--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As Bill Bryson wrote during the 2000…" description: "\"“As Bill Bryson wrote during the 2000 Olympics in Sydney: ‘A lot of people don’t like fencing because they don’t understand the rules and terminology, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/888/richard-cohen-5202_fencing_as-bill-bryson-wrote-during-the-2000-oly_2414098.jpg" --- # As Bill Bryson wrote during the 2000 Olympics in Sydney… ![“As Bill Bryson wrote during the 2000 Olympics in Sydney: ‘A lot of people don’t like fencing because they don’t understand the rules and terminology, but in fact it’s quite simple. There are basically four thrusts, known as the cartilage, the chaise lounge, the aubergine, and the fromage anglais…” quote by Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/888/richard-cohen-5202_fencing_as-bill-bryson-wrote-during-the-2000-oly_2414098.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/888/richard-cohen-5202_fencing_as-bill-bryson-wrote-during-the-2000-oly_2414098.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/888/richard-cohen-5202_fencing_as-bill-bryson-wrote-during-the-2000-oly_2414098.jpg) > ““As Bill Bryson wrote during the 2000 Olympics in Sydney: ‘A lot of people don’t like fencing because they don’t understand the rules and terminology, but in fact it’s quite simple. There are basically four thrusts, known as the cartilage, the chaise lounge, the aubergine, and the fromage anglais, and these in turn can be parried by four defensive feints – the pastiche, the penchant, the demi-tass...e, and the saumon en croute. Scoring is one point for a petit pois and two for a baguette. Points can equally be deducted for a foot fault or pied a terre, or for a type of illegal lunge known as a zut alors.”” [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote humorously exaggerates fencing terminology to illustrate how unfamiliar jargon can make a simple sport seem complex. **In simple terms:** Jargon makes simple things seem complicated. Key Takeaway Don’t let confusing terms deter you from trying. Themes communication misunderstanding humor Mood playful ironic Type satirical observational When to use this quote - watching sports - learning new hobbies - teaching basics - writing satire Key Concepts sport language perception Questions to Reflect On - How does jargon affect your willingness to learn? - Can simplifying language improve participation? A Different Perspective The satire may obscure actual fencing rules for those unfamiliar. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baguette Points](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baguette-points-6088610/) [Feints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feints-3984728/) [Feints Pastiche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feints-pastiche-6088609/) [Fencing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fencing/) [Like Fencing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-fencing-2416832/) ## Related quotes > [“Killing men is not like fencing. There's no room for fine touches in battle. Every second that you blade is stuck in one man's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-stead/killing-men-is-not-like-fencing-there-s-no-room-for-fine-touches-in/) [Tim Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-stead/) > [Photography is like fencing. You must keep your distance, wait, and then thrust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-cartier-bresson/photography-is-like-fencing-you-must-keep-your-distance-wait-and-then/) [Henri Cartier-Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-cartier-bresson/) > [Antagonism in my family comes wrapped in layers of code, sideways feints, full deniability. I believe the same can be said of many families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-joy-fowler/antagonism-in-my-family-comes-wrapped-in-layers-of-code-sideways/) [Karen Joy Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-joy-fowler/) > [“People will insist on building high and wide barriers directly in your path, often with the intent of closing you in. If you treat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/people-will-insist-on-building-high-and-wide-barriers-directly-in/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [I went to Paris for a year in 1986 to study theatre; there was a lot of clowning around, buffoonery and fencing. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orla-brady/i-went-to-paris-for-a-year-in-1986-to-study-theatre-there-was-a-lot/) [Orla Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orla-brady/) > [“First one, then the other, describes in clear fencing language, in detail exactly what occurred. For example: “Mary was in coda longa, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-windsor/first-one-then-the-other-describes-in-clear-fencing-language-in/) [Guy Windsor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-windsor/) > [“The Mouser made a very small parry in carte so that the thrust of the bravo from the east went past his left side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fritz-leiber/the-mouser-made-a-very-small-parry-in-carte-so-that-the-thrust-of-the/) [Fritz Leiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fritz-leiber/) > [It is difficult to realize the true Way just through sword-fencing. Know the smallest things and the biggest things, the shallowest things and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/it-is-difficult-to-realize-the-true-way-just-through-sword-fencing/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [Competing in junior fencing requires lessons, equipment, and travel that may cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars a month, keeping talented athletes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-pilon/competing-in-junior-fencing-requires-lessons-equipment-and-travel/) [Mary Pilon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-pilon/) > [Those prancing little pants-wetters come here to learn the colorful and gentlemanly art of fencing, with its many sporting limitations and its proscriptions against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/those-prancing-little-pants-wetters-come-here-to-learn-the-colorful/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“Has it got any sports in it?” “Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Poison. True love. Hate. Revenge. Giants. Hunters. Bad