Society for Creative Anachronism
College of Arms
For the December 2017 meetings, printed February 4, 2018
To all the College of Arms and all others who may read this missive, from Juliana Laurel, Alys Pelican, and Cormac Wreath, greetings.
In recent months, a few commenters and submissions heralds have made some statements suggesting that kingdoms should return more aggressively. We want to assure that this is not what we want. Instead, kingdoms should only return submissions that are clearly not registerable under current rule or precedent or that lack documentation in ways that commenters are unlikely to be able to fix. We know that no kingdom is full of experts on every topic. So let us help. Judgement calls? Send them up. Languages or cultures that you don't have the resources to evaluate? Send them up. Requests for documentation for items from an obscure culture? Send it up. Not sure if a rule or precedent applies? Send it up. Please let us help submitters to get what they want whenever possible.
We make one request: if you make changes to names or armory submissions during your internal process, please let us know what the original form was and why it was changed. Additionally, let us know that the submitter either explicitly allowed the change on the forms or approved the change directly. This information needs to be included as part of the summary of the item on the external letter. Failure to do that requires pending the item to make sure that the submitter did approve the change.
Previous precedent held that Gwendolin and Gwendolyn were not registerable names because they were entirely modern spellings. (CL August, 1995). This month, during the Pelican decision meeting, Ursula Palimpsest was able to document Gwendolyn as a 15th century English literary name connected with the Arthurian legends. As there is a well-established pattern in English of using character names from the Arthurian legends as personal names, we hereby overturn the 1995 precedent and hold that Gwendolyn and the variant spelling Gwendolin are registerable 15th century English literary names.
In many languages, such as Gaelic and Old Norse, we require diacritical marks to be used or omitted consistently throughout the name. This month, we addressed for the first time whether that rule also applies to Polish names. Based on our current state of knowledge, Polish is highly inconsistent in its use of diacritical marks. Therefore, pending further research, we will not require consistency of markings throughout Polish names at this time.
This month I would like to call attention to Ursula George's excellent article "Middle Mongol Grammar for SCA Names" (http://heraldry.sca.org/names/mongolgrammar.html). Middle Mongol or Middle Mongolian was the language spoken between approximately 1200 and 1600 C.E., covering a substantial portion of the SCA's period.
This article is not merely a list of name elements, although it does contain a list of descriptive bynames. It covers the often-neglected topic of Mongol naming patterns and construction, including how to create a descriptive byname, a patronymic byname and a byname based on a tribal/clan name. All patterns set out in this article should be considered registerable.
We ask that Palimpsest formulate wording adding this article in Appendix A of SENA for Mongol names.
In annulo is a term used to describe charges arranged in such a way that they form an annulet, or circle. It's possible for a number (usually 6 or more) of any type of charge to be in annulo by arranging them so their centers follow a circle, and certain long, skinny charges like serpents or stag's attires can be in annulo with only one charge. However, when there are five or fewer charges in the charge group, the ability of charges to represent an annular formation becomes more difficult, depending on the shape and orientation of the charges. Three wolves rampant, heads to center, cannot be in annulo, because their arrangement and orientation do not suggest an annulet. However, three wolves courant can be in annulo, provided their bodies curve and conform to the shape of an annulet.
The February 2017 Palimpsest Letter proposed changes to SENA NPN.1.B.2, SENA NPN.1.B.3, and Appendix E that added wording allowing the use of Company as an order name designator, consistent with the instructions of the May 2013 Cover Letter. These changes have been approved as proposed.
NPN.1.B.2. Order and Award Designators: The designators for order names must follow a documented pattern for medieval order names. The standard designators are Order and Award. Any pattern suitable for one such designator is suitable for the other. These designators may take the lingua Anglica form, using the forms above regardless of the language of the substantive phrase. Alternately, they may take the language of the substantive element. A list of some translations of these designators is listed in Appendix E. In general, designators which are used for household and association cannot be used for orders and awards.
For example, either Order of the Levrier or Ordre du Levrier is registerable for the meaning 'order of the hound', but Order du Levrier and Ordre of the Levrier are not; in each one, the preposition and article do not match the language of the designator.
For example, Order of the Levrier is registerable as an order name, but not as a household name. Similarly, Company of the Levriername, award or
NPN.1.B.3. Household and Association Names: The designators for household names must be documented as a form describing a group of people in a particular culture. It must be compatible with the substantive element in terms of content and style. There is no standard designator which is considered compatible with all types of names for groups of people.
