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Fencing terms



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Tue Jul 08, 2008 12:22 pm
Night Mistress says...



you guys now ay fencing term?

I know Foil is the sowrd, but i don't know any others.
"I love you," she whispered in his ear, before taking his mouth with her own.

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Tue Jul 08, 2008 3:01 pm
FaithWorks says...



Hi,
I did a quick Google search and found these websites that may help:
http://www.historicalweapons.com/swordparts.html
http://www.synec-doc.be/escrime/dico/engl.htm

Hope this works for you:)

Blessings,
Faith
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”Where hope grows, miracles blossom.”

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Tue Jul 08, 2008 4:33 pm
Kang227 says...



Just throw in words like 'touche', 'parry', 'counterattack', 'riposte,' and 'stabby motions'.

You'll be fine.

Don't worry about meaning, just throw 'em in there. Like this!

"Greg parried Mary's stabby-motion counterattack, riposting fiercely and landing a spectacular touche."

You see? I have absolutely NO idea what I just wrote!
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Wed Jul 09, 2008 3:09 pm
Gladius says...



Ahem. I believe I can help somewhat more than with 'stabby-motion's etc. :P

Fencing is a specific type of discipline within the sword-wielding universe characterized by its French origin. I won't get much into that, because that's not what you're looking for. ^_~ Basically, fencing trainees will start out with a foil. Another kind of sword used in fencing is the sabre. There is a difference between the two, in that the sabre is used more for slashing, swashbuckling motions and attacks than the foil--which is used for lunges and stabs (eg, 'touche'--which is 'touch' or 'point' in French, I believe *is a Spanish student*).

Some basic motions you'll want to know are the fleche and the parry. There's also a little side-step thingy used to avoid an opponents stab or fleche, but I forget what it's called. >.< *fails* If I remember, I'll tell you. :P Parry, pretty much everyone knows--you stop your opponent's weapon with your own. In fencing, there are eight different positions the parry can take, depending on where the weapon is. There aren't really any terms to them--just numbers to memorize and the motions to practice--so I won't get into that, either. Fleche, on the other hand--now that's fun. 'Fleche' means arrow in French--basically, this is an all-out run which you can use to either pass by your opponent and gain the other side of the fencing lane or run them through. However, there are dangers to this: though it's useful for getting out of the far end of the lane, where you can be pushed off the lane and thus have a point taken from you, you're exposing your back--which is fair game in a fencing match, if your opponent can get the tip to touch you.

Also, I can clarify the meaning of 'riposte' somewhat (though I don't know the French for it ^^; *fails French*). If I remember correctly, a 'riposte' is kind of a turn and strike used to wiggle your way out of an opponent's attack to counterattack and score a touch. Don't quote me on that, though. ^^;

...Ok, now I must ask (I should have before, but whatever :P): are you doing a broadsword-style fight (aka, moving around a semi-open area with obstacles) or an actual fencing match? I might be able to help more if I know this specifically. :)

Good luck with whatever you're doing! Hope this helped. :D
~Gladius
When Heroes fall and the Sacred Blade is captured, can Evil be stopped?~The Wings of Darkness

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Wed Jul 09, 2008 6:58 pm
Night Mistress says...



I am doing an actual fencing match in my story. my character is a fencer and a very good one. and so is her boy (he is captain of the fencing team)
"I love you," she whispered in his ear, before taking his mouth with her own.

~Elizzabeth Grey of Addicting Posion
  





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Wed Jul 09, 2008 8:44 pm
Gladius says...



Okie doke! :D

You'll be needing to know about the equipment and rules...which I won't be much help on, unfortunately. ^^; The equipment at least I can say something about.

The classic look for a fencer is the foil held in front of them with a slight crook in their elbow; the person will be wearing a full suit of white, of which the jacket (the eme, or something like that--check out the second link Faith gave you) is specifically fitted to cover all areas which are valid for scoring points. In case of a stray thwak, and especially for sabre (in which the head is a valid target), the fencer also wears a netted mask that covers the whole head but leaves the fencer able to see. It rather looks like a two-legged, upright fly with no wings, if you ask me. :P

Weapons
For the weapons, there are many variants. The kind you'll probably be wanting to use is the common foil--as I've heard it, there're two variants, mostly in the grip style (the two styles are French and Spanish).