men. Good men. Beautifulest ladies. Snakes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/has-it-got-any-sports-in-it-fencing-fighting-torture-poison-true-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I loved fencing and dancing and elocution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivien-leigh/i-loved-fencing-and-dancing-and-elocution/) [Vivien Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivien-leigh/) > [The sport has changed so much since 2004, it's incredible. If you look even at me, the way I'm fencing now compared to 2004,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariel-zagunis/the-sport-has-changed-so-much-since-2004-it-s-incredible-if-you-look/) [Mariel Zagunis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariel-zagunis/) > [The book deals with being an honorable person in a dishonest world. The Fencing Master does not sell himself. Thats his tragedy, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arturo-perez-reverte/the-book-deals-with-being-an-honorable-person-in-a-dishonest-world/) [Arturo Perez Reverte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arturo-perez-reverte/) > [Im a ham. I was immediately attracted to fencing because it seemed like a romantic, melodramatic form of combat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-dickinson/im-a-ham-i-was-immediately-attracted-to-fencing-because-it-seemed/) [Bruce Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-dickinson/) ## More by Richard Cohen > [Republicans remain silent because Trump is doing what they want - lowering taxes on the rich, eviscerating regulations, bulldozing the environment, and insisting that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/republicans-remain-silent-because-trump-is-doing-what-they-want/) [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) > [Myths have a certain staying power because, really, they are aspirational - not always who we are, but always who we want to be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/myths-have-a-certain-staying-power-because-really-they-are/) [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) > [We are a segmented society, living in our individual bubbles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/we-are-a-segmented-society-living-in-our-individual-bubbles/) [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) > [Maybe the best example of the unmuscled hero is Humphrey Bogart in 'Casablanca.' Bogart was 15 years older than Ingrid Bergman, and it did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/maybe-the-best-example-of-the-unmuscled-hero-is-humphrey-bogart-in/) [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) > [Israel may be beloved, but for American security, it is not essential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/israel-may-be-beloved-but-for-american-security-it-is-not-essential/) [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) > [We grow up to respect the gray. Black or white, one or the other, is childish. It represents the worldview of someone who does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/we-grow-up-to-respect-the-gray-black-or-white-one-or-the-other-is/) [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) > [The ultimate question is whether the name Donald Trump will be attached to an era - whether he will so change America that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/the-ultimate-question-is-whether-the-name-donald-trump-will-be/) [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) > [When I was a kid, I went door to door in my neighborhood asking for donations to the Jewish National Fund, best known then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/when-i-was-a-kid-i-went-door-to-door-in-my-neighborhood-asking-for/) [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) > [I met Clinton during her husband's first campaign for the White House. It was 1992, New Hampshire, and both Clintons had stopped at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/i-met-clinton-during-her-husband-s-first-campaign-for-the-white-house/) [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) > [In power politics, it's usually not enough to be liked. A nation has to be considered essential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/in-power-politics-it-s-usually-not-enough-to-be-liked-a-nation-has-to/) [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) > [Heroism is a matter of choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/heroism-is-a-matter-of-choice/) [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) > [My father was raised in an orphanage, and my mother was an immigrant from Poland whose first childhood memory was of hunger. Somehow, despite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/my-father-was-raised-in-an-orphanage-and-my-mother-was-an-immigrant/) [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) > [It's all right with me if Roman Polanski is freed by the Swiss authorities who have detained him at the request of the United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/it-s-all-right-with-me-if-roman-polanski-is-freed-by-the-swiss/) [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) > [“The book is warm. The book is handy. The book is handsome to the eye. The book occupies the shelf of the owner and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/the-book-is-warm-the-book-is-handy-the-book-is-handsome-to-the-eye/) [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) > [I don't like what George Zimmerman did, and I hate that Trayvon Martin is dead. But I also can understand why Zimmerman was suspicious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/i-don-t-like-what-george-zimmerman-did-and-i-hate-that-trayvon-martin/) [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) [Explore all 102 Richard Cohen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) ## More Fencing quotes > [Im a ham. I was immediately attracted to fencing because it seemed like a romantic, melodramatic form of combat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-dickinson/im-a-ham-i-was-immediately-attracted-to-fencing-because-it-seemed/) [Bruce Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-dickinson/) > [The book deals with being an honorable person in a dishonest world. The Fencing Master does not sell himself. Thats his