In the early 14th century, the verb “temper,” from M.E. temperan, Latin temperare, “to moderate by mixture,”1 came to mean tuning a musical instrument. Later in the same century, “temper” also came to mean getting high-carbon steel to the proper toughness. I am not sure if luthiers and blacksmiths ever openly fought over the term, but as of today, seven …
© 2025 E. Lily Yu
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