Wiki's Martial Arts page.

[RayMcCullough]

I just noticed Wikipedia's Martial Arts page said that the term Martial arts was first coined in the 1920's and was used to refer to Asian M.A.'s.

What a bunch of crap. They did not put a reference. We need the truth of the matter put on there with a reference to keep that crap from showing up again.

It's been changed but has no reference.

[Sal Bertucci]

That is total BS! As far as I can tell the first use of the term "Martial Art" was coined by Joseph Sotheby of Grayse-Inne. in his dedicatory poem entitled "To his worthy, valourous, and ingenious friend the Author" found on page 24, line 6.

A book that was printed in 1639!

I hope that's enough info for a reference.

[Sal Bertucci]

In my haste I forgot to mention the book. Pallas Armata

[Karl Akkerman]

That is total BS! As far as I can tell the first use of the term "Martial Art" was coined by Joseph Sotheby of Grayse-Inne. in his dedicatory poem entitled "To his worthy, valourous, and ingenious friend the Author" found on page 24, line 6.

A book that was printed in 1639!

I hope that's enough info for a reference.

According to my The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology: The Origin of American English Words the word Martial is from "About 1339 marcial; later martial (before 1475)" and goes on to mention its originates from Latin and also says that the term "Martial Law" was first recoded in 1533. Additionally it says that Art though first appearing around 1250 was not used to describe skills before 1600.

The fact that the core word was recognizable as early as the 15th century and was written in conjunction with the word Law(which dates from circa AD 1200) just a century before and the word Art being applied to skills circa 1600 matches up very well with "Martial Art" being first used in writing in 1639 as you said. It could likely have come into use in the spoken word in the decades immediately preceding that first known printing.

[Andrew F Ulrich]

[Additionally it says that Art though first appearing around 1250 was not used to describe skills before 1600.

Well, that's a wierd claim. The latin word for art (ars, artis), means both skill, craft, or art. And referring to fighting as an art is very well evidenced in the manuals long before 1600.

[Tyrone Artur Budzin]

How stereotypical...hope this has been corrected.

[Karl Akkerman]

[Additionally it says that Art though first appearing around 1250 was not used to describe skills before 1600.

Well, that's a wierd claim. The latin word for art (ars, artis), means both skill, craft, or art. And referring to fighting as an art is very well evidenced in the manuals long before 1600.

Andrew, disregard what I said about the word art. I rechecked the entry and found that I had miss-read it. My mistake.

It was saying the reverse, that art was only used for skill, scholarship, and learning before 1600. It was not until after 1600 that Art's common modern usage came about. Also the 1250 date is for the appearance word in the English language having come from Anglo-French from Old French from Latin.

[Randall Pleasant]

Scholars

On the subject of Art I suggest reading the article Understanding the "A" in WMA by Tom Leone.
http://www.salvatorfabris.com/WhatIsArt.shtml