[Ansteorra] history of SCA placenames - why the second "r"

[Chris Zakes]

At 01:57 PM 9/26/2006, you wrote:
> >Jay Yeates jyeates at realtime.net
> >...still have some old paperwork ???) - when able, asked him to drag out
> >(after
> >he gets unpacked and beter settled in .. just moved into a new place)
> >anything related to the inquisition & banishings in his files to check the
> >spellings (maybe able to better tie down the changes to exactly who & when
>.>. plus copies for the house archives would be good).
>
>Please keep us apprised.  I know I am very interested.
>
>Marc/Diarmaid


I did some digging into our old "SCA newsletters" boxes. (Luckily, we 
had a major garage cleanup and reorganization a couple of years ago, 
so the old SCA papers are now better organized and stored in plastic 
rather than cardboard, which keeps the bugs from eating them.) In the 
envelope labelled "Region/Principality of Ansteorra" we have quite a 
few copies of the "Black Star".

The oldest is dated July AS 12 (which would have been 1977) it says 
"Newsletter for the region of Ansteorra, Lady Leah Kasmira of 
Natterhelm, Chronicler." That spelling is maintained through 
November. I don't have a December or January issue, but the February 
issue has the name changed to "Sable Star" although it's still using 
the Ansteorra spelling.

The March AS 12 (1978) issue contains the following note: "A note to 
all within the principality who might have been as confused as I have 
been. I have it recently from three informed sources that that the 
correct spelling is ANSTEORA, with only one "R" not two. So, please 
accept my apologies for past errors. Vyvian" (Vyvian of Serwood was 
Chronicler at that time.) Nevertheless, there is a mix of both 
spellings in this issue. The April issue is missing, but May is still 
using Ansteorra rather extensively.

June is missing, July actually says Ansteora on the cover for the 
first time but also contains the following: "A Matter of Orthography. 
In the matter of the correct spelling of the name of our 
Principality, I prefer the spelling 'Ansteorra.' Quite frankly, in my 
opinion two r's make it a better looking word. As to which is 
correct, if you will check Webster's for the derivation of the word 
'star', you will find that it is from the Anglo-Saxon word which 
Webster's spells 'steorra' (N.B. two r's). Further, on the name and 
device submission forms which were sent to Kingdom Herald last 
summer, the name is spelled 'Ansteorra.' Does anyone care to comment 
further?  -Melusine Whitcroft"

The August AS 13 (1978) issue continues to use Ansteora, but 
September changes the newsletter name back to "Black Star" and 
returns to the Ansteorran spelling. It's been that way ever since.

         -Tivar Moondragon