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<html><head><style type="text/css"><!--
blockquote, dl, ul, ol, li { padding-top: 0 ; padding-bottom: 0 }
--></style><title>[Lexicog] Re: Sports
Sprachgefühling</title></head><body>
<div>Scott,</div>
<div><x-tab> </x-tab>This is
a nice list. And think you're categorizing it well. But at some point
you need to divide it into true technical vocabulary used by the
practitioners and the borrowings of those usages into or from the
standard language. Take<i> touch</i>.</div>
<div><x-tab> </x-tab>In
soccer, for example,<i> touch</i> has two specialized senses:</div>
<div>1) The phrase<i> in(to) touch</i> means out of bounds along the
sidelines (probably because the next play is to throw the ball in,
i.e., you can legally touch it with your hands).</div>
<div>2)<i> Touch</i> is a special case of<i> pace</i>.<i> Pace</i> is
the amount of force you put on the ball when you kick it. It applies
especially to passes.<i> Touch</i> is the amount of<i> pace</i> that
gets the ball to its intended location quickly enough w.r.t. the game
situation, but without so much<i> pace</i> that an appropriately
skilled player has to work to control the ball on receiving it. In
this sense it often occurs in the phrase<i> with touch</i>. It's easy
to see the affinity of this usage with the standard language usage in
a phrase like<i> He has a light touch</i>, which I suspect is not a
sports metaphor at all.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Also</div>
<div><br></div>
<div><x-tab> </x-tab><i>ball
sense</i> is about reaction to the path of the ball</div>
<div><x-tab> </x-tab><i>ball
skills</i> are about abilities to make the ball do things</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>They aren't synonyms at all. (It looks like you mean that the way
you wrote your first example.)</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Rich</div>
<div><br></div>
<div><br></div>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Hi, people: Speaking of sports-related
sprachgefühl, I thought I'd add my two sense.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>The following idioms/expressions are from
my db of field-specific idioms. They represent some, but perhaps not
all, of the possibilities of expressing sports superiority, and some
are indeed not true idioms. I wrote before about the difficulty in
classifying a particular idiom (non-literal) from a simpe expression
or saying (literal). All that can be said is that idioms are a special
type of expression/saying (a technical and immaterial difference to
native-English speakers). The purpose here is to simply demonstrate
the varieties of grammar and stylistics that American English speakers
use to express `athletic prowess', with the current thread geared
toward sprachgefühl, and athleticism/sports being the field used to
illustrate the concept.<br>
The change in prepositions, noun numbers, auxilliaries are examples of
the difficulty of mastering (sprachgefühl), English or, any language
for that matter (e.g.<i> have an instinct<u>
for</u></i>...something;<i> play<u> by</u> instinct; play</i>
golf<u><i> with</i></u> (or<i> by</i>)<i> his instinct<u>s</u> ||
quick<u> on</u> the draw</i>/<i>quickest<u> to</u> the draw/sometimes
`quickest<u> on</u> the draw' || He<u> could</u> (<u>can</u> do
something)<u> with one hand (arm)</u> tied behind his back.; He<u>
could</u> (<u>can</u></i> do something<i>)<u> with both hands</u> tied
behind his back.</i><br>
<i></i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>I broke my list down into four
categories:<br>
<font size="+1"><u><b><br>
SKILLS (based on experience)</b></u></font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><u><b>Natural ABILITY (genetic)<br>
PERFORMANCE & ACHEIVEMENT (demonstrated)<br>
Instinctive Athletic MOTIVATION/DESIRE<br>
ENTERTAINMENT Value (Popularity-Based)<font size="+1"><br>
<br>
1) Skills (based on experience)</font></b></u><br>
<u><b></b></u></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>(<i>have</i>) (good) ball<i>
sense/skill</i><br>
<br>
<i>have</i> (<i>get/develop</i>)<i> a feel for</i> (something -- eg.
