 Poster: A snowHead
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I've been described as everthing from a good beginner to an expert (by other's), at Christmas I was really enjoying doing as many blacks as I could in a day and yet in April I was being seriously challenged by the same slope's. Therefore I suggest the condition of the 'piste' has a major effect upon ability on the day, consistency is all 
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Mon 26-05-08 17:06; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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jonm, that is a phrase, but if you mean braquage? I'm not sure how to spell it, it is an exercise. If you receive instruction at any point you shall no doubt discover it eventually.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| JT wrote: |
| [ To me, the difference in ski levels..after a certain point..comes down the speed...and then there is fitness which impacts on that ..... |
I have come across people who tear down easy slopes with great gusto, thinking they will impress with their speed, and would be considered good skiers by their buddies,---then they suddenly are faced with a steep bit and come to a dead halt--getting down it with no technique but hoping luck and gravity will assist them.
I find speed comes naturally after one has got realistic confidence from having spent a good number of weeks on snow and sound technique from instruction.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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spyderjon,
That set of definitions is useful but there seems a big big gap between level 4 and 5... At least in my opinion
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Martin Bell,
I slipped onto my side... I quite like side slipping.. 
But is it all about bottle..one had it..Anelka didn't...
A bit like some apects of skiing where bravado can account for quite a bit.
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Is there any other mass participation sport in which people would ever assume that time spent doing it (with no other proviso) corresponds in some way with level of competence attained?
Indeed, is there any other mass participation sport which is like skiing in that ordinary punters with no great athleticism, or ambition, or time to spend, can enjoy themselves at their own level for as long as they have the strength, wealth and will to try? In glorious surroundings?
Is there any other kind of activity or holiday which generates quite so much debate about what "level" other people are at?
Daft questions really, but as we're all bored....
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rayscoops, difficult to tell when you're joking, since you are exceptionally liberal with your use of the lol smiley. Again, I didn't realise you were. Apologies.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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DB,
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besides you couldn't afford me
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How do you know? 
Interesting link - thanks.
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I have never heard "not by a long chalk" used to mean anything other than "not by a long way".
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| pam w wrote: |
| I have never heard "not by a long chalk" used to mean anything other than "not by a long way". |
Neither had I, but DB's link says otherwise.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I've been trying to think of an expression in which it might mean the opposite, as in "He's a little bit better at skiing than I am, but not by a long chalk". Sounds daft.
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You know it makes sense.
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Hurtle, I did actually get bored enough today to do my 2007/8 tax return. Should be in the Isle of Wight, sitting in the pouring rain in a harbour rather exposed to the NE wind, in a very small and rather leaky boat. So it could be worse. Being on holiday in the Isle of Wight would be worse than doing my tax return; by a long chalk.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Quote: |
but DB's link says otherwise.
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but in a rather internally inconsistent way; and just because something's on the internet......
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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pam w,
yep...golf..!!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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JT, yes, but in golf you have such a nice clear set of benchmarks. If someone consistently gets round the course in fewer strokes than you do, whatever the conditions, you can't argue the toss about "style"! Or maybe you can? And I bet there are plenty of golfers who have played for years and are just as useless as ever they were.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| pam w wrote: |
| I have never heard "not by a long chalk" used to mean anything other than "not by a long way". |
As soon as I saw "not by a long chalk" I looked into it's meaning (for reasons previously mentioned) and then that got me thinking about what it really meant and what Hurtle actually meant. It looks like it means "not by a large amount" if so perhaps "not by a long shot" or some other phrase/idiom would of been more suitable. ...... and yes it was a slow day at work.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| pam w wrote: |
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but DB's link says otherwise.
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but in a rather internally inconsistent way; and just because something's on the internet...... |
Sure, but there's maybe enough to indicate an element of doubt. Still, with the greatest respect to DB and his evident expertise in English, I think I'll go on using it the way that you and I, not to mention the OED, understand to be correct.
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If I asked someone if they were an expert skier and they said 'not by a long chalk' then I would assume they were a beginner, they were far away from being any good
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Hurtle, having been thinking about it (  ) I've been wondering. If you say "I ski better than he does, by a long chalk". Or "He's not as good as me, not by a long chalk" does it mean the same thing, or not? In linguistic terms it ought to mean something different?
OMG.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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pam w,
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does it mean the same thing,
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Yes.
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In linguistic terms it ought to mean something different?
