If I’m talking to an English speaker from outside of the US, is there any confusion if I say “soccer”?
For example, when I was in college a friend asked for a “torch”. I was confused for quite some time, because I didn’t know it was another word for “flashlight”. Does the same thing happen with the word “soccer”? Should I clarify by saying, “…or football”?
Thank you!
I understand this, but still one should be able to figure out that a person wouldn’t ask you for a flaming torch, in a dark place, especially when there isn’t one around, but there instead is a flashlight near by that they originally meant.
Right, with modern context we can figure it out pretty quickly, after we learn that the term torch is used for flashlight. The first time I saw it i thought they were talking about a cigarette lighter
I’d have just chalked it up to good ol’ British humour.