On Tactics and Tic-Tac-Toe

If we keep tugging at “-tag” (which still means “touch” in PIE), we reach Medieval Rome. Romans are famous for arranging two things – stabbings, and people to do those stabbings. They called the latter “tactics”. Or the science related to arrangement of military forces (well, technically it could be an arrangement of anything, but it is mostly used in the military context). ⁣

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Could be said that they had a “tact” for such skirmishes (it means “touch”, so if you can handle anything well, you’re said to have the tact for that thing). Except while confronting that Gaul village perhaps, even little Dogmatix rendered them tactless.⁣
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Now, if you were to touch things lightly, you would cause a peculiar sensation, a tactickle if you may, spelt as “tickle” for what I can only say are aesthetic reasons. That said though you can make a “lighter” version of anything by adding “-icle” at its end. A tiny piece of ice? An icicle. Small part in time? A chronicle. The smallest part? A particle. ⁣ ⁣

The Testudo, or the Tortoise, an intrinsic Roman military tactic which protected the legions against the incoming barrages from flanks and above, while allowing attacks from front. ⁣

Too bad that doesn’t work with our calendars. Nothing deserves an “-icle” more than this bloody year. And in the true spirit of 2020, let’s raise our glasses to disappointment, that even though it is one of the games that require exquisite planning, strategy, and even clairvoyance some would say, “tic-tac-toe” does NOT share its roots with “tactics”.⁣
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It just refers to the tic and tac sound that is made when marking the Xs and Os. Cheers.⁣
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