So you can take your choice, knowing that someone somewhere will dislike whichever variant you choose. Their recommended pronunciation \ˈfȯrt\, however, does not exactly reflect French either: the French would write the word le fort and would rhyme it with English for. Usage writers have denigrated \ˈfȯr-ˌtā\ and \ˈfȯr-tē\ because they reflect the influence of the Italian-derived 2forte. Usage In forte we have a word derived from French that in its “strong point” sense has no entirely satisfactory pronunciation. I am reminded of an awful sign at a local mall declaring that the place is a “shopping centre” with an accent over the last “e.” The practice says more about putting on airs by trying (in a mangled way) to sound European than it does about honoring one’s native language. When they put an extra syllable on “forte” they are violating the rules of English and French in a mistaken attempt to give the word a foreign flavor. When American speakers pronounce “foible,” they use common rules of English. Had no idea about the “forte” pronunciation. We use the English version of a once French word Interestingly, the author does not suggest that we pronounce “foible” as. In my dialect of ENGLISH, a is a stronhold and a is a strength, while is also loud when talking music. However thise words are now English and we will pronounce them with our own distict sensitivities. The original post is generally correct as far as pronunciation of the Italian forte and French. My response to your comments has gone on so long that I’ve decided to submit it as a post called Battle of the Dictionaries.
#Spelling of repertoire mac
There is no T!!! (this pronunciation makes it sound like Nietzsche.īut the desktop dictionary on my Mac (Oxford American) says:ġ a thing at which someone excels : small talk was not his forte.Ģ Fencing the stronger part of a sword blade, from the hilt to the middle.Īnd what about this one – I have never known before now:Ī small group of people specially trained for a particular purpose or profession : a small cadre of scientists. I wonder if a future post, you could clarify the proper pronounciation of another French word that is increasingly used in English: Niche.Īs a francophone, I do not understand why native English speakers pronounce this word as “nitch”. And I always thought that language was my forte, although I pronounce it incorrectly. I am totally guilt of this with forte – I had no idea! Thanks!
Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Ĥ1 Responses to ““Forte” or “Fortë,” “Cache” or “Cachet”?” Driving a Rolls bestows a certain cachet. Cachet can also mean “mark of distinction.” Ex. The plans for the new sewer system carry the Mayor’s cachet. Figuratively it has come to mean “approval.” Ex. As a noun cachet is literally a stamp or a seal. Among the many place names left by French explorers in the state of Arkansas is that of the Cache River.Ĭachet /ka shay/ is from the same French verb. It’s probably from the French verb cacher, “to hide.” Early explorers would hide food and supplies for the return journey. Not long ago I heard an NPR announcer speak of a “cache of weapons.” She pronounced cache as /ka shay/. Two other French words that give some speakers trouble are cache and cachet.
His chief foible is buying every new electronic gadget as soon as it comes out. Just as a forte is a person’s strong point, a foible is a (minor) weakness. The weakest part of the blade, the part between the tip and the middle, is called the foible. INTERESTING TRIVIA: The word forte /fort/ can refer to the strongest part of a sword blade, i.e., the part nearest the hilt. Noun meaning “strong point,” “strength.” This word comes into English from French. The error has arisen from the fact that there are two “fortes” in English, each with a different pronunciation.Īdverb (or adjective) meaning “strong” or “loud.” This word comes into English from Italian and is used chiefly in a musical context. This mispronunciation has become so wide-spread that it’s on its way to establishing itself as an acceptable variation. How many times have you heard people say something is not their “forte” and pronounce forte as /for tay/? “Forte” or “Fortë,” “Cache” or “Cachet”? By Maeve Maddox
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