Here's one for Aussies on WrongPlanet: How do you barrack?

Post Reply New Topic

I learned from G'Day! Teach Yourself Australian in Twenty Easy Lessons that the correct verb in Australian (dialect) for to cheer for or to support your favourite sports team is to barrack.

The author took particular pains to say that there is no such verb as to root for a given team in (for example) Aussie Rules. To root isn't used with any object in Australian, direct or indirect: You root, full stop. Better not to say any more about to root here because this is a family forum.

One question, though, about to barrack: do you barrack a team without any intervening preposition (i.e. does to barrack, like to support in British usage, take a direct object) or can you barrack for a team (in other words, does to barrack take an indirect object)?

Or do you barrack, period; in other words, would to barrack take neither a direct object nor an indirect object?

You barrack for a team - e.g. "I'm barracking for the Swans" (the Sydney Aussie Rules team).

I don't remember hearing anyone use the word "barrack" without adding "for ...", but I suppose you could have the following exchange:

Q What are you doing?

A: I am barracking.

This would explain why you were jumping up and down and yelling a lot.

I barrack for the Bombers.

I may root around in my bag for my bombers scarf who i barrack for though.

you wouldn't ever use that word to describe what you are doing at that time (I suppose it's possible but I can't even imagine how that conversation would occur!) It's often used by sports commentators when talking about the crowd, past, present or future.

_________________
http://defeatingthedoginthedaytime.blogspot.com/

the trials and tribulations of a girl pretending to be normal

[quote="Xayah"]you wouldn't ever use that word to describe what you are doing at that time (I suppose it's possible but I can't even imagine how that conversation would occur!) It's often used by sports commentators when talking about the crowd, past, present or future.

For the OP, "I'm cheering for the Raiders," would be most accurate.

(Although I'm not sure if that's said all that often colloquially, I'm not the type to attend NRL matches )

I barrack for Carlton.

Pinchy