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> I wonder if something was lost in translation, if that read " it strips away the illusion" then the component of pretending in this type of play makes sense.

Yes something was lost. In Finnish there are different words for children's make-believe plays ("leikkiä") and sports/adult games ("pelata"). Your example of comic-con is spot on, I think.

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Given your comment about the two words in Finnish, I think the comment about comic cons has it backwards:

> “If someone says we are playing, it strips away everything we made, it strips away the reality,” said Ms. Aarniomaki.

She’s objecting to being compared to comics instead of soccer, hence “the reality” being stripped — you’re accusing what they view as akin to gymnastics as being mere fantasy.

I'm not sure if I got you right -- a comic convention wouldn't be called with the make-believe word. That would be intentionally belittling if adults (or teenagers, for that matter) are attending. It's used only for small children's plays.

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