Oyez! Oyez! Terms to Know

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Medievalists
Hardcore medievalists don their armor year-round for the pageantry and camaraderie, for the love of craft and the thrill of sport.

Most people do not speak in Old Norse or Middle English at medievalist events, though they do try to avoid discussing "mundane" things (see definition below). Except when they quote "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" -- which is common enough when a knight "loses" both arms during a fight. Nevertheless, here are 10 terms that are good to know before you attend.

bardic circle-- A gathering of people for singing and storytelling, sometimes by a campfire. At Society for Creative Anachronism events, anyone is welcome to listen and perform.

barony-- A vast private landholding; a field of activity under the sway of an individual or a special group. There are 11 baronies among the District, Maryland and Virginia, with seven in the Washington area.

feast gear-- A place setting for a meal, including silverware, plate and goblet. (Assume that you will need to bring gear to an SCA event serving food.)

garb-- Clothing based on medieval designs. It doesn't have to be elaborate, but members ask newcomers to make an attempt at garb (either through their own devices or through loaner gear from a barony).

heraldry-- The practice of devising, blazoning and granting armorial insignia and of tracing and recording genealogies.

"Hold!"-- It means "stop" or "freeze" and is often shouted during a fighting match. Some members who have raised their kids around the SCA have reported that the command does wonders at home.

the lists-- The field on which fighting bouts and tournaments take place.

mundane-- Modern, or outside of the SCA. Members often refer to their actual names as their mundane names.

"Oyez!"-- Pronounced "oy-ay," it's a Middle English term (derived from the Anglo-French imperative plural of "to hear") shouted two or three times to get people's attention.

shire-- An administrative subdivision that is typically smaller than a barony. There are four shires among the District, Maryland and Virginia, with two in the Washington area.

-- D.Z.