tragedy, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arturo-perez-reverte/the-book-deals-with-being-an-honorable-person-in-a-dishonest-world/) [Arturo Perez Reverte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arturo-perez-reverte/) > [The sport has changed so much since 2004, it's incredible. If you look even at me, the way I'm fencing now compared to 2004,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariel-zagunis/the-sport-has-changed-so-much-since-2004-it-s-incredible-if-you-look/) [Mariel Zagunis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariel-zagunis/) > [I loved fencing and dancing and elocution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivien-leigh/i-loved-fencing-and-dancing-and-elocution/) [Vivien Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivien-leigh/) > [“Has it got any sports in it?” “Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Poison. True love. Hate. Revenge. Giants. Hunters. Bad men. Good men. Beautifulest ladies. Snakes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/has-it-got-any-sports-in-it-fencing-fighting-torture-poison-true-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Those prancing little pants-wetters come here to learn the colorful and gentlemanly art of fencing, with its many sporting limitations and its proscriptions against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/those-prancing-little-pants-wetters-come-here-to-learn-the-colorful/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [Competing in junior fencing requires lessons, equipment, and travel that may cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars a month, keeping talented athletes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-pilon/competing-in-junior-fencing-requires-lessons-equipment-and-travel/) [Mary Pilon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-pilon/) > [It is difficult to realize the true Way just through sword-fencing. Know the smallest things and the biggest things, the shallowest things and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/it-is-difficult-to-realize-the-true-way-just-through-sword-fencing/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [“The Mouser made a very small parry in carte so that the thrust of the bravo from the east went past his left side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fritz-leiber/the-mouser-made-a-very-small-parry-in-carte-so-that-the-thrust-of-the/) [Fritz Leiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fritz-leiber/) > [“First one, then the other, describes in clear fencing language, in detail exactly what occurred. For example: “Mary was in coda longa, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-windsor/first-one-then-the-other-describes-in-clear-fencing-language-in/) [Guy Windsor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-windsor/) > [I went to Paris for a year in 1986 to study theatre; there was a lot of clowning around, buffoonery and fencing. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orla-brady/i-went-to-paris-for-a-year-in-1986-to-study-theatre-there-was-a-lot/) [Orla Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orla-brady/) > [Fencing is just like sex. In the end, it's always the same thing; In, out, in, out...But it's precisely how you get there that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fencing-is-just-like-sex-in-the-end-it-s-always-the-same-thing-in-out/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The essence of fencing is to give, but by no means to receive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/the-essence-of-fencing-is-to-give-but-by-no-means-to-receive/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [“Your move should be determined by your strengths, not your opponent's expectations.' Darcy's smile deepened as he warmed to her allusion to fencing. 'Always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-aidan/your-move-should-be-determined-by-your-strengths-not-your-opponent-s/) [Pamela Aidan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-aidan/) > [It's always better to attack than to defend," Coram had told her when they talked about fencing late at night. "Always. Ye don't win…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/it-s-always-better-to-attack-than-to-defend-coram-had-told-her-when/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) [Browse all 83 Fencing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fencing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“As Bill Bryson wrote during the 2000 Olympics in Sydney: ‘A lot of people don’t like fencing because they don’t understand the rules and terminology, but in fact it’s quite simple. There are basically four thrusts, known as the cartilage, the chaise lounge, the aubergine, and the fromage anglais, and these in turn can be parried by four defensive feints – the pastiche, the penchant, the demi-tass...e, and the saumon en croute. Scoring is one point for a petit pois and two for a baguette. Points can equally be deducted for a foot fault or pied a terre, or for a type of illegal lunge known as a zut alors.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Cohen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/as-bill-bryson-wrote-during-the-2000-olympics-in-sydney-a-lot-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fencing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/as-bill-bryson-wrote-during-the-2000-olympics-in-sydney-a-lot-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/888/richard-cohen-5202_fencing_as-bill-bryson-wrote-during-the-2000-oly_2414098.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/888/richard-cohen-5202_fencing_as-bill-bryson-wrote-during-the-2000-oly_2414098.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/888/richard-cohen-5202_fencing_as-bill-bryson-wrote-during-the-2000-oly_2414098.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As Bill Bryson wrote during the 2000 Olympics in Sydney: ‘A lot of people don’t like fencing because they…” — Richard Cohen", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Richard Cohen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“As Bill Bryson wrote during the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/as-bill-bryson-wrote-during-the-2000-olympics-in-sydney-a-lot-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/as-bill-bryson-wrote-during-the-2000-olympics-in-sydney-a-lot-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```