Names of fencing moves

[Inquartata]

I've noticed this...............shall we say, lack of imagination? amoung my fellow fencers. Instead of 'Arrow's Fight' we get 'flick'. Instead of 'Flying Weasel' or *cough* 'Leaping Stag' we get 'flunge'. What gives?

Offhand I'd nominate a bias toward technical language inherent in Western industrial culture's science-oriented thinking, and a concern for 'respectability', ie not causing anyone to roll their eyes ( the way so many do at, say, the SCA ). An anxiety to be 'taken seriously'. Or maybe just fuddy-duddyism!

[Schiavona]

Sure, if fencers argue forever about attacking while retreating, we're sure not going to agree on the nomenclature for the raging scorpion attack.

These names are great! And they would be a good addition for the holy grail of TV coverage...

My Kung Fu is better than your Kung Fu..................

[Inquartata]

Besides Martini A-Z, any other historical sources?

The old manuals. For quasi-modern fencing terms, probably nothing much earlier than Angelo's "School of Arms". You can also browse Hutton's "The Sword and the Centuries" and two books, both entitled "The Duel", one by Baldick and the other by Billacois, though there may be slim pickings terminology-wise.
( They're interesting on their own, though. )


I haven't read it myself, but the recent book "By The Sword" by Cohen might bear investigation as well....

[sabreur]

Personally I like the "Parry 3 1/2 from Heck" which was invented/named in response to the briefly locally popular "Parry 4 from Hell". The "Parry 3 1/2 from Heck" involves positioning one's sabre with the blade vertical in about the center of one's chest and hoping one's opponent manages to cut to the bell anyway.

Just for reference, the "Parry 4 from Hell" was a strong forward move while in preparation in a deepish 3 guard position. This frequently drew a direct attack to chest which was parried, while still quickly closing distance, with an extremely deep 4. The riposte was generally just a quick wrist rotation to tag the opponent's mask (the distance at this point was generally closing to about a foot separation between the fencers).

Note that I don't advocate either of these moves although I have landed touches from both of them in competition (P4fH can be fun when executed well, P3.5fH really shouldn't ever work, which, of course, makes it even more fun when it does).

-B

You could add the Intentional Second Intention--when you take a 4 or 5 as your opponent starts an attack, and he/she cuts into the closed line--a lot of people will do this and it makes them really unhappy...

I would think that the Widowmaker would be a flying strike quinte/chest cut....

MR

[telkanuru]

Well, if you speak english, you can always just call out the names in other languages. Some stuff I lifted from Shakespeare (Mercutio, in particular):

Passado- advance lunge (or an advance and a thrust)
punto reverso- Backhanded thrust
Hay- successful thrust (from Italian 'ai', 'you have [it]')

Can epee be the Path of Limitless Guile, sabre the Path of Immediate Decision, and foil The Path of the Fly Fisherman?

[dunastor]

The Path of the Fly Fisherman?

LOL


(and extra needed characters)

[gojujay]

Besides Martini A-Z, any other historical sources?

ACHILLE MAROZZO!!!!!

[gojujay]

Well, if you speak english, you can always just call out the names in other languages. Some stuff I lifted from Shakespeare (Mercutio, in particular):

Passado- advance lunge (or an advance and a thrust)
punto reverso- Backhanded thrust
Hay- successful thrust (from Italian 'ai', 'you have [it]')

Can epee be the Path of Limitless Guile, sabre the Path of Immediate Decision, and foil The Path of the Fly Fisherman?

Corrections:

passado- on the pass, crossover.
punto riverso- from left foot forward stance, a traverse to about 10 o'clock with the right foot while performing a fully supinated thrust to the opponent. Timing is very crucial to this move. A counter-attack.

A possible resource is William E. Wilson's Arte of Defence. Somewhat SCA, but very well done (even if it was printed in Thailand and the binding broke on my copy)

[Point_Left]

I haven't read it myself, but the recent book "By The Sword" by Cohen might bear investigation as well....

It is a very good read. Interesting. However if you have multiple avid readers in your household who are interested in swords prepare to fight for it... A bit skimpy on fencing terms if I recall. (I haven't finished the chapters on modern fencing. Dad "Borrowed" it...)

[fence1848]

Hmm, names of fencing moves? A few I've heard are:

Diesel fleche / locomotive - A fleche you can see coming a mile away. It usually involves 3 crossovers before the arm even begins to extend.

Air force / death-from-above - a counter-six parry that is accompanied by a leap, with a riposte coming down directly onto the opponent's back. Anyone who has fenced against Abali (Virginia Tech FC alumnus) has seen him do that at least once.

Pres-de-clueless - when an advanced fencer does a clean feint-disengage attack, but their novice opponent doesn't know enough to go for the parry, so they just stick their arm out and land a counter-attack with opposition.

[morael]

This historical site has some terms. Whoever wrote it seemed to have their fingers on the wrong keys, but some of the names are nice. "The Dragonys Tayle With a Pendante" is a good one.


http://thehaca.com/Manuals/MS39564/MS39564.htm

[gojujay]

This historical site has some terms. Whoever wrote it seemed to have their fingers on the wrong keys, but some of the names are nice. "The Dragonys Tayle With a Pendante" is a good one.


http://thehaca.com/Manuals/MS39564/MS39564.htm

Don't you just love Middle English? And you thought modern day Brits were hard to understand

[J.Harris]

its really not as difficult as it sounds...
it becomes like second nature after a while, kind of like knowing when you have ROW in foil.

Of course getting the president to knopw when you have ROW is a different matter entirely.

Btw is there a name for when you retreat to make your opponent step forwards into step lunge distance and then immediately execute a step lunge? It's a bit of a mouthfull if there isn't.

(goes to dig out Princess Bride DVD)

[Katman]

We have two in my club called 'parry face' and 'parry floor.'

Parry Face: A huge circle six parry, intended to sweep the entire body and catch the point, whatever line in may be going to, up and away! Is usually only used by less experinced or panicing foilists and often results in an off target to the face, hence the name.

Parry Floor: A huge parry eight from six, intended to sweep the entire body and catch the point, whatever line it may be going to, down and away! It usually ends with the parrying fencer hitting the floor with their tip for an off target, hence the name.

My university club still teaches some older moves such as the passata soto, the boar's thrust, and the inquartata. We had a fencer who was very skilled with the passata soto against marchers. He would always catch them while they were mentally asleep so they'd be stunned and wouldn't finish their march.