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Why? Once you've unravelled the double negative, it's the same. Isn't it?
Quite. 
rayscoops,
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If I asked someone if they were an expert skier and they said 'not by a long chalk' then I would assume they were a beginner, they were far away from being any good
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Exactly.
Heavens alive, now everyone's started to get usage-obsessed. Is it catching, or what?
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I wonder whether there's a problem of punctuation or word order here (maybe we should call in Lynn Truss). As the phrase is normally used after some kind of question "is it A, or not" (possibly with the "or not" being implicit), then stick in a comma in the reply after "not" and the ambiguity is removed "not, by a long chalk"' or "not, by much" clearly then means what we all think it means. Also "not by much" is logically opposite to "by not much" but in usage seems to be considered to be synonymous (whereas "not by a long chalk" and "by not a long chalk", if that is ever used, are clearly antonyms). I think the confusion is created by that illogical usage rather than any problem with "not by a long chalk". I have never heard "not by a long chalk" to mean "by not much", and I think that discussion DB linked to is vary confusing - not to say misleading. And to suggest it is synonymous with "not by a long shot" is just wrong - as the two phrases mean completely different things (one talks about probablility/likelihood, the other about margin)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Whitegold wrote: |
| Hurtle wrote: |
JT,
Thanks for the offer, but... 
I don't think there is much correlation at all between time spent on snow and skill levels. Natural aptitude is important (I've been absolutely blown away by the recently posted videos of tinies snowboarding) age (both start age and actual age) and the amount, type and regularity of tuition experienced. Also, at the upper end of the scale, the dreaded plateau comes into play. All of which is another way of saying that I'm a crap skier, although I've done lots of weeks on snow.  |
Hurtle, There is unquestionably a correlation between time spent on snow and skill levels.
The more continuous practice you put in, the better you get.
But the reality is that, despite practice, roughly 80% of all humans will always be rubbish skiers, because of insufficient natural ability.
Just like soccer, skiing is a tricky sport that takes great leg control and balance. And most people don't have that gift. Most people spoon the ball over the bar, or pass it to the wrong person.
That's why snowboarding has become so popular. Become it is easier to master and you don't need to be a great athlete to look good on a single plank.
I recommend all plateau-skiers switch to boarding. |
Stunning, utterly stunning . . . though could you wear thinner underwear please, your enunciation is muffled by the thickness (or possibly crustiness) of your pants
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Masque, So you are saying you are not Whitegold then ?
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Latchigo, double-bluff?
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You know it makes sense.
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that was the purpose of the thread? to grade and intermediate against time on the slope
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To measure the length of a piece of string?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Don't see what the controversy is. " not by a long chalk" is a phrase that I use and have done so for many decades. It means , by not a lot, by not much etc. Maybe that it is a northern phrase as it is in common use in SE Lancs.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| rayscoops wrote: |
Hurtle, yes, a joke, or irony maybe, but we all come across the skiers who call themselves intermediates but they can barely get down a red,
maybe ...... beginner = can do a green/blue (0 - 10 days). good beginner = can do a red with no style (10 - 20 days), low intermediate = can do a black with no style (15 - 25 days), intermidiate = can do a black and can do a red with style (20 - 30 days), good intermediate = can do a black with some style (25 - 40 days) |
rayscoops One of my instructors used to say that when you had good stance and balance on a black run you were ready to really start to learn to ski....
Of course as most of the population tend to be a bit back seat even on blue runs.... 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| JT wrote: |
| To me, the difference in ski levels..after a certain point..comes down the speed.... |
Ah yes.... the clock does not lie.... very few people see the benefit in doing some race training though...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Latchigo wrote: |
| Masque, So you are saying you are not Whitegold then ? |
hmmmmm.... very funny
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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little tiger, indeed, learning to slide properly starts when you can already slide
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Latchigo wrote: |
| Masque, So you are saying you are not Whitegold then ? |
Let me check . . .
Yep . . . voice broken, plums hanging, pits niff a bit sometimes and I've actually had sex . . . with a woman . . . more than once . . . to the same one . . . 
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| little tiger wrote: |
| very few people see the benefit in doing some race training though... |
very few people have a venue appropriate to their current skill, also.
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| II wrote: |
I also choose not to ski black mogul fields- so I'm not very good at them. I can get down but I would rather ski another slope given the choice.
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Strange... I love mogul fields and I'm really, really not very good at them. They are just soooo addictive though
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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FAQ
