[NancyBrooke]

If you're watching a joust where are you sitting? If you're out of the action, where are you standing?

I'm thinking "sidelines" is a bit achronistic for Tolkien (I know, I am the champion nit picker. I split hairs pretty well too, and enlarging molehills is my specialty (though I don't do tempests).

Any ideas, let me know.

[Rhapsody]

[Robbie]

[NeumeIndil]

It's not much, but you might go here for starters: http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=tappan&book=bold&story=jousts

The description is decent, though designed for a child's reading level, so it doesn't get technical. It does mention a fenced off area at either side of the lists, so perhaps "sidelines" is the old term. I don't know the etymology of it, but stranger things have happened.

You might also try: The Tournament in England by Juliet Barker. ISBN: 0851159427

and

Tournaments: Jousts, Chivalry and Pageants in the Middle Ages by Richard Barber and Juliet Barker . ISBN: 0851157815

Not sure where I got it while I was working on my thesis, but the latter seemed pretty thorough.

And just for the heck of it, a glossary of knighthood and tournament terms: http://www.chronique.com/Library/Glossaries/glossary-KCT/glssindx.htm

Hope something helps,
Neu

[NancyBrooke]

[NeumeIndil]

I went to the library this morning and happened to find the Barber/Barker book.

From the Glossary:
berfrois- a grandstand, usually a temporary structure made of wood, built alongside the lists to enable spectators to view the hastiludes (spear games). Usually reserved for the ladies but nobles, prominent citizens and visiting dignitaries were also allowed a seat. Also known as the escafaut or scaffold.

recet: a designated place of refuge on the tournament field where knights could rest, rearm or hold prisoners/booty. (Possibly where the squires and such waited?)

Under "joust" it says "Until the mid fifteenth century several jousters could be found in the lists (contest area) at one time, but only one combat took place at once..." So you could conceivably let the guys "in the bull pen" hang out around the edges of the list. The ends of the lists where combatants began were called stations.

There's a great illustration on the inside of the jacket that I'd be happy to scan for you if you'd like it.

Hope that helps,
Neu

[NancyBrooke]

[NeumeIndil]

I wondered about the too French part too. So then I thought, what about translating it into neo-Sindarin or neo-Quenya? (Can you tell I've got writer's block? )

Berfrois wasn't in the etymology dictionary I checked, but "scaffold" was. It's attributed to chaffaut and "probably eschace, from prop or support" to become eschafaut. So it's, roughly, a supporting scaffold or supporting structure.

There is also the word "catafalque": 1641, from Fr. catafalque, from It. catafalco "scaffold," from V.L. *catafalicum, from Gk. kata- "down," (used in M.L. with a sense of "beside, alongside") and fala "scaffolding." So roughly "nearby scaffolding".

A third option is working out something from the function unrelated to the original term. Since it was the place where the Queen of Love or Queen of Beauty judged the joust, you could try something like "The Queen's Place" or "The Queen's Box" (though that last could have some unintended connotations ). Perhaps also "Place of Watching" or "Place of the Queen". There's an entry in the Ardalambion Quenya Wordlist for "base structure": sundo carme, which might work just as it is. Or since the structure was set up in levels or (in the case of small jousts) built near a hill, you could try "Hill/Bank of Watching", "Hill/Bank of Judging", or "The Queen's Hill/Bank". I'm sure one of our resident language gurus can help with that part. My Elvish skills are next to zilch.

I'm really gonna go write Gamling smut now, I swear, but the next time my muses head for the high ground I'll see how the glossary and inner flap of the book scan. If they turn out legibly I'll email or PM.

Okay, back to horny Horse Lords.
Neu