What the heck are they saying? True enough, the SCA is quite a culture shock to the new person, even if they have someone who is helping them get introduced. However, sometimes you might find yourself wondering exactly is being said; many find there is a lingo to making modern things sound medieval. Here is a list of common words in SCA patois, and their modern meanings.

arms

See device.

autocrat

A person in charge of running an event.

chronicler

Officer who puts together a newsletter for a group.

device

Some see this as a coat-of-arms. It is a way to identify fighters and group affiliations pictorially. Unless you are titled, it is called a device. When you recieve a title, you may call it your arms.

dragon

A vehicle, such as a car or truck.

elfbox

A cassette or CD player.

event

A gathering within the SCA for the purpose of meeting a theme or having a tournament.

farbling

The practice of dressing up in garb and "freaking the mundanes". This is often done at/after populace to drum up interest in the SCA and recruit new members. You can easily separate the interested from the scornful this way.

far-speaker

Telephone.

garb

SCA costumes. It doesn't matter what era it comes from.

gentles

Loosely, a nice way of saying people.

heavy fighting

Essentially combat with mock-medieval weapons (such as swords, maces, spears, etc.) made from materials such as rattan. Participants are required to wear specialized protective gear made from leather or metal and follow guidelines for calling wounds made during combat.

herald

This office is two-fold, and not everyone does both.

1. An officer responsible for helping members develop and register devices and names.
2. A person in charge of making announcements and calling people into court.

hospitaller

A person designated responsible for welcoming new people and helping them get started in the SCA.

knight marshal

An officer responsible for organizing "heavy" combat practice within a group.

light fighting

Rapier combat.

marshal

A general term for:

1. A person who helps watch for safety concerns during armored combat.
2. An officer responsible for organizing armored combat practice within a group. Also see light and heavy combat.

mundane

1. Something outside the SCA. Eg., day-to-day life or job.
2. People not in the SCA. This term usage has fallen into disfavor in recent times, as many felt it set us apart for people who did not participate in our activities.

populace

A meeting (usually monthly) where local group members meet to discuss policy and exchange news.

privy

Bathroom or restroom.

pursuivant

See Herald.

rapier marshal

An officer responsible for organizing rapier combat practice within a group.

reeve

The treasurer or exchequer. Someone who handles the money on a local or kingdom level.

seneschal

Essentially the president of an SCA group. There are seneschals on local, regional and kingdom levels, as well. They are responsible for many things, depending on how well established a group is. They report the well-being of their group, and make sure there is adequate communication; they are the chief administrative officer. Seneschals are the oil that help keep groups motivated and working together.

smalls

Children. In medieval times, children were often treated and dressed as "small adults".

troll

Someone who collects money when you go to an event.