Two terms used frequently in dance nowadays are used incorrectly, and deviate from their true, musical, meanings:

1. staccato: detached, not connected; the proper term, to convey the meaning in dance, is marcato, i.e., marked, or accented.

2. syncopation, syncopate: referring to a rhythm that is off the beat, or meter; used in dance, the proper term ought to be subdivision, or subdivide, i.e., to add extra steps between beats.

Does anyone know how these (Italian) terms came to be used in the dance world with these distorted meanings?

Thanks,
Nigel

Being english, we seem to have a penchant for word distortion .

One could write a book about the inappropriate word usage .

My current favorite ?-- Brilliant-- apparently, the only word that seems to fit ANY,and every occasion .