kicking a soccer ball early in life.)</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>He<i> has</i> kicking field goals
(<i>it</i>/something)<i> down to a science</i>.<br>
<br>
<i>Look ma, No hands!</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br>
He really<i> stays on the ball</i>.<br>
<br>
He<i> plays</i> (<i>works/calculates</i>) (all)<i> the
angles</i>.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>Practice makes perfect.</i><br>
<br>
His<i> eye is trained</i> (<i>for</i> something)<i> (to</i> do
something).</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>He<i> has a trained eye</i> (for
something) (to do something).</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br>
<font size="+1"><u><b>2) Natural ability
(genetics)</b></u></font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br>
He's<i> athletically inclined</i>.<br>
<br>
He's<i> a diamond in the rough</i>.<br>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>He<i> has a<u> nice</u> touch</i> (on the
green/bunting/at the net, etc.).</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>(he has) a<u><i> soft</i></u><i>
touch</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>(he has)<i> a<u> light</u>
touch</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>(he has)<i> a/the<u> golden
touch</u></i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>(he has)<i> a (<u>good</u>)
touch</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>(he has)<i> the<u> magic</u>
touch</i><br>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>He still<i> has his
touch</i>.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>He still<i> has the (old)
touch</i>.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>He's<i> not lost his touch</i>.<br>
<br>
He's<i> light-handed</i>.<br>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>He plays by instinct</i>.<br>
He<i> goes with his instinct</i>.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>He<i> plays by his
instinct/instincts</i><br>
<i></i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>He<i> plays by his guts</i>.<br>
<br>
He<i> has razor-sharp eyesight</i>.<br>
<br>
He<i> has reflexes like a cat</i>. (<i>cat-like reflexes</i>)<br>
<br>
It's his<i> strong suit</i>.<br>
<br>
<i>a born athlete<br>
born to be an athlete</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>a natural athlete</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>a born winner</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>He takes to sports.<br>
He takes to</i> swimming (tennis, etc.)<i> like a duck takes to
water</i>.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br>
He's<i> quick on the draw</i>.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>He's<i> quickest to the draw</i>.<br>
<br>
He's<i> the go-to guy (gal).</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>the go-to person</i><br>
<br>
<i>You can't beat a man at his own game.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font size="+1"><u><b>3) Performance
&Acheivement (demonstrated)</b></u></font><br>
<font size="+1"><u><b></b></u></font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>(an) all-American</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>an all-star</i> (center/first baseman,
etc.)</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>He's<i> all-pro</i>.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>an all-pro</i> football player
(/basketball player, etc.)<br>
<br>
<i>No one can touch him.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>You can't touch him.</i><br>
<i></i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>He plays in a league of his
own.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>He's in his own league.<br>
He plays in a different league.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>a (very)<i> hard act to
follow</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>a tough act to follow</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>a difficult act to
follow</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br>
<i>a heavy hitter</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>a long-ball hitter</i><br>
<br>
He's<i> the odds-on favorite.</i><br>
He<i> won against all odds</i>.<br>
<br>
<br>
He<i> can run circles around</i> (someone).</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>He's<i> a triple
threat</i>.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>at the peak of</i> (one's<i>
game/performance</i>)</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>at/reach one's peak</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>He can do it</i> (do something)<i>
blindfolded</i>.<br>
<br>
<i>It ain't braggin' if you kin do it.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>have (win/maintain/claim/retain)
bragging rights</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>He knows how to get it (things)
done.</i><br>
<br>
<i>He can (do something) standing on his head.</i><br>
<br>
He<i> took top honors</i>.<br>
<br>
Pro-bowlers are<i> the best of the best.</i><br>
<br>
They<i> brought in the heavy hitters.<br>
</i><br>
<i>He could (do something) with one hand (arm) tied behind his
back.<br>
He could (do something) with both hands tied behind his
back.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>with one arm tied behind one's
back;</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>could do something with one hand tied
behind one's back;</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>He<i> could (can) (do something) with his
eyes closed.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>He<i> can (do something) with the best of
them.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br>
<font size="+1"><u><b>4) Instinctive
Motivation/Desire</b></u></font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>go/went for the
jugular</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>have a taste for the
jugular</i></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>have an instinct for the
jugular</i><br>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>He<i> has a killer instinct</i>.<br>
<br>
He<i> plays with reckless abandon</i>.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br>
<font size="+1"><u><b>5) Entertainment Value</b></u></font><br>
<br>
He's<i> larger than life</i>.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br>
He<i> can bring the crowd to its feet</i>.<br>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>He<i> draws a crowd</i>.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>He<i> can (really) draw a
crowd</i>.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><i>know how to draw a crowd</i><br>
He's<i> a crowd pleaser</i>.<br>
He<i> pleases the crowd</i>.<br>
He<i> plays to the crowd</i>.<br>
<br>
He<i> can silence a crowd with his play</i>.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Hi, Rudy, et al.<br>
--- On<b> Mon, 2/23/09, rtroike@email.arizona.edu<i>
<rtroike@email.arizona.edu></i></b> wrote:<br>
<blockquote><br>
From: rtroike@email.arizona.edu <rtroike@email.arizona.edu><br>
Subject: [Lexicog] Re: Sprachgefühl<br>
To: lexicographylist@yahoogroups.com<br>
Date: Monday, February 23, 2009, 1:15 PM<br>
</blockquote>
<blockquote><br>
Howdy, all,<br>
<br>
My understanding of 'Sprachgefühl' (although it may have
traditionally<br>
been applied philologically to puristic or artistic aspects) has
always been<br>
that it is essentially what Chomsky originally had in mind in
invoking<br>
'linguistic intuition' as the source of judgments of
grammaticality,<br>
including such issues as whether 'bnick' or 'tlot' is a possible word
of<br>
English. But as suggested in other posts, it can certainly extend to
other<br>
areas of contextual, stylistic, gender (in the sociological sense),
age, and<br>
regional appropriateness ('felicity', to use Austin's term).<br>
<br>
Rudy<br>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite><x-tab>
</x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab></blockquote>
<div><br></div>
<div><br></div>
<x-sigsep><pre>--
</pre></x-sigsep>
<div
>******************************************************************<br
>
Richard A. Rhodes<br>
Department of Linguistics<br>
University of California<br>
Berkeley, CA 94720-2650<br>
Voice (510) 643-7325<br>
FAX (510) 643-5688<br>
<br>
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