Learning a new language at any age can often be testing, but it only gets more difficult when you grow older.
However, it is never too late to pick up a new skill, and learning a new language typically ranks top of the list when it comes to something that somebody wants to learn.
For many, it can often be difficult to get engrained in a new culture, which would make learning a new language easier to conquer, but for horse racing fans, it is easier than many others.
Racing is a sport that has global appeal, meaning fans could rack up a bucket list of tracks that they wish to visit in their lifetime from all four corners of the world. But, can horse racing help fans learn a new language?
Racing is its Own Language
For newcomers, stepping into the world of horse racing can often be a daunting prospect in its own right. One of the main reasons for this is because there is so many different terms that are used that aren’t part of the vocabulary in other sports.
Therefore, one of the first issues that all newcomers to the sport must overcome is learning what some of the most important terminology actually means. Some terms are used regularly in commentary for the big races, and they can often leave novices unsure as to how their runner is performing. For example, if you are just learning how to bet on horse racing with TwinSpires can be an easy guide, but only if you are familiar with US English.
Among these include a horse being boxed in, which means that the runner is unable to get a clear run. Sometimes, you will also hear people say connections, which means the trainer and owner.
Other key terms include the head gear worn by horses. The visor limits a horse’s rearward vision to enhance their concentration, while a tongue-strap is used to avoid the runner’s tongue getting in the way of their breathing.
Differences in Terminology
To make matters more confusing, terminology changes from country to country, with some words used in UK and Irish racing not necessarily being used in the sport in North America.
For example, allowance races aren’t a thing in British racing, but are common in the U.S. in order for younger horses to gain experience. Instead of using boxed in, North American fans will typically say a runner is bearing in or out.
Americans also use the term chalk for bettors that typically sides with a favourite. There are also differences in the betting markets between UK and American racing, with moneyline most popular in the latter, while it is known as the win market for Brits.
The Exacta and Trifecta in the U.S. are also different in Britain, with UK players placing wagers on the Forecast and Tricast markets.
Encourages Travel
However, horse racing is truly a global sporting event, meaning that it has the power to take fans far afield. Therefore, it could aid with learning new languages, as you will spend time on the ground when visiting tracks.
Depending on where you go, the level of English spoken could be at different levels. For example, if you were doing a race day in Argentina or Brazil, there will be limited English spoken as both have few prestigious international graded races, meaning that there will be a more local crowd in attendance to watch the racing.
Spending time at different tracks in different cities around the world will enable fans of the sport to pick up new terms in a different language, especially considering that the level of English may not be at the levels of tracks in North America or Europe.
However, this could also come with its downfalls, as it may be slightly more testing to make bets on the action, meaning learning a base level of the language of the location where you’re visiting is vitally important before travelling.
Discover New Cultures
As mentioned previously, horse racing has the ability to take you around the globe in this modern day, with huge Grade 1s staged in all four corners of the world. As well as picking up a new language, this will also help to learn more about new cultures.
Racing in Japan is at an all-time peak level of popularity, and a growing number of fans are travelling to Asia to see the action in person. Racing in the country is unlike anywhere else in the world, with one of the big cultural differences being that racing doesn’t revolve as much around the betting in Japan as it does in Europe and North America.
Meanwhile, Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are hosting more lucrative races in this modern day. Therefore, a growing number of fans are travelling to the nations, where they will have to adhere to stricter rules such as no alcohol and smoking when attending the racing.