The Foil
The grip and blade are both rectangular, and on the end is a blunt tip with a tiny little buttony thing which is both a safety point (dull, of course) and reads whether or not you've actually made a touch in a tournament match. As I mentioned earlier, there are two different grips that I know of (French and Spanish--I only know about this one because I met someone who used that grip). The French grip is more of an over-hand grip with the forefinger on top of the grip and the thumb steadying it on the side. The Spanish grip is more of an under-hand grip, with the hand palm up and the thumb on the opposite side from where it is in the French grip.

The [practice] foil is the weapon every beginner starts with, regardless of if they'll eventually specialize in sabre or something else.

The Epee
Alright--from here on out my memory's a bit sketchy, so you might want to look this up to confirm it and learn more after I'm done. ^^; From what I remember, the main difference between the foil and the epee is the way it's formed--instead of a square/rectangular blade, it's triangular. Uh...I think the grip might be different, too, but I can't remember. >.< *fails* *internet takes over* Uh, yeah--use that resource. ^^; *jerks thumb at internet*

The Rapier--unfortunately, I don't remember more about this than that it exists. ^^; I think it's rather similar to the epee, though.

The Sabre
Yes, that is spelled correctly. ^_^

Now this I remember more about! :D The sabre has a wierd grip that actually feels very natural. I can't really explain it here, so I think you might have to Google pictures of it to get a better idea of how it works. My hand doesn't really remember how it works, so that's your best bet. ^^;

All right--here's the biggest thing you'll need to know. The main difference between sabre and foil/epee is that you can slash away at your opponent. :twisted: Also, the head is a valid target. This discipline is more like broadsword fighting than the fencing I've mentioned previously (which is why this is a favorite of mine :D). However, all beginners start with the foil, as I've mentioned. This is a big point, which is why I'm stressing it. You're unlikely to see younger/less-experienced fencers in sabre matches (though I'm sure they exist).

...Ok, I think that's everything I'm willing to part with, simply because I'm so unsure of the rest. ^^; Hope it helps. *desperately hopes it's not wrong*
~Gladius

P.s.--If I remember correctly, sabres can't be used in foil/epee fencing.
When Heroes fall and the Sacred Blade is captured, can Evil be stopped?~The Wings of Darkness

I'm also ZeldaMoogle on Fanfiction.net!

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Wed Jul 09, 2008 9:17 pm
Crysi says...



I'm taking fencing in the fall! In addition, I took a few fencing classes for my senior project.

Gladius has most of it right, so I'd listen to her! Rapier is, as far as I know, generally not included in the category of fencing. It was used as a weapon in times when carrying such weapons was commonplace, but for tournaments, it's generally foil, epee, and sabre. I'd like to add that when first learning, fencers are less likely to use what are called electric foils (or epees, etc.). They simply use the weapon, but are not hooked up. Then there's electric, which has a wire going from pommel to tip, and cords that go through the jacket... Poor Imp could give you a lot more info, lol.

Also, small point of interest, women are required to wear breast protectors -- basically removable plastic cups that fit inside the jacket.

And footwork is the most important aspect of fencing! Yes, there are all the parries and thrusts and ripostes you learn, but the first thing you learn is footwork, because it is the basis upon which all other skills are built. If you're great at the swordwork, but lousy with your footwork, you could easily lose a match.
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Wed Jul 09, 2008 10:21 pm
Night Mistress says...



okay.

thanks, you guys for all your help.
"I love you," she whispered in his ear, before taking his mouth with her own.

~Elizzabeth Grey of Addicting Posion
  





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Wed Jul 09, 2008 10:54 pm
Wolf says...



