or any team you are not actually on or know personally for that matter, has never made any sense to me.
Originally Posted by CunningSmeagol
It’s social entertainment. Humans are social creatures, we tend to like being part of a larger whole. And being part of a community of fans is a social experience, and being emotionally invested in a game makes it much more interesting and entertaining.
There’s actually a whole lot of scholarship out there on that one question.
say this sentence in a monotone, robotic voice.
Originally Posted by cptjeff
Generally, I say no. You should root for a team from your geographic area.
NFL: Giants
NBA: Nets (until they move to Brooklyn, then **** them.)
NHL: Devils
MLB: Mets
MLS: Red Bulls
But under no circumstances are you allowed to «decide» on an alliance to the Yankees or Red Sox if you are older than 10 years old.
But this thread intrigued you enough to read, AND post in.
I might take the gamble and buy a Knicks season ticket package on the off chance of watching lebron 41 games, but that would be like watching a bull fight in spain, where you’re just kinda waiting for something special to happen (guy getting gouged to death, guy making ballet escapes) with no rooting interest.
And what, there is no rich American soccer history in New Jersey? Cosmos didn’t play in New Jersey? The only thing that’s a slap in the face about it is that NJ taxpayers paid for a good part of that stadium, and the team is still called Red Bull NY. There’s nothing NY about that team. But there is also no reason why NY deserves a soccer team more than NJ does.
I grew up in Pittsburgh, and as a young baseball player, I idolized the Pirates because I could go see the games, and they did all sorts of community outreach with the little league teams etc. I hated it when they lost, loved it when they won, and hated the Braves. But I didn’t really understand why.
Then the strike happened in 1994(?) and I totally lost interest. I could appreciate the game on an academic, strategic level, but the outcome never meant anything to me.
So I have been interested in sports teams before, but I still didn’t understand it. And the topic does intrigue me.
Originally Posted by LawrenceMD
They should move back to NY, like the LONG ISLAND Nets are. i also kinda hope the Isles move into that arena in Brooklyn, would be great, and they’d get lots of support as its so easy to get to, unlike the Mausoleum.
A Brooklyn/Queens team would be GREAT, lots of local support.
TRINI
Shouldn’t you be watching your boys fight for fourth?
I have the game on right in front of me while I polish shoes.
It’s ok — Flapianski’s in goal.
