The name: Ping Pong or Table Tennis

Daniel Martinez Asked 9 years ago

Hey Guys,

I know a ton of people ask you if there is a difference between Ping Pong and Table Tennis. I'm not worried about that- I know that there is no difference.

I am wondering if the term "Ping Pong" is offensive in any way?

I am corrected everyday. "It's not Ping Pong- its Table Tennis. Have pride in the sport..."

So is it offensive in anyway?

I understand the need to use Table Tennis but is it worth sucking the fun out of it a bit? I mean, I say ping pong because it warms the heart. It reminds me of a fun time playing as a kid. So, is it offensive in anyway. If not, should I stile using the term so frequently?

Thanks,

Daniel A. Martinez

(Maybe give Just Cool Me a shout out- ask people to go like us on Facebook- thats it)

Just Cool Me, President and CEO, a local nonprofit here in Knoxville, Tennessee. We are dedicated to educating the public about the techniques, treatments, and emergency response systems needed to save the lives of those potentially impacted by an acute injury to the heart, brain, or nervous system. These processes have the potential to improve the post-injury health of a patient.

Alois Rosario Answered 9 years ago

Hi Daniel,

I don’t think it is offensive in any way. Just another name for the great game.

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D K Posted 9 years ago

Great game?

Weak word

Table tennis is not a game.

It's a lifestyle

Dakota Castleberg Posted 9 years ago

I think "ping pong" just sounds less formal, and is the more socially used term by people who don't know about it at all, or don't respect it as a valid sport out of ignorance. Since "table tennis" sounds more formal/classy, people who have more respect for the sport use this term over "ping pong".

Another example is the fact that I use the term "ping pong" around friends or people who don't know how much skill the sport actually takes, where as when I play at my club I tend to use the term "table tennis".

Daniel Martinez Posted 9 years ago

See, this is what I am talking about; I think it offends the people that take it seriously. But, I still want to call it Ping Pong. And, I take it seriously. As long as I am not offending a race or anything...

Gordon Hume Posted 9 years ago

From Wikipedia:

The name "ping-pong" was in wide use before British manufacturer J. Jaques & Son Ltd trademarked it in 1901. The name "ping-pong" then came to be used for the game played by the rather expensive Jaques's equipment, with other manufacturers calling it table tennis. A similar situation arose in the United States, where Jaques sold the rights to the "ping-pong" name to Parker Brothers. Parker Brothers then enforced their trademark for the term in the 1920s making the various associations change their names to "table tennis" instead of the more common, but trademarked, term.

In England the term "Ping Pong" does seem to carry a derogatory tone, usually denoting a young children's game patta-caking the ball backwards and forwards over the net as many times as they can, ie not trying to win points, and it's viewed as making the sport sound inferior in status to other sports like tennis, for example.

Personally, I don't care what it's called but for safety's sake I stick to "table tennis".