SCA Slang: updates wanted
Joe Bethancourt
that have come into use in the Known World?
THE DICTIONARY OF SCA SLANG
-Ioseph of Locksley
The Common Speech of any sub-culture uses technical terms and slang
that indicates solidarity among the membership. The SCA is no exception.
This is by no means a complete list of slang terms used in the SCA,
nor do I pretend that all of these terms are used everywhere in the Known
Worlde, but these are the ones I have found so far. Regional slang is so
marked, where known.
I have avoided including specialized terms used in sub-systems of
the SCA that the average member would not come in contact with, nor have I
listed medieval/Renaissance terms that were used in period. Most of what we
have here is slang of the Current Middle Ages.
Enjoy!
AOA: n. acronym: Award of Arms, written "AoA." (regional slang, eastern
kingdoms and Atenveldt)
AA: n. acronym: Award of Arms (regional slang, western kingdoms)
ALPHABET SOUP: n., the list of abbreviations you are entitled to list
behind your name representing awards you have received.
(Obvious use of your alphabet soup is considered somewhat
gauche.) (For examples, see AA, AOA, GOA.)
ARCH: v., to do archery
ARMADILLO SUIT: n., scale armour
ASCAC: n. (Fr.), Canadian French for SCA.
ATROCITY: n., a well known tune that has had its words rewritten to give a
humorous version of SCA or Science Fiction fandom.
ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT: n., a process, either verbal or physical, wherein
an individual's unacceptable behaviour is
discussed and, hopefully, changed.
AUTOCRAT: n. or v., the person in charge of making an event of the SCA
happen, usually harrassed.
BAMBOO BUNNY: n., one who fights shenai and tends towards Japanese-Fantasy
personas (semi-derogatory)
BARN DOOR: n., see DOOR SHIELD
BASH: v., to fight rattan
BELTS: n., the Chivalry; the "belted-fighters;" the Knights and Masters of
Arms.
BLATANCY: n., A particularly un-subtle subtlety. For example, a four foot
tall pastry castle, with sugar crystal windows bearing the
arms of all of the local peerage.
BOD: n., acronym: the Board of Directors of the SCA, written "BoD."
BRASS MOUTH: n., a herald
BUNNY: n., a female whose costume seems to be made out of the skin of one
rabbit
CAIDAN BLUE: see TRANYA
CAN OPENER: n., someone who can hit hard enough for TIN CANS to accept
blows from him; a heavy rattan weapon.
C.E.: "Common Era," used to identify the year in preference to "A.D."
CHAINMAIL MAMA: n., a woman fighter
CHIURGEON: n., pronounced "surgeon;" a medic.
CLEAR!: imperative v., Danger! LIVE STEEL in use!
CONAN-CLONE: n., a person attempting to be Arnie the Barbarian, or a female
equivalent, usually in a MARVEL COSTUME.
CORONET, THE: n., The Prince and Princess
CROWN, THE: n., The King and Queen
CROWNIE, CROWN POLISHER: n., A female who pursues STICK-JOCKS that stand a
chance of winning a HATTED LIST (derogatory)
DAMMBOD: n., the Board of Directors of the SCA (derogatory)
DAMP: adj., Wine/beer allowed
DANGLIES: n., tokens worn as necklaces representing awards you have recieved.
(Usually minor or kingdom-level awards. Does not include the
peer's tokens.)
DOOR SHIELD: n., a rectangular shield the height of the fighter, shaped
much like a door.
DRAGON: n., 1) airplane (regional slang, eastern kingdoms)
2) car/truck/van (regional slang, western kingdoms)
3) submarine
DRAGON'S TOOTH: n., a cigarette lighter
DRY: adj., No alcohol allowed.
DUKE FEVER: n., the wanting to be a Duke, usually by a Count.
