Words, Phrases

[Illustration from period source]

[Illustration from PicDic]

Illustration/s from Brickbat's Armorial Stash - [[1]]:

Pennsic Traceable Art Project:

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Precedents:

Precedents of the SCA College of Arms - [[2]] Morsulus Heralds Website - [[3]] (to search the LoARs and Precedents) Restatement Wiki - [[4]] (restatements of Precedents) Use the above links to be sure any precedents listed below haven't been superseded by newer precedents.

#x--Precedents:-Registerability:Registerability:

(Restricted, Reserved, SFPP, OOP)

From the March 2006 LoAR: "Yamahara Yorimasa. Device. Gules, in pale a kanji Yama and a kanji Hara argent. This is returned for redesign. There has long been precedent against armory consisting of a single abstract charge ‑‑ symbols that represent a phoneme or meaning, such as letters, numbers, runes, and kanji ‑‑ as well as against the registration of monograms. The rationale has been to prevent one submitter from having exclusive right to a symbol which should be commonly available to all. That rationale would, we feel, also apply to phrases made up from multiple abstract charges, if those are the sole elements of the armory. Thus, as we should not accept Argent, the letter L sable or Argent, in fess the letters LO sable, we should not accept Argent, the word LOVE sable. The same argument applies here: we cannot accept a design consisting solely of kanji. We therefore extend the ban on single abstract charges to cover any armory consisting solely of abstract charges, in any language (e.g., Japanese kanji, Norse runes, Arabic script, etc.). This applies whether the armory consists of a single word or a phrase." [2006 LoAR]

From the March 2006 LoAR: "Yamahara Yorimasa. Device. Gules, in pale a kanji Yama and a kanji Hara argent. "The use of kanji is one step from period practice. By which, yes, we mean period European heraldic practice." [2006 LoAR]

From the January 2003 LoAR: The SCA requires that a translation be provided for any phrases used in armory [2003 LoAR]

From the January 2003 LoAR: [on a chevron ... the phrase "Non Sibi Sed Todo"] "Some commenters noted that no documentation had been presented for words on a chevron. Phrases on bordures, including Latin phrases, are rare but not unknown in Spanish and Italian heraldry. Phrases in Arabic are not at all uncommon in Islamic heraldry, particularly on fesses. As a result, putting a Latin phrase on a chevron seems to be at most one step from period practice, and is certainly consistent with SCA armorial practices." [2003 LoAR]

From the January 2000 LoAR: "As blazoned, the words do not make a sensible phrase, but they are not required to make sense, only to be non-offensive." [2000 LoAR]

#x--Precedents:-Conflict:Conflict:

November 2011 LoAR:Titus Atrius Magnus. Device. Sable, the astrological symbol for Leo within a bordure argent. We do not grant difference between abstract symbols per precedent: "Since the character is an abstract symbol, which we do not grant difference between..." [Matatias filius Lie Blunde, A-Æthelmearc, Mar 2009 LoAR] Therefore, this device is returned for conflict with the badge of Thorbjorn Thordarson, Sable, in fess two thorn runes within a bordure argent. There is only one CD for the change of number of primary charges. This device also conflicts with the device of Beornwulf the Belligerent, Sable, a beorc rune within serpent involved head to base argent//, and with the badge of the Kingdom of Meridies, //Sable, the Lombardic upper case letter M and in base a comet fesswise argent. In both cases there is a CD for changing the type of the secondary charge, but nothing else. This device is not in conflict with the device of Fearghas MacRob, Sable, a quaver argent. There is one CD for adding the bordure and as quavers and other musical notes are considered symbols, but not abstract symbols, there is another CD for change in type of primary charge. [[5]]

From the May 2008 LoAR: "We do not grant difference between single letters, even when they are in different alphabets" (returning chi-rho against a feogh rune) [2008 LoAR]

#x--Precedents:-Identifiability:Identifiability:

From the January 2007 LoAR: [Azure, on an open book argent the words "Carpe Librum" sable and on a chief Or three wolf's heads cabossed sable.] "This device is returned for a redraw; the words on the book are written with letters no wider than a (modern) single pen line and thus must be considered "thin-line heraldry". We suggest resubmitting using block letters. This submission generated much discussion on the nature of words on books. The letters on Yale University's arms, Azure, an open book argent charged with Hebrew letters sable, have previously been ruled to act as tertiary charges. Laurel has also ruled "In general, open books may be drawn with numerous small writing marks as artistic license, the writing so small that it could not be read from any distance, but such writing would not be blazoned. [Branwen filia Iohannis de Monmouth, 04/02, A-East]". The question becomes, when does the writing become so small that it cannot be read? In general, more that 10 or 11 letters on a single primary charge will be considered unreadable and will not count for difference; for a secondary charge (or multiple primary charges) this number will be reduced due to the smaller size of the books. More than two or three letters on a tertiary charge will be too small to read. In SCA arms, such small writing will not be blazoned. In the case of important non-SCA arms this writing may be blazoned even if it does not count for difference. Thus, the letters on Yale University's arms constitute a tertiary charge group while those on Oxford University's arms (DOMINUS ILLUMINATIO MEO) do not. If resubmitted using thicker lines for the words, this device will be clear of the device for Roderick der Gelehrte, Azure, an open book argent, on a chief Or an arrow point to dexter azure. There will be a CD for changes to the tertiary charges on the chief and another for adding the tertiary charge to the book." [2007 LoAR]

Collected Precedents:

Tenure of Elisabeth de Rossignol (May 2005 - July 2008) - The 2nd Tenure of François la Flamme (October 2004 - May 2005) - The Tenure of Shauna of Carrick Point (May 2004 - August 2004) - The Tenure of François la Flamme (August 2001 - April 2004) - The Tenure of Elsbeth Anne Roth (June 1999 - July 2001) - The Tenure of Jaelle of Armida (June 1996 - June 1999) - The 2nd Tenure of Da'ud ibn Auda (November 1993 - June 1996) - The Tenure of Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme (June 1992 - October 1993) - The 1st Tenure of Da'ud ibn Auda (June 1990 - June 1992) - The Tenure of Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane (September 1986 - June 1990) - The Tenure of Baldwin of Erebor (August 1984 - August 1986) - The Tenure of Wilhelm von Schlüssel (August 1979 - August 1984) - The Tenure of Karina of the Far West (December 1975 - June 1979) - The Early Days (June 1971 - June 1975) -

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