| Laurel: | Date: (year.month.date) | Precedent: |
| François la Flamme | 2003.07 | [Badge. (Fieldless) A mortar and pestle argent charged with a unicornate natural seahorse azure.] The LoAR designated the badge for use by a particular named academy and stated "Atlantia is not attempting to register the Academy Name at this time, merely wishing to associate the badge with that group." Only registered items (such as order names and household names) and generic identifiers may be associated with badges. As the (particularly named) academy is neither a registered item nor a generic identifier, it must be removed from the submission. One recent ruling affirming this long-standing administrative procedure is in the February 2002 LoAR: "The submission was designated as being for the Tinkerer's Guild. However, this is not a generic designation. A tinker is a period artisan, and thus a Tinker's Guild would be a generic designation (like a Blacksmith's Guild) which could be applied to a badge. However, tinkerer does not seem to be a period occupation. Since the branch does not have the name Tinkerer's Guild registered to them, the designation has been removed."
The Cover Letter to the December 2002 LoAR has a long discussion of what sort of identifiers are generic. The summary definition states, "Names that fall into the generic identifier category are names that would reasonably be used by more than one branch for common functions of the branch. All kingdoms can have a university. All baronies can have a baronial guard. All groups can have an equestrian guild." [Atlantia, Kingdom of, 07/2003 LoAR, A-Atlantia] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.01 | [Badge for the Artemisian Archery Guild] Artemisian Archery Guild is a generic identifier. [Artemisia, Kingdom of, 01/2003 LoAR, A-Artemisia] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.01 | [Badge for the Waterbearers Guild of Loch Soilleir] Waterbearers Guild of [branch name] is a generic identifier. [Loch Solleir, Barony of, 01/2003 LoAR, A-Ansteorra] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.01 | [Badge for the Baronial Archery Champion] Baronial Archery Champion is a generic identifier. [Loch Solleir, Barony of, 01/2003 LoAR, A-Ansteorra] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.01 | [Badge for the Baronial Equestrian Champion] Baronial Equestrian Champion is a generic identifier. [Loch Solleir, Barony of, 01/2003 LoAR, A-Ansteorra] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.01 | [Badge for the Baronial Chivalric/Rapier Champion] Baronial Chivalric/Rapier Champion is a generic identifier. [Loch Solleir, Barony of, 01/2003 LoAR, A-Ansteorra] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.01 | [Badge for the Baronial Arts and Sciences Champion] Baronial Arts and Sciences Champion is a generic identifier. [Loch Solleir, Barony of, 01/2003 LoAR, A-Ansteorra] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.01 | [Award name Award of the King's Archer of Ansteorra] This award name is too generic to register. As explained in the Cover Letter for the December 2002 LoAR:
Just as it is reasonable for any kingdom to have a King's Champion, so it is also reasonable that any kingdom may have a King's Archer. Therefore, King's Archer is too generic to register to any one group, and so it falls into the category of a generic designator. A similar situation was addressed in the precedent:
Similarly, Ansteorra may have a King's Archer, and may use King's Archer or King's Archer of Ansteorra to identify a badge submitted for the King's Archer, but the name King's Archer cannot be protected. The purpose behind this policy is that common designations which would reasonably be used by more than one group, such as a position of King's Archer, may not be restricted for use by a single group. [Ansteorra, Kingdom of, 01/2003 LoAR, R-Ansteorra] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.12 | From Pelican: What is a Generic Identifier?
A submission this month raised the issue of generic identifiers again. Given the confusion that exists regarding what is and is not a generic identifier, as well as how generic identifiers are used, we are providing a clarification of this issue. Generic identifiers are descriptions that may be associated with registered items (mainly badges) to identify the use of that item. Unlike registered names (award names, order names, guild names, household names, et cetera), generic identifiers are not registered as an independent item and are not protected from conflict. This does not mean that the group may not use this identifier, but simply that we will not limit the usage of that identifier to a single group. Names that fall into the generic identifier category are names that would reasonably be used by more than one branch for common functions of the branch. All kingdoms can have a university. All baronies can have a baronial guard. All groups can have an equestrian guild. Adding the name of the branch to the description does not affect generic identifiers (because branch identifiers are transparent for conflict). As an example, Outlands Equestrian Guild falls into the generic category because the only thing that would differentiate it from Equestrian Guild of Calontir are the branch identifiers Outlands and of Calontir. Some generic identifiers referring to kingdom uses are:
Some generic identifiers referring to awards or specific positions are: Champion, Defender, Kingdom Warlord, King's Champion, Queen's Bard, Queen's Champion, Children's Defender, Champion of Arts and Sciences Some generic identifiers referring to guards and guilds are: Baronial Guard, Guard, Queen's Guard Some generic identifiers referring to academies and universities are: Atlantian Pages Academy, University of Drachenwald, University of the East Kingdom Some generic identifiers referring to offices are: Office of the Chatelaine, Ministry of Children, Office of the Minister of Children, Kingdom Chirurgeon, Chronicler, Chronicler's Office, Hospitaller, Office of the Lists Descriptions such as these are generic and may be used to identify the purpose of a registered item, but are not registerable on their own. They are included in the Ordinary and Armorial as references, rather than as registered items. In this manner, they convey the use of the item with which they are associated, but they are not protected against conflict. [Cover Letter for the 12/2002 LoAR] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.12 | [Order of the Builders of Atenveldt] The second issue is whether or not this order name is too generic to be registered. A discussion of generic identifiers is included in the Cover Letter for this LoAR. A reference to a branch name does not affect whether a name is generic or not:
