Bob, I don't doubt that etymologists have traced our English usage to French roots. However, new terms evolve and old ones evolve over time. Rather than incorrectly correctly pronounce the French "forte" --or say it correctly and be thought an uneducated dunce by 99+% of the American populace, I prefer to borrow the Italian word [phrase] "[cosa] forte" and correctly pronounce it "for-teh."

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Bringing the thread back on topic, here's a new verse:

My rhinoceros is a pedant,
And if you say that "golf 's your 'for-tay',
She'll yell, "Mispronounced!"
And your head she will bounce
Like a basketball by Dr. J."

Genie
§;- )