Technical jargon can seem like a burden when you’re first learning a martial art. European martial arts in particular have dozens of guard names, positions, attack types, and terms for movements of the sword and body.

Students frequently ask, “I have to learn to sword fight AND speak Italian?” It can feel overwhelming.

But here’s what my colleague Clint Fernandes, one of our Provosts at Duello, likes to say: “Italian sword fighting terms are just English words you haven’t learned yet.”

Why Language Matters

Language is what makes memorization possible. Memorization is what makes analysis and improvement possible.

Consider this: without technical terms, how would you describe a complex fighting sequence? You’d need paragraphs of explanation. With the right vocabulary, you can capture the same action in a few words.

When I can name a guard position, an attack type, and a defensive response precisely, I can remember them. When I can remember them, I can analyze them. When I can analyze them, I can improve.

The Advantage of Foreign Terms

Traditional Italian terminology connects you to the historical roots of your art. When you learn to execute a stramazzone or defend from porta di ferro, you’re practicing the same techniques that masters taught centuries ago.

These terms are more than labels - they’re links to a living tradition.

A Practice Exercise

Here’s an exercise I recommend during sparring: after each contact, pause with your partner and discuss what happened using proper terminology.

Ask yourselves:

What was the location of the contact?
What were your sword positions before and after?
What was the timing of the action?
What actions preceded the contact?

This structured analysis builds the cognitive capacity to remember and articulate fighting dynamics. You can’t improve what you can’t describe, and you can’t describe what you don’t have words for.

Making It Stick

The terminology will feel awkward at first. That’s normal. Every new language does.

But with consistent practice, the words become second nature. You’ll stop translating in your head and start thinking directly in the language of swordplay.

That’s when the real learning begins.