Several kinds of groups of people have served as models for household names. They include a noble household, a military unit, a guild, a group of people associated with an inn or tenement house, a university or school (noting that the word college is reserved for branches), clans, and an organized group of musicians or actors. Designators may be registered in the original language or may take the lingua Anglica form. Suitable substantive elements (like simple descriptions) may take the lingua Anglica form as well. In general, designators which are used within the SCA for orders and awards cannot be used for household and association even if they were so used in period.
For example, either Compagnia di Santa Lucia or Company of Santa Lucia is registerable for the meaning 'company of Saint Lucia', but Company di Santa Lucia and Compagnia of Santa Lucia are not; in each one, the preposition and article do not match the language of the designator.
For example, Compagnia di Santa Lucianame, Similarly, Santa Lucia
Appendix E
B. Award and Order Names: The appropriate English and lingua Anglica forms for order names are Award and Order. Terms like ,
The terms Companions, Company is allowed as the designator for household and association names.
Order has been found in attested forms in many languages:
Order, Ordre, Ordoure (English)
Orden Spanish
Ordre French
Geselschaft, orden German
Orden (German)
Ordo Latin
Ordine Italian
In some languages, words meaning 'Society' are also used for orders:
Geselschaft (German)
Geselsscaf, Geselschap (Low German)
Ordo Latin
Ordine Italian
Societas (Latin)
There are other terms used for knightly orders in period. Many of them use words that refer to knighthood; these are not registerable, because they are considered a claim that the members are peers.
[email protected] is a low volume mailing list. It is meant for Morsulus to send out announcements, and for people to raise concerns. If you want to see the search tools work differently, or to report a problem, this is a suitable venue, especially if it is something that will benefit from discussion. This is not a replacement for directly contacting Morsulus, but a supplement.
On January 5, 2018, Catelin the Wanderer, OL, passed away from a sudden heart attack. Catelin was Bagatelle Pursuivant (Award Regalia) for the Kingdom of Meridies. She resided in the Shire of Nant Y Derwyddon near Kingsport, TN. Her loss will be felt by many.
On January 6, 2018, their Majesties of the Middle Kingdom awarded the Purple Fret (service award) to Ursula Georges, currently Palimpsest Herald.
On January 13, 2018, at at BMDL Twelfth Night, Graidhne ni Ruaidh, who previously served as Dragon Herald, Holus Herald, and Laurel Office Ombudswoman, was inducted into the Order of the Laurel by the Crown of Æthelmearc.
On January 13, 2018, at BMDL 12th Night, the Crown of Æthelmearc issued a Writ to Madoc Arundel, Garnet Herald, commanding him to contemplate induction into the Order of the Laurel on April 7, 2018.
On January 13, 2018, at Atlantia's Kingdom 12th Night, their Majesties of Atlantia inducted Rhiannon Morgaine, Krakken Herald, into their Order of the Golden Dolphin. The Order of the Golden Dolphin is Atlantia's grant level service award.
On January 27, 2018, Jean Yves, Dragon Principal Herald of the Middle, created Alys Katherine a Herald Extraordinary for her long service to heraldry including her 15-year tenure as Pale Herald.
On January 28, 2018, their Majesties of Atlantia inducted Cian mac Ceallacháin Uí Dubhlaich, Triton Herald, into the Order of the Pelican.
Please send information about happenings to major heralds and major happenings to all heralds to Laurel, so that it can be published here.
Letters of Intent, Comment, Response, Correction, et cetera are to be posted to the OSCAR online system. No paper copies need be sent. All submission forms plus documentation, including petitions, must be posted to the OSCAR online system. While black-and-white emblazons must be included in the Letter of Intent, only colored armory forms need to be posted in the forms area.
Cheques or money orders for submissions, payable to "SCA Inc.-College of Arms" are to be sent to Stephanie Ray-Solum, Blue Bug Bookkeeping, 2144 Westlake Ave. North Suite F, Seattle, WA 98109.
Send roster changes and corrections to Laurel. College of Arms members may also request a copy of the current roster from Laurel.
For a paper copy of a LoAR, please contact Laurel, at the address above. The cost for one LoAR is $3. Please make all checks or money orders payable to "SCA Inc.-College of Arms". The electronic copy of the LoAR is available free of charge. To subscribe to the mailings of the electronic copy, please see the bottom of http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/lists.html#lists for more instructions.
