Posted by Jon on January 25, 2011 at 05:51:51 user Jon.
In Reply to: Bathing v swimming posted by Robert Hill on January 24, 2011 at 08:58:09:
I suspect there's been drift - remember "bathing suits", which is mostly supplanted by "swimsuits" in current usage? I wouldn't be surprised if "bathing" arose from the Roman baths, and as people increasingly took to the water in open air (seaside, lakeside, etc.) that the principal activity, rather than the location thereof, became the preferred reference.