Results and comments from the Aug/Sep 2003 survey.

	Ýves’ big SCA rapier survey #1 ~ Authenticity comments: Research
	Updated: May 24, 2005

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Policy blurb

By default, authors of comments sent in response to this survey are named only by their permission. Usually, other people mentioned in a comment are named only with their permission as well. Each comment represents only what the author typed in for the survey at the time.

» This survey was conducted during August-September 2003. Things change over time. «

Some comments were edited for content. Certain harsh words have been changed for your amusement. Opinions expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect those of the surveyor.

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# of Responses
by Kingdom
 
AEth.  = 34/235
Anst.  = 36/240
An Tir = 56/347
Art.   = 12/124
Aten.  = 27/460
Atl.   = 60/425
Caid   = 49/400
Drach. = 21/76
Eald.  = 12/77
East   = 46/480
Loch.  = 22/120
Mer.   = 27/140
Mid.   = 52/640
Nor.   = 25/164
Out.   = 26/214
Tri.   = 46/237
West   = 14/70
Unk.   = 2

The gist

The comments below were sent in response to Question 15.

Respondents share their input on reading and translating Period manuals on the art of defense. (Some people don't capitalize Period for SCA usage, but I do.)

The comments

Note: Any remarks in the comments below from Yves look like this.

More comments on this topic are on separate pages.
See the links at the bottom of this page.
 

Æthelmearc

Φ I am not a period Nazi, but I do read period manuals to get ideas and justify what I might be teaching to someone else.  ``Sasha

An Tir

Φ SCA is about research, so I bring that same attitude to Rapier.  ``Tomas

Φ I'm slowly collecting manuals and poring through them, although I do not have the language skills to read anything but English at present!  ``Luaithrenn

Φ I haven't done much translation, yet, but "Libro de la Grandezas de la Espada" is a huge book, and I have to finish transcribing it, first! Oh, yeah - I should probably learn Spanish, too...  ``Ruaidhri

Ansteorra

Φ I have studied at least one manual regularly and skimmed some others.  ``Claire

Atenveldt

Φ The historical research is what I do.  ``John Patrick

Φ If you are in the SCA and don't try to do some sort of research what are you doing in the SCA?  ``Sebastiana

Φ I'm not good at languages, but I have been working with Maestre Gywllym on developing Fabris for the past 2 years.  ``Ryan

Φ Being able to read latin , german and some greek(tho' it doesn't help as much) but i have done a lot of reading of authentic works in latin and german and dearly love to read period pieces as well as translations by others and using them to help me teach. I also have a few modern movies which are actually very good pieces or have very good sections to use. By the Sword, Ring of steel....  ``Lann-Valdis

Atlantia

Φ I am a slacker when it comes to the manuals of defense.  ``Nikolai

Φ I've skimmed more a 1 or 2, but do not read them regularly.

Φ I am in the process of acquiring period manuals... does that count?  ``Briana

Φ I wouldn't say I study manuals "regularly" but I've certainly done more than skim them.  ``Wilhelm

Φ Still a novice - have a lot to read and learn regarding fencing. Have been active in SCA for 20+ years.

Φ I have read DiGrassi and Saviolio(sp?). My teacher gives lessons based almost completely on DiGrassi, so my base is DiGrassi but my fighting is pretty much free style.  ``Cristobal

Φ I have been learning Degrassi's teachings since I realy got serious about fencing...my teacher has even provided me with a copy of his manual...I in turn teah my students the same way.

Caid

Φ I read translations, but I am extraordinarily monolingual.  ``David

Φ I study the various treatise (Capo Fero, Marozzo, etc) but do not feel I follow a specific form. I prefer to fight within the period context rather than fight to win.

Drachenwald

Φ ... while I don't study the manuals I have *regularly*, I have gone through some of them in depth.  ``Guntram

Ealdormere

Φ I've done a fair amount of reading of period manuals (Digrassi, Saviolo, St. Didier, Silver,Marozzo etc) as well as some of the synthetic systems people have come up with (like William E. Wilson). I try to incorporate what I've read into the way I fence and what I teach.  ``Albrecht

East

Φ Although i have studied some period manulas at a non-SCA practice, not all of what I have learned can be used in the SCA.  ``Brita

Φ I want to learn Spanish-style, but I need to learn Spanish to do it, since the only translation of Caranza I've found is only of the first (useless) section.  ``Domenego

Lochac

Φ Must do more research... and practice... :-(

Meridies

Φ I am currently working on transcribing and then will translate a German manual.  ``Irene

Midrealm

Φ I'm working on a Meyer translation now...  ``Christian

Φ I am in the process of studying period manuals... just not good at it yet :)

Φ I attempt to look and "perform" as period as possible but book research is not my thing. I learn from watching others and adapting.

Φ Mostly I learn from friends who are more into translating and evolving period moves. They need partners, and teach me that way. I have read several manuals in translation, and some modern works.  ``Alexander

Φ It's important to me to try to closely recreate the styles of historical swordplay from our time period. I'm a manual geek - I love reading the manuals and trying to figure out the principles that they worked from, what techniques they used, what they did and why. I've thought about learning Italian or Spanish so that I could read the manuals in their native tongues not only to be able to read some manuals that have not been translated yet, but also to see if there is any insight to be gained from the original language.  ``Toshikage

Outlands

Φ Working on getting languages to a level where I can have a hope of translating manuals. Until then, I'll work with the translations.  ``Charles

Trimaris

Φ Studying manuals has never interested me, althought I know it should.  ``Francis

Φ I have done more than skim manuals but less than "study them regularly".

Φ I have reformatted every thing I could find on the web into MS Word and have it on disk.

Φ Right now, I am researching general information on my period and haven't gotten to manuals. I suppose I might skim a couple in the future.

Φ My personna is 1300 Irish Celt , it is difficult to find actuall period refrences for fencing..although i am begingin to find a few. I get as close as I can and still adhere to SCA regs.

West

Φ Starting to do more research reading period manuals. I am curently starting to read Di Grassi and trying to use his style of fencing.  ``Etain

Your feedback is most welcome!

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Original page posted: October 18, 2004. Last tweaked: July 1, 2006.

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