Which do you think it is? I’ve always heard Card shark. And there was a game show named that so it has to be right. Doesn’t it?
Card shark, pool shark, loan shark.
If someone is saying “card sharp” they didn’t hear it right.
I avoid descriptive/prescriptive arguments, so I’ll say this. It was originally “card sharp”, but now both seem to be used (probably due to people like CookingWithGas not hearing it right :D).
Cite:
There’s a picture there from 1594(!) called The Cardsharps.
“Card sharp” is absolutely a term, especially in Britain. It goes back at least four or five hundred years. “Shark” has definitely taken over, though.
According to the Wikipedia article, “shark” predates “sharp” as a term for someone who preys on others, but “card sharp” predates “card shark”.
Never ever heard ‘card sharp’ before.
Sharp; much like my clan calls anyone good/above average a “sharp” of one kind or another.
“Card sharp” is what I’ve always heard, and as mentioned above, is the original (and correct) term. “Card shark” is a folk etymological error based on a mishearing an uncommon word in a fossilized phrase and interpreting it as a more common word, like “cold slaw” for “cole slaw” or “butt naked” for “buck naked”.
:o OK I’m wrong, but I’ll admit it only because you put the little smiley face :o
This. It was originally ‘card sharp.’ But evolution of language being what it is, ‘card shark’ is more commonly used now.
Card sharp, Pool shark.
Grammarist says that card sharp is still more common in British English, but card shark is in the US, Canada and Australia.
‘Card Sharp’ seems to be the original but ‘Card Shark’ is well understood. The two phrases are synonymous, but I don’t think that many USAians recognize ‘Card Sharp’ and probably think it’s mispronounced.
I don’t think they have exactly the same connotations, though. “Sharp” has more of an implication of cheating, and merely implies that the player has a lot of skill, whereas “Shark” connotes actual expertness, with the mere implication that they might not entirely be on the up and up, IMO.
I’ve never thought of it that way. I know a couple of card sharp/ks and they’re pretty well versed in how to cheat. I’ll assume they’re honest and need to know how to cheat so they don’t get cheated. And I know from one game one of them did cheat to counter another cheater, which I’d say was fair under the circumstances. You could make that distinction between the terms, but it may go over the heads of most people, and people might be inclined to doubt the existence of an honest ‘card shark’.
Ditto. But card shark appears to be winning, both here and in the world at large.
You ever see a game show called Card Sharps? I didn’t think so.
To me card sharp seemed antiquated and in books set in the past, usually the Old West.
Benjamin Franklin famously complained: “For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen as the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perch’d on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him. With all this Injustice, he is never in good Case but like those among Men who live by Sharping and Robbing he is generally poor and often very lousy…”
I’ve always supposed “shark” was said in error by people who misheard.
Grew up knowing it as ‘card sharp’. Didn’t have sharks in the midwest, and they didn’t really start gaining popularity there until Jaws.
How funny. My brother and I were just talking about this exact subject on Sunday at dinner, and Googled this exact bit of info. People get worried that Facebook is listening to their conversations–I’m worried the Straight Dope is listening to mine! :eek:
Anyhow, while I am familiar with both phrases, “card shark” is the one I’m more used to, due to the TV gameshow, and an (unrelated) Accolade game for the C64 with the same name. (Fun playing a game of hearts against Gorby, Thatcher, and Ronnie! I actually do believe that where I learned how to play hearts, in fact.)