Outlands Scribes
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Outlands Scribes Handbook

Appendices

Appendix 2 : Latin Titles and Epithets, etc.

For those scribes who end up having to do a scroll for someone who's a real stickler for using Latin titles and epithets on official items, the following is a list and brief guide to using Latin forms.

Latin, unlike English, requires that words change their form depending on their grammatical case. If a word (or name) is the subject (of a sentence or phrase) , then it is in the nominative case. If a word (or name) is in a possessive form (such as John's or of the King), then it is in the genitive form. Words and names in the genitive form take on a suffix (the ones required for SCA use are "-is" for masculine words, "-ae" for feminine words, and words/names ending in "-us" change to "-i").

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Nominative Forms

Title Nominative Form (subject)

King

Queen

Prince

Princess

Duke

Duchess

Count

Countess

Viscount

Viscountess

Baron

Baroness

Knight

Master of the Laurel

Mistress of the Laurel

Master of the Pelican

Mistress of the Pelican

Master/Mistress at arms

Singer, poet, actor

Writer (scribe)

Painter

Rex

Regina

Princeps

Principissa

Dux

Duxissa, Ducissa*

Earl Comes

Comitissa

Vicecomes

Vicecomitissa

Baro

Baronissa

Miles**

Laureatus or Magister Laurae

Laureata or Magistra Laurae

Magister Pelicani

Magistra Pelicani

Magister/Magistra armibus

Cantor

Scriptor

Pictor

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Genitive Forms

Title Genitive (possessive) Form

Of a King, of the King

Of a/the Queen

Of a/the Prince

Of a/the Princess

Of a/the Duke

Of a/the Duchess

Of a/the Count, Earl

Of a/the Countess

Of a/the Viscount

Of a/the Viscountess

Of a/the Baron

Of a/the Baroness

Of a/the Knight

Of a/the Laurel (male)

Of a/the Laurel (female)

Of a/the Pelican (male)

Of a/the Pelican (female)

Of the Outlands

Of Atenveldt

Of Ansteorra

Of Calontir

Of Artemisia

Regis

Reginae

Principis

Principissae

Ducis

Duxissae, Ducissae*

Comitis

Comitissae

Vicecomitis

Vicecomitissae

Baronis

Baronissae

Militis

Laureati or Magisteris Laurae

Laureatae or Magistrae Laurae

Magisteris Pelicani

Magistrae Pelicani

Outlandis

Atenveldtis

Ansteorrae

Calontiris

Artemisiae

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Nominative forms are used after names. Examples:

Ricardus Rex (Richard, King)

Maria Comitissa (Mary, countess)

Cynewulf miles (Cynewulf, knight)

Renata Magistra Laurae (Renee, Mistress of the Laurel)

Audelius scriptor (Audelius, writer)

Note that one's name may or may not be converted to its Latin counterpart (some SCA names don't have a Latin counterpart!).

Genitive forms are used when the word or name is in a possessive role.

Examples

Rex Outlandis (King of the Outlands)

Princeps Artemisiae (Prince of Artemesia)

Sigillum Audelii (Seal of Audelius)

Castellum baronis (the baron's castle)

Castellum Mariae (Mary's castle)

When one has multiple possessives or a name followed by its title in the possessive position, then everything except the subject takes on genitive forms.

Sigillum Regis Outlandis (Seal of the King of the Outlands)

Castellum Cynewulfis militis (Castle of Cynewulf, knight)

Sigillum Renatae Magistrae Laurae (Seal of Renee, Mistress of the Laurel)

Hopefully this isn't too confusing. If you are unsure of a Latin form and don't know any Latin scholars who could help, then don't take the chance of doing it incorrectly -- stick with English!

* both forms are found in medieval texts

** "miles" is the medieval Latin (not modern Latin) form for knight

Most of the information for this section is from the article "Parum claris lucem dare (To throw light on an obscure subject)" by Nige of the Cleftlands, in Tournaments Illuminated #74.

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