For all administrative matters, please contact Laurel.
Items listed below in square brackets have not been scheduled yet. For information about future scheduling, please review the status table located on the Web at http://oscar.sca.org/index.php?action=137.
The December Laurel decisions were made at the Pelican meeting held on Sunday, December 3, 2017 and the Wreath meeting held on Sunday, December 10, 2017. These meetings considered the following letters of intent: Ansteorra (05 Sep, 2017), Gleann Abhann (09 Sep, 2017), An Tir (10 Sep, 2017), Caid (20 Sep, 2017), Æthelmearc (22 Sep, 2017), Middle (22 Sep, 2017), Lochac (24 Sep, 2017), Middle (24 Sep, 2017), Ansteorra (25 Sep, 2017), Atenveldt (25 Sep, 2017), Ealdormere (25 Sep, 2017), East (25 Sep, 2017), Avacal (26 Sep, 2017), West (26 Sep, 2017), Outlands (27 Sep, 2017), Ealdormere (28 Sep, 2017), Artemisia (29 Sep, 2017), Atlantia (29 Sep, 2017), Trimaris (29 Sep, 2017), Atenveldt (30 Sep, 2017), Caid (30 Sep, 2017), Calontir (30 Sep, 2017), Drachenwald (30 Sep, 2017), Meridies (30 Sep, 2017), and Northshield (30 Sep, 2017). All commentary, responses, and rebuttals should have been entered into OSCAR by Thursday, November 30, 2017.
The January Laurel decisions were made at the Pelican meeting held on Sunday, January 14, 2018 and the Wreath meeting held on Sunday, January 7, 2018. These meetings considered the following letters of intent: Laurel LoPaD (05 Oct, 2017), An Tir (18 Oct, 2017), Æthelmearc (19 Oct, 2017), Ansteorra (19 Oct, 2017), Lochac (24 Oct, 2017), Ealdormere (25 Oct, 2017), Avacal (27 Oct, 2017), Artemisia (30 Oct, 2017), Atlantia (30 Oct, 2017), Caid (30 Oct, 2017), Drachenwald (30 Oct, 2017), Outlands (30 Oct, 2017), Atenveldt (31 Oct, 2017), Calontir (31 Oct, 2017), East (31 Oct, 2017), Laurel LoPaD (31 Oct, 2017), Meridies (31 Oct, 2017), Middle (31 Oct, 2017), and Northshield (31 Oct, 2017). All commentary, responses, and rebuttals should have been entered into OSCAR by Sunday, December 31, 2017.
The February Laurel decisions will be made at the Pelican meeting held on Sunday, February 18, 2018 and the Wreath meeting held on Sunday, February 4, 2018. These meetings will consider the following letters of intent: Æthelmearc (07 Nov, 2017), Gleann Abhann (14 Nov, 2017), Northshield LoItP (15 Nov, 2017), An Tir (17 Nov, 2017), Outlands (18 Nov, 2017), Gleann Abhann (20 Nov, 2017), Palimpsest Other Letter (22 Nov, 2017), Lochac (24 Nov, 2017), Ealdormere (27 Nov, 2017), Artemisia (29 Nov, 2017), West (29 Nov, 2017), Ansteorra (30 Nov, 2017), Atenveldt (30 Nov, 2017), Atlantia (30 Nov, 2017), Avacal (30 Nov, 2017), Caid (30 Nov, 2017), Calontir (30 Nov, 2017), Drachenwald (30 Nov, 2017), East (30 Nov, 2017), Laurel LoPaD (30 Nov, 2017), Meridies (30 Nov, 2017), Middle (30 Nov, 2017), Northshield (30 Nov, 2017), and Trimaris (30 Nov, 2017). All commentary, responses, and rebuttals should have been entered into OSCAR by Wednesday, January 31, 2018.
Not all letters of intent may be considered when they are originally scheduled on this cover letter. The date of posting of the LoI, date of receipt of the Laurel packet, or other factors may delay consideration of certain letters of intent. Additionally, some letters of intent received may not have been scheduled because the administrative requirements (receipt of the forms packet, receipt of the necessary fees, et cetera) have not yet been met.
REMINDER: Until all administrative requirements are met, the letter may not be scheduled.
Pray know that I remain,
In service,
Juliana de Luna
Laurel Queen of Arms
Created at 2018-02-04T18:45:52