04-27-2005, 09:27 PM
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#5 of 12 
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2000
Local Time: 08:00 PM
Local Date: 12-04-2008
Posts: 95
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From dictionary.com
| Usage Note: The word forte, coming from French fort, should properly be pronounced with one syllable, like the English word fort. Common usage, however, prefers the two-syllable pronunciation, (fôr'ta), which has been influenced possibly by the music term forte borrowed from Italian. In a recent survey a strong majority of the Usage Panel, 74 percent, preferred the two-syllable pronunciation. The result is a delicate situation; speakers who are aware of the origin of the word may wish to continue to pronounce it as one syllable but at an increasing risk of puzzling their listeners. |
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