An
amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without formal training or pay. An amateur receives little or irregular income from their activities, and differs from a
professional who makes a living from the pursuit and typically has some formal training and certifications in the domain. Translated from its
French origin to the English "
lover", the term "
amateur" reflects a voluntary motivation to work as a result of personal interest in the activity.
Amateurism can be seen in both a negative and positive light. Since amateurs often do not have formal training, some amateur work may be sub-par. For example, amateur
athletes in sports such as
basketball or
football are not regarded as having the same level of ability as professional athletes. On the other hand an amateur may be in a position to approach a subject with an open mind (as a result of the lack of formal training) and in a financially disinterested manner.
The lack of financial recompense can also be seen as a sign of
commitment to an activity; and until the 1970s the Olympic rules required that competitors be amateurs. Receiving payment to participate in an event disqualified an athlete from that event, as in the case of
Jim Thorpe. In the Olympics, this rule remains in place for
boxing.
Many amateurs make valuable contributions in the field of
computer programming through the
open source movement.
Amateur Dramatics is the performance of
plays or
musical theater, often to high standards but lacking the budgets of professional
West End or
Broadway performances.
Astronomy, history, linguistics, and
ornithology are among the myriad fields that have benefited from the activities of amateurs.
See also
