Dribbling and passing the square ball

Dribbling and passing the square ball always strike me as strange things to do. Why don't we just wipe our chins and inflate the ball to its naturally round shape? If you're a sportsperson you'll appreciate what the language means but if not, well, you could be confused. Dribbling can mean running with the ball while bouncing or kicking it and a square ball actually means passing to someone who is is in line with you across the court or pitch.