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#147345 09/05/05 09:37 AM
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I've come across some advertising information for the "Rolex Fastnet Race", a yachting event that takes place in the UK. Its subtitle reads "Professionals and Corinthians compete in 608-mile battle of wits and stamina." The word "Corinthians" in this context stumped me completely, so I looked it up. My OED lists the usual Corinth-related entries, and then these:

2. A wealthy man; a profligate idler; a licentious man; a brazen-faced man.

3. A man about town.

4. A wealthy amateur of sport.

This last is probably the usage that is given to "Corinthians" in the advertising info I have, but I'm curious as to how the ancient Corinthians have come to be associated with sport. Any ideas, AWADers?

Also, I find it interesting that there should be a word to denote "wealthy amateurs" as opposed to plain old ones... never mind that an amateur yacht racer is not likely to be very poor...


#147346 09/05/05 09:59 AM
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>Corinth and sport

This might help:
http://snipurl.com/hg5p-mq42


#147347 09/05/05 10:34 AM
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That is very interesting. São Paulo's biggest professional soccer (football) team is the Corinthians (yes, spelled in English).


#147348 09/06/05 01:05 PM
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Thanks, sjmaxq! I didn't read through the whole page, but I got the gist of it, so that's now cleared up in my mind.


#147349 09/06/05 02:42 PM
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A friend of mine has a column about that. Actually a pretty tall tale.



TEd
#147350 09/06/05 04:56 PM
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> a pretty tall tale

Shouldn't that be CApitalised?


#147351 09/06/05 06:51 PM
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A baseless set of jokes. Leaf off, wouldja? Acanth stand any more.


#147352 09/07/05 09:43 AM
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Sorry. I get carried away by old movies like Acropolis Now. Have you seen it, it's marblous? Ionic couple of versions of it.



TEd
#147353 09/13/05 11:37 AM
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I think that the point here may have been missed. "Corinthian" in this sense, used within an English context, refers to a particular "set" of athletic, wealthy and perpetually bored members of the gentry during the Regency Period - the definitions at the top hail from that period. They liked to congregate at venues like Jackson's Boxing Saloon to try to "place a flush hit" on the master. They fenced. They raced curricles (or perch phaetons) from London to Brighton and back. They dressed in a very subdued style (to set themselves apart from the ostentatious dandy set, one of whom was the Prince Regent). Their model was Beau Brummell until he fell from grace.

They did assume the name "Corinthian" because the ancient Greek model appealed to them, but about there the resemblance ended ...


It's very unusual to see it used in a modern context. So few people would understand the reference!

#147354 09/13/05 11:45 AM
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So few people would understand the reference!

I've noticed Cap, that the sports industry does a bang-up job of introducing new words into the general population's vocabulary. The sport's entheusiasts pick it up, then they use it, and others pick it up, until it becomes a commonly understood word.

I can't think of specific examples at this time - my new puppies woke me up to pee a total of five times last night so I'm a tad tired - but I'm sure folks here will have some examples.


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