When I took a semester of fencing as a PE activity in college, the 'forte' (pronounced as the single syllable 'fort', without the accented 'e') was the thickest part of the foil just above the handle and guard, as compared to the very tip (the pointy end) or button, the foible (the flexible end of the blade just beneath the button or tip), and the middle of the blade (the area between forte and the foible). One was taught to always try to parry with either the middle or the forte.MGMcAnick wrote:I was a big fan, but I have to disagree with George on a couple of counts. First, have you ever tried to read Chaucer or Shakespeare in their original form? The English (or at least the American) language continues to evolve, just as it has since Geoffery's day. Please just let it evolve.
I have NEVER heard anyone pronounce forte the same a fort. Maybe it's a local thing.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forte
Evolving does not necessarily mean coming up with ridiculous words like "fo' shizzle", "crunk", "bae", "turnt", and "woke" (as in "you is woke" meaning that you are in the know about something, usually whatever so-called outrage that currently has the Social Justice Warriors running around with their undies in a twist). Go over to Urban Dictionary and see some of the crap that people are trying to foist off on the world as "evolution" to the English language.
-"BB"-
