-A Glossary of SCA Jargon, Terms, and Phrases for Beginners-

Groups:
Barony – is a large independent group reporting to the Kingdom. It has a Baron and Baroness, and may have Cantons or Colleges reporting to it. The ACT is the Barony of Politarchopolis.
Canton – is a small group which is part of and reports to a Barony.
College – a small group which is set up on a campus of a School, College or University.
Guild – a group of people who have chosen to study a particular skill or are of interest.  Membership is open to anyone with an interest.  eg, cooks guild, embroiderers guild.
Household – a group of people who have chosen to ally themselves together. Households can be composed of people with similar personas, similar interest, or just a group of friends. Membership criteria and methods of joining vary from household to household. Households are not recognised as a formal group.
Kingdom – the area ruled over by a King and Queen. Australia and New Zealand are part of the Kingdom of Lochac.
Shire –a small independent group which reports to the Kingdom: our nearest shire is Torylon (Yass).

People:
Baron/ Baroness (Court) – a Court Baron or Court Baroness is a Lord or Lady who has been given this title by the Crown.
Baron/ Baroness (Territorial) – a Baron and Baroness who have been chosen to serve as ceremonial head of a barony.
Chirurgeon – the first aid officer. If you have a current first aid certificate, you will be able to volunteer to help out at larger events such as Rowany Festival.
Chronicler – the officer responsible for the group newsletter.
Chatelaine or Hospitaller – the officer responsible for welcoming and assisting newcomers to the Society.
Constable – the officer in charge of making sure everyone has signed in for events, lost property and general health and safety.
Count – a lord who has been King once.
Countess – a lady who has been Queen once.
Crown – a headdress of metal and/or jewels work by King and Queen as a sign of their rank. Is also used to refer to the King and Queen jointly.
Crown Prince – the winner of crown tourney, and heir to the Crown of the Kingdom.
Crown Princess – the consort of the winner of crown tourney, and heir to the Crown of the Kingdom.
Duchess – a lady who has been Queen two or more times.
Duke – a lord who has been King two or more times.
Earl Marshal – the Kingdom Marshal, in charge of combat and martial matters.
Excellency – used as Your Excellency, a form of address for a Baron, Baroness, Count, Countess, Viscount, Viscountess, or an Heir to a Principality
Gentle – A term used to address or refer to people or a person. For example “Welcome good gentles”
Grace – when used as Your Grace a form of address for a Duke or Duchess
Herald – the person at an event who makes announcement.  The herald is also known as the voice of the King, when you hear a herald calling oyez, it is expected that all will quiet and listen to the announcement. Listening to them will help you to understand what is happening.
Herald, Group – the officer responsible for assisting with heraldic submissions within a group.
Herald, Kingdom – a Kingdom officer responsible for all things heraldic within the Kingdom.
Highness – when used as Your Highness is a form of address for a Crown Prince or Crown Princess.
King – member of the pair that rules the Kingdom. Selected by armed combat.
Steward – the personal responsible for organising and running an event.

Events:
Collegium – an event at which the focus is a variety of classes offered throughout the day. Also known as Schola or University.
Combat Archery – armoured combat for archers, you get to fire blunted arrows at heavy combatants.
Consort – the person being fought for in a tourney.
Coronation – the ceremony in which a King and Queen are formally declared rulers of the Kingdom. Held twice at Midwinter and Twelfth Night
Crown Tournament – the tournament in which the heirs to the Kingdom are determined. Held twice a year in May and November
Court – formal gathering in which the Crown (Kingdom) or Baron & Baroness (Barony) give awards, make announcements or proclamations.
Event – an official Society gathering at which a variety of activities take place
Feast – a meal (most often dinner) served at an event comprising of two or more courses, each containing multiple dishes
Feast gear – your personal place setting and utensils for use at a feast: usually a knife, spoon, bowl, plate and a drinking vessel. Forks were uncommon and generally had only 2 tines (Points/Spikes).
Fencing – the martial activity of rapier combat, similar in some ways to modern Olympic fencing, however it is not fought along a single line and a variety of weapons and defences are used. Also called Rapier.
Heavy List – the list or group of fighters fighting in a tournament, here referring to SCA armoured combat, not fencing
HOLD! – the Warning Cry. When you hear it, STOP, whatever you are doing and hold still until you can determine why it was called and/or until the dangerous situation is corrected.
Investiture – the ceremony in which a Baron and/or Baroness are formally declared as heads of their Barony. Often called Invest.
List field – The roped or fenced off area set aside for fighting to take place, essentially while a tournament is on it is closed to non-combatants.

Other:
Anachronism – something out of its place in time.
Arms – heraldic device of a person who has received an Award of Arms or higher level award, or the heraldic device of a group.
Arts & Sciences (A&S) – the collective group of fine arts, crafts and sciences researched and practiced within the Society.
Award – a form of recognition given by the Crown (King and Queen) or Barony (Baron and Baroness). Baronial Awards do not carry titles, while Crown awards may give the recipient the right to certain titles.
Award of Arms (AoA) – the first level of rank-bearing award given by the Crown, which gives the recipient to the right to use the title of Lord / Lady.
Badge – a secondary heraldic device registered to a person, group or branch.
Banner – a decorative panel often representing an individual’s or group’s device and used as a wall hanging or hung from a pole.
Calligraphy – decorative text, as often seen in historical manuscripts.
Coronet – a headdress, often of metal and/or jewels, worn to indicate a certain rank.
Corpora – the governing documents of the Society.
Device – the heraldic insignia of a person who does not have an Award of Arms.
Favour – a token given to someone to indicate friendship, romantic involvement, membership in a group, or some other relationship
Fealty – a reciprocal oath pledged between two people in which each swears a form of loyalty and service to the other..
Fighter – Someone who is involved in armed combat.
Garb – historic costume
Heraldic – of or having to do with heraldry.
Heraldry – collection of arts pertaining to coats of arms, names and verbal proclamation.
Illumination – decorative miniature artwork that accompanies text, as in historical manuscripts.
Period – refers to the period of time that is covered by the Society and its activities – usually defined as pre-17th Century (1600 AD). Used in context: “Those joggers are not period.”
Subtelty – a decorative and usually edible food served at a feast often it is one thing disguised as another, but may also be a food sculpture.