Soccer-speak

[Charles C Doyle]

Those who have been following Olympics women's soccer may have noticed that, over the course of the USA's games, the NBC commentator Brandi Chastain--perhaps influenced by her associate announcer, a Brit--has increasing employed plural verbs with nation/team names:  “North Korea have . . .”; “New Zealand do not . . .”; "The United States are now . . ."; and the like.

I believe British English has always some enjoyed prestige among American soccer coaches, players, and enthusiasts, probably because of the comparative recency of soccer's import as a serious sport.

--Charlie

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