DUCK: n., a Duke (weighs the same as a piece of wood, or a Very Small
Rock, or a Witch: see "Monty Python and the Holy Grail")
DUCKESS: n., a Duchess
ELVEN BOX: n., see MAGIC BOX
ELVEN MAIL: n., chain-mail made from titanium
ELVEN WEAPON: n., a mundane weapon
ERIC: n., The marked-off fighting area. derived from it's original red
colour, therefore, "Eric the Red." (regional slang, western
kingdoms)
EVENT: n., an official function of the SCA.
FAIRYTALE COSTUME: n., PERIOD-looking, but not authentic or accurate (not
always derogatory)
FARBEL: v., see FREAK
FAR-SPEAKER: n., Telephone
FAVOUR: n., a token given to a fighter to show that fighter fights for a
particular individual; a token given from friendship.
FEASTOCRAT: n., the AUTOCRAT in charge of the feast at an EVENT.
FIELD: n., the fighting area within the ERIC; a term in Heraldry
FIGHTER PRACTICE: n., casual SCA meeting, garb usually not required,
usually held weekly.
FILK: v. To sing well-known tunes with rewritten words. Equivalent to
the western ATROCITY.
FILK-SONG: n. A song with rewritten words.
FINE IRISH FOOD: n., the local McDonald's.
FIRE CHARIOT: n., automobile
FOP: n. Someone wearing fancy garb, usually post-1600.
FORCE, THE: n., Duct tape
FORSOOTHLY, TO SPEAK: v., to modify modern speech patterns in such a way
as to replicate or approximate period speech.
FREAK: v., to interact with the MUNDANE world while in GARB and PERSONA,
usually done in groups; to "FREAK the MUNDANES."
FUBBA-WUBBA: n., acronym: "Fat Ugly Broad With A Bad Attitude" (derogatory)
GARB: n., medieval/Renaissance clothing worn in the SCA
GOA: n., Grant of Arms, written "GoA."
GOLEM: n., Personal Computer
GOON: v., to harrass in a friendly manner
GORK AN SPEW: v., the usual result after too much TRANYA.
GUNCH: v., to hit hard in SCA combat
HALFLING: n., see SMALL
HARD SUIT: n., Armour for rattan combat; rattan combat itself.
HAT: n., the King, Queen, Duke/ess, Prince/ess, Baron/ess; any crowned
or coronetted person. (Mild implication of stuffiness)
HATTED LIST: n., A competition between rattan fighters for the office of
King/Queen, or Prince/ss, or Baron/ess (in a Palantine
Barony).
HEAVY WEAPONS or HEAVY LIST: n., Rattan combat, or someone who participates
in such.
HIGH TABLE: n. The head table at a feast, where the VIPs sit.
HIT-MAN: n., a person in a HATTED LIST who is "clearing the way" for
another to win.
HOLD!: imperative v., Stop! Danger!
HORDIE: n., a member of the Dark Horde (derogatory)
IMPERIUM: n., the KNOWN WORLDE (obsolete); the BOD (semi-derogatory)
IRON HORSE: n., a motorcycle
JAP-SLAP: n., Light weapons (shinai) combat (derogatory)
KENTUCKY FRIED DRAGON: n., Col. Saunder's Kentucky Fried Chicken.
KING THING: n., any royalty that is overly impressed by the fact that it is
royalty
KNOWN WORLDE: n., the totality of the groups of the SCA
LAUREL KINGDOMS: see KNOWN WORLDE.
LIST: n. Area in which fighting (usually tourneys) takes place. (eastern,
see also ERIC).
LIVE STEEL: n., a real edged weapon
LIGHT WEAPONS: n., non-rattan SCA combat weapons.
LOBSTER SHELL: hard back or breast armor
LOOKER: n., a blow in combat that "looked good" to the crowd, but may not
have actually been hard enough, square-on, etc.
MAGIC BOX: n., a cassette tape-player
MAJESTOPHOBIA: n., a fear of HATS, and of being thought a THRONE-TOADY.
Manifests by refusing to speak to one's close friends
while they're on the thrones...
MARVEL COSTUME: n., the GARB is obviously researched in comic books
(derogatory)
MASHIE-POW: n., Rattan (heavy weapons) combat
MECHANICAL SCRIBE: n., a typewriter; a printer
MECHANICAL SQUIRE: n., a telephone answering machine
MINATURE FLEMISH PAINTERS: n. Camera (eastern, perhaps anglespurian only)
MIRACLE WRAP: n., Duct tape
MODERNS: see MUNDANE
MONDAINES: n. (Fr.), Canadian French for MUNDANE(S).
MUNDANE: n., the "real" world, the twentieth century; a non-SCADIAN.
MUSHROOM: n., dome-shaped nylon tent
NEO: n., neophyte, a NEWBIE, a new member
NET, THE: 1) see RIALTO
2) the FidoNet SCA message area (tagname: "Medieval")
NEWBIE: see NEO
NINJERK: n., a person in a ninja costume, usually not trained (derogatory)
NUCLEAR SHINAI: v., Hitting blows much too hard in Light Weapons combat.
NUKE: v., 1) to hit, in SCA combat, extremely hard.
2) to fail or return. Used almost exclusively to refer to the
action the College of Heralds takes when a device or name submission
fails to meet their standards. As in "Laurel's nuked my device
*again*."
ORNAMENTAL: n., a person in Oriental GARB
PADDLE BLADE: n., a rattan sword made of three laminated pieces of rattan.
Illegal in SCA combat. (regional slang)
P(AR)T. 2 (or 3,4 &c.): adj., the means of identifying the second or third
&c. reign of a HAT, as in "King Deaton I, Pt. 2"
PATENT: n., a Patent of Arms; a Peer
PELL: n. 1) A target for practice, usually a wooden pole.
2) A fighter with an inadequate defense who just can't seem to
get the hang of what he's supposed to be doing.
PERIOD: adj.,Within the range of the SCA's interest; pre-1650 CE.
PERSONA: n., one's SCA "character."
PHILOSOPHER'S ENGINE: n., Personal Computer
PHONE GOLEM: n., Answering Machine (regional? Northwest USA)
PILLOW DANCE: n., Medieval version of spin the bottle.
POINTY HAT: see HAT
POST-REVEL: n., Party after an EVENT, usually at local house, sometimes out
of garb.
RABBIT: n., a male whose costume seems to be made out of the skin of one
rabbit.
REALITY CHECK: n., see ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT
RHINO-HIDE: n. or v., A fighter who fails to accept legal blows, a cheater.
(VERY derogatory)
RIALTO, THE: n., the computer network message base for the SCA on InterNet
and UseNet (tagname: rec.org.sca)
SCA: n., (pronounced "Skah") the Society for Creative Anachronism (regional
slang, Eastern USA)
SCA: n., (pronounced "Ess See Ay") the Society for Creative Anachronism
(regional slang, Western USA)
SCABUM: n., somebody who is thoroughly immersed in SCA, to the detriment of
his ability to function in the mundane world.
SCADIAN: n., One who participates in SCA events (regional slang), written
as "SCAdian."
SCALING: n., see SCADIAN, written as "SCAling."
SEEING-EYE CHILD: n., a SMALL on a harness-leash.
SCHTICK: n., team-GOONING; funny street-theater at EVENTS.
SILVER TAPE: n., see THE FORCE
SHINIDIOT: n., a shinai fighter (derogatory)
SMALL: n., any pre-adolescent child
SOCIETY: n., the SCA
SPELLING MACHINE: n., see MECHANICAL SCRIBE
SPODE: n., a jerk with no intelligence, and little social skills, somewhat
below an amoeba on the social ladder (derogatory)
SPOOGED: v., the act of ignoring a blow in SCA combat (regional slang)
SPREZZATURA: n., correct period term for "cavalier attitude."
STICK: n., a rattan sword
STICK-FIGHTER: n., one who fights with rattan, a heavy weapons fighter.
STICK-JOCK: n., one who thinks rattan fighting is the ONLY reason for the
existence of the SCA. Sometimes wears a costume other than
their fighting gear, but not often. (derogatory)
SUPERDUKE: n., someone who's been king three times or more.
SUPERDUKES OF THE WEST: n., the quasi-legendary great fighters, the only
one whom anyone can think of by name being Paul
of Bellatrix, but conveying the idea that the
West is choked to the gills with mega-fighters.
SWAMP FROG: see TRANYA
SWASHBUCKLE: n. or v., rapier combat
SWISHY-POKE: n. or v., rapier combat
TANIST: n., the designated male successor to a HAT, usually the Coronet.
TANISTA: n., the designated female successor to a HAT, usually the Coronet.
THEATRICAL: n., something, usually GARB, that looks good, but isn't real.
(mildly derogatory)
THRONE: n., the King and Queen
THRONE-TOADY: n., a person who brown-noses overmuch to the persons wearing
the HATS (derogatory)
TI: n., Publication of the SCA sent to all(?) members.
TIN CAN: n., someone who has armor so good he can't feel blows.
TIN HAT: see HAT
TOURNEY CHEST: n., 1) A wooden box used to carry personal posessions to,
from and during an event.
2) That flaming-red area of the body that comes as a
result of attending a tourney on a warm summer day in a
low-cut gown.
TRANYA: n., A drink whose main ingredients are grain alcohol and lime
koolaid mix (sweetened.) Served, ideally, in a translucent
plastic jug with handles, garnished with a green lightstick
floating inside. (Also known as CAIDAN BLUE, and SWAMP FROG)
TROLL-GATE: n., The check-in table at an event.
TROLL: n. or v., Someone manning a TROLL-GATE; the act of manning it.
UNGENTLEMAN: n., a gentleman who isn't.
URBAN MYTH: n., stories, usually funny, of the interaction between
SCADIANS and the MUNDANE world. Not necessarily factual,
but believed to be.
VORPAL RABBIT (SQUIRREL, ETC.): n., Mythological beast, reputedly able to
kill and eat anything. Has Great Pointy
Teeth and is very Vicious. See "Monty
Python And The Holy Grail."
WAGON: n., automobile.
WALL-HANGER: n., a sword, axe, or other weapon or piece of armour that looks
nice, but is not usable. It is only good for hanging on a
wall as decoration.
WEEBLE: n. or v., a person who does not count blows, non-"macho" term,
from the phrase "Weebles wobble, but they don't fall
down.." (derogatory)
WEEKEND WARRIOR: n., SCA fighter who isn't as dedicated to SCA combat as
the guys with the white belts. Derived from US
military slang for members of the National Guard.
WENCH: n., any male or female that serves feasts. (regional, western kingdoms)
WET: adj., Liqueur allowed.
WIRE WEENIE: n., a Rapier fighter, one who fences in the SCA.
WIZARD SCRIBE: n., an electrostatic copy machine
WOLFGAR: n., anyone who is so dedicated to the possession of cutlery that he
clanks when he moves.
WOLFGARISH: adj., paranoid
WRISTGOD: n., a wrist-watch
* copyright 1990 W. J. Bethancourt III *
(end)
--
lock...@indirect.com PO Box 35190 Locksley Plot Systems
White Tree Productions Phoenix, AZ 85069 USA CyberMongol Ltd
"Do not ascribe your own motivations to others:
at best it will break your heart, at worst, get you dead."
Johnathan
ELVEN TIMEPIECE -- wrist watch (east)
ELVEN TORCH -- flashlight or coleman lantern
SICK DRAGON -- blown tire, dead battery etc. in the vehicle that brought you
SPANISH QUISINE -- Taco Bell
SWISHY-POKE -- fencing, particularly with foils (east)
and let us not forget the infamous:
NECTAR of the GODS -- COFFEE!!!
Johnathan
Caroline Forbes of Oxfordshire
Humble greetings unto the Rialto and the well-known Ioseph
from the little-known Caroline Forbes!
Ioseph, when listing a wonderful list of SCA slang, asked for updates.
I have a couple:
A.S. (or AS or as): ANNO SOCIETATIS, (or however the heralds
spell it) for "in the year of the Society". I've seen it used on the
east coast often by heralds and on scrolls, also used in official
Society documents and around the US (and perhaps elsewhere).
PORTA-CASTLE: a portable toilet.
I look forward to seeing other suggestions, and remain, Ever in
Service,
Caroline
cls...@ccmail.monsanto.com
(Carol L. Smith)
F.L. Watkins
Just off the top of my head (no pun intended):
BRASS HAT--Any noble with the right to wear a coronet or crown.
FARB--Anything non-period, taken from other living-history groups
and beginning to be used in our area. A contraction of
"Far Be It For Me to Complain [about some non-period
stuff] _butttt_...
GLITTERFAG--a fop (affectionately derogatory)
I know there's more...
Yrs, Folo
--
Damin de Folo - F.L.Watkins - fo...@prairienet.org
Baron Wurm Wald (MK) - Commander Baldwin's Reg't (NWTA)
"I'm not quite clear about what you just spoke--
Was that a parable or a very subtle joke?"-Crash Test Dummies
rosalyn rice
SNARK (v.) - To complain in a petty way, generally applied to
comments made by heralds and other judges of aethetic
quality. adj. SNARKY e.g. "The heralds made a lot of
snarky comments about the style of my device, but they
passed it."
TSCA (n.) - Acronym for "Typically SCA" applied to heraldry which,
while acceptable to the heralds isn't very period in
style. (derogatory)
DISNEY HERALDRY (n.) - Heraldry which is more inspired by childrens
fantasy books than period styles. Usually has unicorns
with huge manes, horse-like tails, and big blue eyes as
a charge. Rainbows, butterflies, roses, and swans are also
popular charges. (Derogatory)
BIKER HERALDRY (n.) - Heraldry which is more inspired by the
patches you can buy at the Harley-Davidson dealer than
by medieval models. Usually has skulls, axes, dragons, or
other "macho" charges as charges. (Derogatory)
AUTHENTICITY POLICE (n.) - 1. Self-appointed critics of what is and
isn't period. Usually portrayed as comically ignorant of what
are criticizing, and ridiculously self-important. (semi-
derogatory 2. Usually mythical group of people who will
harshly criticize a less than perfectly period artifact used
in the SCA. (semi-derogatory) 3. Person who is extremely
concerned with
historical recreation of the medieval period and who take
extreme pains to try to be authentic in all aspects.
AUTHENTICITY NAZI - A more perjorative term for AUTHENTICITY POLICE
(derogatory).
TWO STICK - Fighting with two weapons in armored combat. See
FLORENTINE.
FLORENTINE - Fighting with two swords in armored combat. Derived
(allegedly) from the Florentine style of rapier fighting
which used two rapiers.
TECHNO-SPEAR - A SCA legal spear made out of pultruded fiberglass
rod.
Lothar
Michael A. Chance
(either real or assumed). E.g., "Hrolf sure got gaacked by that spear
trying to punch through that shieldwall."
Mikjal Annarbjorn
--
Michael A. Chance St. Louis, Missouri, USA "At play in the fields
Work: mc3...@sw1stc.sbc.com of St. Vidicon"
Play: mch...@crl.com
mch...@nyx.cs.du.edu
DBR...@ucs.indiana.edu
GAACK (v.) - used to describe a particularly nasty incident
(either real or assumed). E.g., "Hrolf sure got gaacked by that spear
trying to punch through that shieldwall."
I would add (2) to kill in SCA combat when the victim could not or did not
attempt to stop the blow. Eg. "I got gacked before I thought I was in range."
--Vlad de Jaffa
KGO...@artspas.watstar.uwaterloo.ca
> CHIURGEON: n., pronounced "surgeon;" a medic.
Actually some of us pronounce it "ki-ur-geon" I was told it was
pronunced "surgeon" in period but that the SCA differentiated it to make
sure no one thought us first aiders were going to cut them open and perform
surgery on the field.
Can that list be published?
Eyrny
Joe Bethancourt
Quite true on the pronunciation convention....and stand by for the updated
slang list...I got a LOT of new ones by e-mail...for which, thanks to the
Rialto!
Bill McNutt
>KGO...@ARTSPAS.watstar.uwaterloo.ca wrote:
>: In article <318ism$p...@herald.indirect.com> lock...@indirect.com (Joe
>Bethancourt) writes:
>: > CHIURGEON: n., pronounced "surgeon;" a medic.
>: Actually some of us pronounce it "ki-ur-geon" I was told it was
>: pronunced "surgeon" in period but that the SCA differentiated it to make
>: sure no one thought us first aiders were going to cut them open and perform
>: surgery on the field.
What the heck...
Around here I frequently hear it pronouced "chur-jun."
Donn Nieder
: Around here I frequently hear it pronouced "chur-jun."
This is the most common pronunciation around here as well, but the
dictionary seems to favor "ki-rur-jun" (long "i" and those funny
little upside down "e"s where the "u"s are). Accent on the second
syllable. The definition is listed simply as "surgeon"
Giovanni
--
------------------------------------------------
Internet: do...@freenet.tlh.fl.us
Lord Giovanni di Rienzi Donn Nieder
Oldenfeld, Trimaris Tallahassee FL
David Salley
> Joe Bethancourt writes:
> : > CHIURGEON: n., pronounced "surgeon;" a medic.
> : Actually some of us pronounce it "ki-ur-geon" I was told it was
> : pronunced "surgeon" in period but that the SCA differentiated it to make
> : sure no one thought us first aiders were going to cut them open and perform
> : surgery on the field.
I taught the Eastern Scouts "ki-ur-geon" because it's impossible to yell
"SHHH" at the top of your lungs! ;-)
- Dagonell
SCA Persona : Lord Dagonell Collingwood of Emerald Lake, CSC, CK, CTr
Habitat : East Kingdom, AEthelmearc Principality, Rhydderich Hael Barony
Disclaimer : A society that needs disclaimers has too many lawyers.
Internet : sal...@niktow.cs.canisius.edu
USnail-net : David P. Salley, 136 Shepard Street, Buffalo, New York 14212-2029
Movie Double Feature : "For Whom the Bell Tolls" & "Dead Ringers"
Robert Glenn Etter Jr
Here's some more slang you may not be aware of:
"Kwigit" -That short, spiky end of a nooreen.
"Braush" -a rash, kind of boorish fighting style
"Nibblycock" -the new game that everybody's playing these days (kind of like
shuttlecock
"Craung" -glue used mostly for sticking a kwigit to its nooreen.
"Splee-wee Nimble-reister" -the newest popular battle cry. Yell it loud!
"Smockter" -on feild medic. called such because they wear smocks
"Hunblee" -any of several quoron mics.
"Ellicon" -the third splee in any series of splees. see splee-wee
nimble-reister
And believe me, there's plenty more.
Yours in Freedom,
Marshal Bob
Jeff Zeitlin
::>> Joe Bethancourt writes:
::>> : > CHIURGEON: n., pronounced "surgeon;" a medic.
DS::>> : Actually some of us pronounce it "ki-ur-geon" I was told it was
::>> : pronunced "surgeon" in period but that the SCA differentiated it to ma
::>> : sure no one thought us first aiders were going to cut them open and pe
DS::>> : surgery on the field.
DS::>I taught the Eastern Scouts "ki-ur-geon" because it's impossible to yell
::>"SHHH" at the top of your lungs! ;-)
Interesting. I hail from the East, myself, and every time I've
heard a call go out with great urgency for one, it always seemed
to be pronounced "MEDIC!". The theory seems to be that when the
need is _that_ urgent, pragmatism takes over, and to hell with
authenticity - _everyone_ recognizes a call of "medic!", even if
they've never been closer to that kind of situation than an old
war movie...
==========================================================================
Yosef ben Lazar jeff.z...@execnet.com
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