# Don't High Divers Need to Actually Dive? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 11, 2011, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-high-divers-need-to-actually-dive/605805 "2011-12-11T05:27:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_In\_Black](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@The\_Man\_In\_Black](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_In_Black)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-high-divers-need-to-actually-dive/605805/1 "2011-12-11T05:27:05Z")
As in this video: [World Record Highest Dive (Dana Kunze 172 Foot High Dive World Champion) - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uHkyMh9FW4) the “diver” hits the water feet first. Yes, of course I am amazed at the height of 172 feet, but how can it be called a dive? ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-high-divers-need-to-actually-dive/605805/2 "2011-12-11T05:56:02Z")
Yes. > [@merriam-webster.com](#): > > dive > verb \ˈdīv > dived or dove | dived also dove | div·ing > Definition of DIVE > intransitive verb > 1 > a : to plunge into water intentionally and especially headfirst; also : to execute a dive ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-high-divers-need-to-actually-dive/605805/3 "2011-12-11T17:14:46Z")
Words don’t have a fixed meaning bestowed upon them by omniscient aliens from the Pedantic Galaxy. Usage creates meaning. Always, for every word, throughout all history. The history of dive itself is proof. It doesn’t come from any root word meaning headfirst and its subsequent secondary meanings don’t all use that sense either. [dive (v.)](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=dive&searchmode=none) > [@](#): > > ``` > 13c., from O.E. dufan "to dive, duck, sink" (intransitive, class II strong verb; past tense deaf, pp. dofen) and dyfan "to dip, submerge" (weak, transitive), from P.Gmc. *dubijanan, from PIE *dheub- (see deep). Past tense dove is a later formation, perhaps on analogy of drive/drove. The noun is attested from c.1700. Sense of "disreputable bar" is first recorded Amer.Eng. 1871, perhaps because they were usually in basements, and going into one was both a literal and figurative "diving." Related: Diving. Dive bomber attested by 1939. > > ``` ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-high-divers-need-to-actually-dive/605805/4 "2011-12-11T18:42:26Z")
For what it’s worth, FINA, the international federation that dictates diving regulations, allows both head-first and feet-first entries since this provides divers with more options of twists, rotations and other in-air movements to increase the difficulty of the dive. I’m not familiar with the entire set of rules, but [here](http://www.fina.org/H2O/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=84:diving-rules&Itemid=184&layout=default)they are. Officially, a feet-first [entry](http://www.fina.org/H2O/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=305:d-8-judging&catid=84:diving-rules&Itemid=184)has to be done with hands below the head: > [@](#): > > D 8.6.4 In feet first entries, the arms shall be close to the body with no bending at the elbows. If one or both arms are held beyond the head on entry, the Referee shall declare a maximum award of 4½ points. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-high-divers-need-to-actually-dive/605805/5 "2011-12-11T19:38:28Z")
> [@The\_Man\_In\_Black](#): > > Yes, of course I am amazed at the height of 172 feet, but how can it be called a dive? When someone willingly jumps off something 172 feet high, I’m willing to cut him a little slack on exactly what to call it. I wonder what the current record is. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_In\_Black](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@The\_Man\_In\_Black](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_In_Black)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-high-divers-need-to-actually-dive/605805/6 "2011-12-11T19:44:36Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > When someone willingly jumps off something 172 feet high, I’m willing to cut him a little slack on exactly what to call it. What if he called it a truck? If someone tells me he dove a bridge, I assume he hit the water head first. Otherwise, it’s a jump. But a bellyflop from that height would be really awesome! ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-high-divers-need-to-actually-dive/605805/7 "2011-12-11T19:48:44Z")
At those heights (ie cliff diving), head first entries are not practical or safe. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-high-divers-need-to-actually-dive/605805/8 "2011-12-11T20:54:42Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > When someone willingly jumps off something 172 feet high, I’m willing to cut him a little slack on exactly what to call it. > > I wonder what the current record is. 177 feet, by Oliver Favre [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/mLd529gWKJ4/hqdefault.jpg "Olivier Favre - World Record Highest Dive - 177ft - 54 m") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLd529gWKJ4) ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-high-divers-need-to-actually-dive/605805/9 "2011-12-12T02:41:22Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > 177 feet, by Oliver Favre > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLd529gWKJ4](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLd529gWKJ4) Eek! That entry was just terrible. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_In\_Black](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@The\_Man\_In\_Black](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_In_Black)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-high-divers-need-to-actually-dive/605805/10 "2011-12-12T05:30:33Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > 177 feet, by Oliver Favre > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLd529gWKJ4](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLd529gWKJ4) I read that that was not a record, because the guy was not able to exit the water on his own, because he was badly hurt in the attempt. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-high-divers-need-to-actually-dive/605805/11 "2011-12-12T06:35:30Z")
> [@USCDiver](#): > > At those heights (ie cliff diving), head first entries are not practical or safe. … but then neither is any other angle of entry 😉 ---
**Author:** ![constanze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@constanze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constanze)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-high-divers-need-to-actually-dive/605805/12 "2011-12-12T10:24:41Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Words don’t have a fixed meaning bestowed upon them by omniscient aliens from the Pedantic Galaxy. Usage creates meaning. Always, for every word, throughout all history. All the more apparent when you compare the English word to other languages, i.e. German: Dive as in jumping of a board: Turmspringer/ Kunstspringer Dive as in jumping of a cliff: Klippenspringer (Springer means jumper) Dive as in “go below the water with Scuba etc.”: Taucher ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-high-divers-need-to-actually-dive/605805/13 "2011-12-12T12:24:18Z")
> [@The\_Man\_In\_Black](#): > > I read that that was not a record, because the guy was not able to exit the water on his own, because he was badly hurt in the attempt. That may well be, I did a quick search and that video came up in a few places. There was a previous WR at 174 feet, but I didn’t look for video or confirmation from it. I’ve done dives from 10 meters, and you really don’t want to mess up your entry from that height. I can’t imagine the issues with messing up from 6 times that height! :eek: