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Originally Posted by The Tower
Dictionaries will list other used pronunciations (just like you can now find "ain't" in the dictionary), however, the first pronunciation listed is usually the correct one.
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But I think all are acceptable - for instance, in the sentence "Skiing is not my forte" - "forte" is pronouned like fort - no long "A" song exists in the lesser definitions. Interestingly, the big red dic. comments on this (emphasis supplied):
Main Entry: 1forte
Pronunciation: 'fOrt, 'fort; 2 is often 'for-"tA or for-'tA or 'for-tE
Function: noun
Etymology: French fort, from fort, adjective, strong
1 : the part of a sword or foil blade that is between the middle and the hilt and that is the strongest part of the blade
2 : one's strong point
usage In forte we have a word derived from French that in its "strong point" sense has no entirely satisfactory pronunciation. Usage writers have denigrated \'for-"tA\ and \'for-tE\ because they reflect the influence of the Italian-derived 2forte. Their recommended pronunciation \'fort\, however, does not exactly reflect French either: the French would write the word le fort and would rhyme it with English for. So you can take your choice, knowing that someone somewhere will dislike whichever variant you choose. All are standard, however. In British English \'fo-"tA\ and \'fot\ predominate; \'for-"tA\ and \for-'tA\ are probably the most frequent pronunciations in American English.
http://www.merriamwebster.com/cgi-bi...onary&va=forte