So, the question is whether Builders is generic. Applying the basic description of what makes an identifier generic (see the Cover Letter for details), we must ask whether multiple groups would reasonably have a group of people, such as a guild or household, that would use the term Builders. Branches routinely have groups of people who work at construction projects such as building structures for branch encampments at the major wars. It is reasonable that these groups of people would function as a guild or household belonging to the branch (as a cooks' guild would) and that they would be referred to by the period term builders. Therefore, Order of the Builders of Atenveldt is generic and may not be registered to a single group. As with any generic identifier, Atenveldt may use have a group known as Builders of Atenveldt, if they wish, and may use Builders of Atenveldt as an identifier for a badge. Please see the Cover Letter for a discussion of generic identifiers. [Atenveldt, Kingdom of, 12/2002, R-Atenveldt] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.03 | [Badge for Æthelmearc Equestrian Guild] Æthelmearc Equestrian Guild is a generic identifier. [Æthelmearc, Kingdom of, 03/2002, A-Æthelmearc] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.03 | [Badge for Æthelmearc Pages School] Æthelmearc Pages School is a generic identifier. [Æthelmearc, Kingdom of, 03/2002, A-Æthelmearc] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.02 | [ruling for a badge submission] The submission was designated as being for the Tinkerer's Guild. However, this is not a generic designation. A tinker is a period artisan, and thus a Tinker's Guild would be a generic designation (like a Blacksmith's Guild) which could be applied to a badge. However, tinkerer does not seem to be a period occupation. Since the branch does not have the name Tinkerer's Guild registered to them, the designation has been removed. [Dun Carraig, Barony of, 02/02, A-Atlantia] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2000.03 | [The Royal University of Meridies] With the exception of the University of Atlantia, registered in 1982, and the Royal University of Ithraall examples of universities are listed as references, not registered names. Therefore, we consider the name to be generic and thus not needing registration. [Meridies, Kingdom of, 01/00, R-Meridies] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2000.03 | [Companionate of the Meridian Queen's Rapier Champion] The name is too generic to register. Note that Meridies can have a Queen's Rapier Champion, and can even have a companionate of former champions, but the name Queen's Rapier Champion cannot be protected. [Meridies, Kingdom of, 03/00, R-Meridies] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2000.03 | Champion of Arts and Sciences is a generic descriptor and need not be registered. [Avacal, Principality of, 03/00, A-An Tir] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2000.02 | [Middle Kingdom Archers] This name is too generic to register by itself, although it could be used as an identifier for a badge. [Middle Kingdom, 02/00, R-Middle] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 1999.11 | [Defender of Darkwater] This name has no designator, such as Order or Award. It needs a designator to be registerable, under RfS III.2.b. Note that it is appropriate to name someone the Defender of Darkwater without registering the name; it is a reasonable generic description similar to Champion. [Darkwater, Barony of, 11/99, R-Trimaris] |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1999.06 | [Aarnimetsä, Barony of. Order name for Aarnimetsän akatemia] Finally, we feel that [Academy of {Group Name}] is probably too generic to register. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR June 1999, p. 8) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1999.06 | [Aarnimetsä, Barony of. Order name for Aarnimetsän kaarti] Finally, we feel that [Guard of {Group Name}] is probably too generic to register. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR June 1999, p. 8) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1996.09 | [registering Company of Artificers of Marinus] Submitted as Company of Artificers, we have with the consent of the submissions herald, added the phrase "of Marinus" to make it less generic. (Marinus, Barony of, 9/96 p. 3) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1996.01 | [returning Haus Kaperschiff] Kaperschiff is German for a ship used by privateers. Haus Kaperschiff is therefore analogous to House Warship, House Q-Ship, and House Trawler. Such names are too generic to be registered and in any case do not follow any of the usual period models for household names (e.g., names of Scottish clans, ruling dynasties, professional guilds, military units, inns). Ships' names are probably another reasonable model, so perhaps the submitter should simply name his Kaperschiff. (Randwulf Widefarer, 1/96 p. 29) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1995.04 | [registering Moneyers Guild of An Tir] Though a couple of commenters suggested that the name was too generic to register, the fact that "of An Tir" is an integral part of the name keeps it from being so. "Moneyers Guild" probably would be too generic to register. "Moneyers Guild of An Tir" is sufficiently specific to be registered. (Da'ud ibn Auda, LoAR April 1995, p. 1) |
| Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme | 1993.03.28 | The key is for the name to be unarguably generic. Lyondemere Baronial Guard is functional, generic, and thus not held to conflict standards. The Lyondemere Levy, a deliberately alliterative name, is not generic, and must meet the normal name submission standards; once registered, it is then protected equally with Order names. (Notice that there are no generic Order names.) Generic names may only be registered by SCA branches, for common branch functions; but such generic names need not be checked for conflict, any more than the names of officers. (28 March, 1993 Cover Letter (January, 1993 LoAR), pg. 2) |
| Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme | 1993.03 | [The Caravan] The household name runs afoul of Rule III.1, which requires all names to have at least two name elements; group names must have a designator and "at least one descriptive element" (III.1.b). To put it another way, the name is too generic to be reserved to a single group. Just as we would decline to register The Household or The Group --- or, just as we declined to register The Buttery (Marion of Edwinstowe, LoAR of April 89) --- so must we return this name. If they add a descriptive element (and assuming no conflicts), it should be acceptable. (Taichleach Selwyn, March, 1993, pg. 25) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (1st year of 1st tenure) | 1990.10 | [Entertainer's Guild] "It was felt that the name was too generic to be registered to a single group." (LoAR 10/90 p.21). |