I take fencing! :D

Gladius covered a lot of it, but I can fill you in on the equipment and some of the basic rules. =]

The equipment is, as Gladius mentioned, a white suit type-thing (tight white pants, a white zip-up jacket -- long sleeved -- and gloves), a helmet (it does look like a limbless fly!), and, of course, the foil. You alreayd know what all these look like, though.
--- > Women are required to wear a breast protector, which is basically a plastic bra. :P And men wear a form of groin protector, too, but I have no idea what that looks like. XD

As for the rules ... well, I'm not entirely sure on this, so I won't say much. I do know that before a fencing match starts, the following procedure must be undertaken:
- opponents shake hands BEFORE putting on the mask.
- they step back and put on their masks
- they salute each other (raise sword to head-height, then bring it down again in a diagonal motion)
- judge says "ready ... aller!" and they begin ('aller' is the french word for 'go'.)

Anyway ... hm, I seem oddly braindead today. =( Sorry ... well, Gladius covered lots of stuff already, so I'd basically be repeating myself.

Cheers!
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Thu Jul 10, 2008 1:37 pm
Night Mistress says...



thanks.
"I love you," she whispered in his ear, before taking his mouth with her own.

~Elizzabeth Grey of Addicting Posion
  





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Sun Sep 14, 2008 9:47 pm
Night Mistress says...



I'm getting really close to writing a fencing scene. so hare if you have the info. It would be most helpful
"I love you," she whispered in his ear, before taking his mouth with her own.

~Elizzabeth Grey of Addicting Posion
  





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Mon Sep 22, 2008 9:25 pm
Night Mistress says...



i am writing a fencing match in this chapter i am working on. can you help me? please.
"I love you," she whispered in his ear, before taking his mouth with her own.

~Elizzabeth Grey of Addicting Posion
  





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Mon Sep 29, 2008 9:32 pm
kris says...



A Rapier is also a type of sword used in fancing... Not commonly mind.
Rapier generally refers to a relatively long-bladed sword characterized by a complex hilt which is constructed to provide protection for the hand wielding it. While the blade might be broad enough to cut to some degree (but nowhere near that of the wider, slightly heavier swords in use around the Middle Ages), the strength of the rapier is its ability as a thrusting weapon. The blade might be sharpened along its entire length, sharpened only from the centre to the tip (as described by Capoferro), or completely without a cutting edge as called “estoc” by Pallavicini, a rapier master who, in 1670, strongly advocated using a weapon with two cutting edges. A typical example would weigh one kilogram and have a relatively long and slender blade of 2.5 centimetres or less in width, one metre or more in length and ending in a sharply pointed tip.

The term rapier generally refers to a thrusting sword with a blade longer and thinner than that of the so-called side-sword but heavier than the smallsword, a lighter weapon that would follow in the 18th century and later, but the exact form of the blade and hilt often depends on who is writing and when. It can refer to earlier spada da lato (much like the espada ropera) through the high rapier period of the 17th century through the smallsword and dueling swords, thus context is important in understanding what is meant by the word. (The term side-sword, used among some modern historical martial arts reconstructionists, is a translation from the Italian spada da lato--a term coined long after the fact by Italian museum curators--and does not refer to the slender, long rapier, but only to the early 16th-century Italian sword with a broader and shorter blade that is considered both its ancestor and contemporary.)

It is important to remember that the word “rapier” was not used by Italian, Spanish, and French masters during the apogee of this weapon, the terms spada, espada and épée (or espée) being instead the norm (generic word for “sword”). Because of this, as well as the great variation of late-16th and 17th century swords, some like Tom Leoni simply describe the rapier as a straight-bladed, two-edged, single-handed sword of that period which is self-sufficient in terms of both offense and defense, not requiring a companion weapon. In order to avoid the confusion of lumping all swords together, some categorize such swords by their function and use. For example, John Clements categorizes thrusting swords with poor cutting abilities as rapiers and categorizes swords with both good thrusting and cutting abilities as Cut & Thrust swords.[1] Some however see the rapier in its entire time-line and see that it never truly fits into any single definition. Largely all over Europe the weapon changed based on culture and the fighting style that was prescribed; be it Italian, Spanish, or some other instruction on the weapon's use, so that lengths, widths, hilt designs and even the lack or placement of an edge or edges differed at the same time. One may wear a rapier with a wire hilt and edges on the same given day as another man having a cup hilt and an edgeless blade.
  








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