I don't have any pressure to learn the "proper" terminology. I don't have the language skills to have a full-blown conversation with a Korean master, so it's useless. When I talk about parts and the like, I'm usually doing it in English.

My teacher taught me the terminology he wants me to use. I'm not going to fight him on that.

As for CMA, KMA, JMA or anything else remotely related to sword arts, I think it's ignorant to say that you follow only one way. My bread and butter is Daehan Haedong Gumdo, but that doesn't stop me from trying out other arts. I've learned how to generate massive power from the abdomen by studying Kendo. I've learned how to sheathe and unsheathe very swiftly by studying Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu. I learned to wield two swords at once by doing some Kali with my best friend. Heck, I learned how to cut better by playing golf and hockey!

I'm digressing... Lets just stick to the terminology thats already been laid out for us. The Korean dojang in Korea use that terminology. It's just commonsense to follow suite. It's very admirable to research old terms and their origins, but knowing them won't make you a better fighter.

"So, if you only plan to speak with your cronies, all is well. Speaking with swordslingers from other traditions takes a little more work."

Well said, Anthony.

I for one am just grateful that this conversation is taking place. I know the terms that my instructor taught me and I know what terms I will pass on to my students; but if I want to communicate with my fellow-practitioners (which I do), then I need to understand terminology used throughout the community.

So far, the differences have been at a manageable level.

Thanks, Anthony. That brings up an interesting question. As you were doing your work on the HDGD terminology that you use in your organization, did the idea of reconciling the terms that you use with, say, the terms used by another HDGD group come into consideration? I guess what I am asking is whether such a goal might have been a distant motive for your work or did you intend only making the organization of your own terminology more "logical" or more germane. In your experience are there vast differences among various sword groups or are the differences more a reflection of dialect/language than actual sword work? Thoughts?

Best Wishes,

Bruce

The project was started initially to facilitate the learning of the terms by English speakers. Brian Gihm took it farther, and then Andrew Pratt expanded upon that. No goal other than helping English speakers get a grip on HDGD terminology was explicit. As the project reached it's middle stages, variance between different HDGD organizations was noted, but as they were relatively minor in nature, little was done to bring those variations into the document.

Developing a larger set of terms to faciliate discussion with other arts was not considered at all.

"....Developing a larger set of terms to faciliate discussion with other arts was not considered at all....."

Got it! Thanks. Then you have had the same experience as did I except that I started expanding to see if there was a way to build a larger inter-relational vocabulary. I had started with hwaRang Kum-Bup but also ran into trouble when I started to move outside of that single particular group. Maybe I should take the hint, yes?

Best Wishes,

Bruce

There's no reason a great big list of possible terms can't be assembled.... other than the great sadness which the compiler might experience when they discovered that no one had made use of the list...or even so much as read it.

Dear Anthony:

Have you examined the poster developed by Adrian Ko over on SFI regarding the Chinese names for parts of the Chinese dao? It has been republished in the thread entitled "Imperial Chinese Fittings" in the Chinese Swordsmanship section of that website. Your comments and opinions, as always are encouraged and invited.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

No, I haven't looked at SFI for quite some time. I'll check it out...

OK, I looked. Without the use of characters it doesn't help me any, although it does allow me to guess that the terms used in whatever period Adrian Ko was referencing do not match the terms that I was taught to use for a different class of weapon from a different country...