# aftrapstip [football]



## alisonp

My text is talking about playing fields, and how the grass tends to wear away in certain places:

"Dit is veelal zichtbaar bij voetbalvelden in het strafschopgebied en bij de aftrapstip."

My dictionaries give "aftrap" as "kick-off", but the centre circle doesn't tend to get worn, does it?  And I only find 19 Google entries for "aftrapstip", which seems suspiciously low.  Is there any possibility that the penalty spot could be meant instead?

(And if I am right and it is the penalty spot, would I then be better translating "strafschopgebied" as "goalmouth area" or something to avoid duplication of "penalty"?)

Many thanks!


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## Peterdg

The more common term is "middenstip".


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## alisonp

Thanks, so it is.  But you think it *is* the centre circle/spot rather than the penalty spot?


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## Peterdg

Yes, I think so.


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## YellowOnline

alisonp said:


> Thanks, so it is.  But you think it *is* the centre circle/spot rather than the penalty spot?



No doubt, as you do not kick-off a match elsewhere. As Peterdg said, the common word is _middenstip_. I guess that _aftrapstip_ is a neologism. 

Oh, and yes: the fixed places on a field get (logically) worn faster than any other place. The heaviest victim is the penalty spot, but the centre spot and the corners suffer a lot too.

PS. From the 19 Google hits you mentioned, 11 refer to the centre spot, 1 to the penalty spot, and 7 are unrelated.


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## alisonp

Okay, I'm convinced   Thank you very much, both of you!


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## ThomasK

Just another hint, Alison: 'stip' is a synonym of 'punt' sometimes. That is why your 'punctual' is translated as 'stipt' in Dutch...


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