On one of the model airplane boards I frequent, there was a discussion of whether model building is a hobby or a sport. Some said a sport must have a ball in it. Some said there has to be an element of danger to it. Some said sport much have competition. My own take is that sport is a sublimation of war, but then there's the archaic term for a whore, "sporting girl," so I don't know. What's a sport to you?
"Any activity or experience that gives enjoyment or recreation; pastime; diversion."
So you see, sport, that model ariplanes can be considered a sport (especially if tiny machine guns mounted on them can be used to strafe the assemblage viewing the sport).
That's always an interesting question. I think of sports on two levels. On one level it's a game, though I don't think you need a ball. Hockey, for example, doesn't have a ball. But there are also sports like fishing that aren't games, but they are sports. I'd maybe see flying the planes as the sport, though building the models as a hobby.
For me the element that a sport has that a hobby doesn't is competition. If you fly the aeroplanes competitively with a winner and a loser then it's a sport. If you nip out to the park on your own and fly them around for a while it's a hobby.
"No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money." Samuel Johnson.
Competiton, for me, may not be a sufficient condition, but I do think it's a necessary one. i.e. things that are competitive may or may not be sports, things that aren't competitive can't be sports.
"No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money." Samuel Johnson.
What about hunting, shooting, and fishing? They are generally considered sports, although there is often no element of competition. Yes, I know there are fishing competitions, and target shooting events, but many people don't take part in the sports competitively.
Build a man a fire and he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
It's not just competition per se. People compete in many ways, but I hardly call jockeying for position in the platoon on the freeway (or motorway) during the morning commute a sport. Also, chess seems more a game than a sport.And the limerick competitions that newspapers hold? Sport or contest? Enough of my uninformed lexicological, on to the origin of the word: sport < Middle English sporte < disporte < Old French desport 'pleasure' < desporter 'to divert'; there is a verb still disport 'to amuse' < Middle English disporten < Old French desporter 'to divert' [des- 'apart' + porter 'to carry' (< Latin portō, portāre, 'to carry'). Well, the diverting and amusing parts of sport go a ways to explaining the connection with ladies of the night, I suppose.
[Edited for typos.]This message has been edited. Last edited by: zmježd,
Thank you for that etymology, z. How common is that verb disport? I'd love to start using it, but if no one would know what I meant it might not be that useful.
In thinking about my personal definition of sports, I think there is some sort of physicality associated with my idea of sports. That's why I see fishing on the edge (though I suppose you have to have some physical talent in casting your rod) or even flying a model airplane, though again you'd have to get it up in the air and keep it there.
I agree with Kalleh, that a sport must have some degree of physicality, whether it is a team sport or an individual sport (the long-distance runner competing with his own best time.) For me, if it doesn't make you sweat, it isn't a sport. Yet I know that chess, the game, is officially considered a sport, and is, in fact, along with bridge, a sport recognized by the International Olympic Committee, even though it is not part of the Olympic competition!
To me that makes as much sense as calling knitting or quilting sports. You could argue that these intricate activities do not involve competition, but they do require a vast amount of planning, patterns and strategy.
Wordmatic
Posts: 1390 | Location: Near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Originally posted by zmježd: It's not just competition per se. People compete in many ways, but I haardly call jockeying for position in the platoon on the freeway
As I said (using terminology from my maths background) it isn't a sufficient condition, but it is a necessary one. At least I think so. Those sports mentioned by arnie, are only, in my opinion, sports when the competitive element is added. Otherwise they are pastimes.
"No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money." Samuel Johnson.
I agree with Kalleh, that a sport must have some degree of physicality,
It's funny because I have only rarely used that word "physicality" before. Yet, during the NBA playoffs (they do work up a sweat!) they used that word all the time. It was odd because I have watched a lot of professional basketball in my day, and I've never heard the word "physicality" used so much.
