Any Etymologists here? (Or Can someone help prove the existence of perfidity?)

[Bookman]

Ok so as some of you know I'm directing a show right now and in the show the painfully dumb girl is being sort of lectured at by the painfully smart professor who wants her to come back and continue to plot to kill a woman.

Anyways he says to his other co-conman who also has had a change of heart about the murder and says basically "You were born with a talent for perfidity and don't waste it". The dumb girl asks what it means.

So the actress looks up the word and it's not in the dictionary. However, I've HEARD this word before and google turns up a few results of uses of the word but no definitions. Also it links to perfidy so I assume perfidity is an adjective describing a perfidy.

So....Anyone wanna try and help me?

[ZombieRockStar]

Perfidy: N. A treacherous act. "Perfidity" is not a word. The adjective is "perfidious."

From the Latin fides, from which we get "fidelity." Thus, someone who is perfidious is lacking in fidelity.
This definition is certainly not courtesy of Wiktionary. >_>

[Solo]

Seconded.

And it should be in any dictionary worth it's salt.

[Fri]

Huh? A quick search bring me to the wiktionary. They have definition for perfidy/perfidity.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/perfidy

damn internet connection and you ninja guys.

[SurlySeraph]

"Perfidity" is just a colloquial pronunciation of "Perfidy." Like "For-tay" for "Forte" and "Nucular" for "Nuklear."

[Bookman]

"Perfidity" is just a colloquial pronunciation of "Perfidy." Like "For-tay" for "Forte" and "Nucular" for "Nuklear."

That would make sense since it is a play script and would want emphasis on pronunciation...

And that's definitely what I'll tell the actress who's fighting with me over this. :tongue:

[averagejoe]

"Perfidity" is just a colloquial pronunciation of "Perfidy." Like "For-tay" for "Forte" and "Nucular" for "Nuklear."

Wait, how is "forte" pronounced? I can't recall it ever having been pronounced any other way.

[Jokes]

I think it could be the way forte is said, often with two very distinct syllables, with more emphasis on the '-tay.'

[Saeveo]

Wait, how is "forte" pronounced? I can't recall it ever having been pronounced any other way.

Well, it's almost straight from the French "fort", meaning "strong", and pronounced as the English "fort" (e.g. Fort Knox).

But "for-tay" is also acceptable. And, you know, much more common.

[averagejoe]

Well, it's almost straight from the French "fort", meaning "strong", and pronounced as the English "fort" (e.g. Fort Knox).

But "for-tay" is also acceptable. And, you know, much more common.

I shouldn't be suprised, I guess. French seems like a language practically designed for cheating at scrabble.

[WalkingTarget]

Well, it's almost straight from the French "fort", meaning "strong", and pronounced as the English "fort" (e.g. Fort Knox).

But "for-tay" is also acceptable. And, you know, much more common.

Huh... That makes sense I guess. My first interaction with the word was via music where it is pronounced for-tay (being from Italian rather than French). It never occurred to me to consider the French version of the word.