Matchday #3 - World Cup 2010 - CBC Announcers' words/phrases

Go Black Stars! We were so happy that Ghana won but thought it should have been on another chance and not the penalty. Oh well, we take the wins as they come. Too bad for Algeria though.

Our Selection of English words today include:

1) "The teams are deadlocked." - You could also use the term "stalemated" to explain that the teams are evenly matched. One is not showing more skill than the other and the score of the game reflects that. In business we often say "things are deadlocked" or "things are at a stalemate" when both sides of a negotiation are at the same level and there seems to be no opportunity to move the negotiation forward.

2) There was a "little squabble" in the box. - This is a very gentle version of "fight" and usually means a verbal disagreement rather than a physical one. It is fairly common to use the word "discussion" for this purpose as well. So, "Did you have another fight with your butcher?" "No. It was more of a strong discussion."

3) They are playing "helter skelter" football. - "Helter skelter" suggests extreme disorganization. So the players would not be working well as a team and the plays would not seem planned. Not fun to watch. This term is not common in Canada or the United States. It does have a connection to the mass murder done through Charles Manson as this is the title of a book and a movie describing the details of the murders. In no way is this a positive term but if you wanted to describe someone's organization abilities at work you could say, " You just seem to toss things on your desk helter skelter. Did you want any help organizing things?"

4) They are playing "all out" now. - This means that the players are "not holding back" any effort in their play. Playing "all out" means you are holding nothing in reserve and are using all your energy and skill. This is a tricky term and should be used carefully because the definition depends on what it is paired with. For example, "I am all out" can mean "I am without money, energy OR whatever it is you were asking to borrow." Doing something all out; like playing,  swimming, etc. is how the announcer was using the term.

5) They need to "dig deep". - Now we are suggesting that the players are tired or lacking in skill and they have to put in a very strong effort to succeed. "Dig deep" is commonly used in sports and business and sometimes personally. You can "dig deep" to find the will to win. You can "dig deep" into your wallet to find the money that you owe me. In business you might have to "dig deep" at the end of the day so that your presentation sounds as professional as it did at 9am.