Why is it called "bastard sword"?

[Canny McTin-Face]

If i were a knight i wouldn't use a bastard sword just because of it's name. Who came up with that name?

[tmwfte]

Because it's a hand and a half. It wasn't a normal sword (a one-hander) and it wasn't a longsword (a two-hander).

[계산 중]

From what I could find from googling, there are two possible reasons they were known as bastard swords, and I could not determine which is correct:

Either it is because they are of an uncertain origin, or because they are a halfway between a one-handed sword and a two-handed sword. That is to say, a-hand-and-a-half sword. Or in other words, a bastardization of a two-handed sword.

[Volfogg]

I guess it's illegimate child of greatsword and long sword, hence the name.

[Spawn of Totoro]

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bastard

The use of it for the first definition is more recent. The third definition is the one that word was used for back then.

Remember, words change over time. Something can mean one thing one day and something else the next.

Definition of bastard
1 : illegitimate

his bastard son

2 : of mixed or ill-conceived origin

known for coining bastard words

3 : of abnormal shape or irregular size

… bastard sizes of doors and windows … —R. E. Flanders

4 : of a kind similar to but inferior to or less typical than some standard

bastard marble

5 : lacking genuineness or authority : false

… the indiscriminate use of Greek letters by bastard groups not connected with the higher learning. —Charles W. Ferguson

[Canny McTin-Face]

Of course, bastard was not a swearword back then.

[Spawn of Totoro]

Canny McTin-Face の投稿を引用：

Of course, bastard was not a swearword back then.

And so it wouldn't matter if it was called one back then or not. It would fall under "3 : of abnormal shape or irregular size"

[tiseno100]

They wanted to find an appropriate name for the seljuks probably.

To be serious, i think it was an irregular sword and also at the dark ages there was a mix of barbaric languages around so b***d might meant something else.

[trousers]

Well, you see...

By one historical definition, a bastard sword has either unknown/mixed origins, or an unusual style. Such as a sword that is a hybrid of Italian/German swordsmithing, or a sword with a longer/shorter/stabbier/cuttier blade than expected for the hilt and style.

But it gets more complicated, because the other major definition comes from time period/culture.

To illustrate this, in order of hilt/blade size, by the standardised modern definitions, here are some swords:

1. Arming sword (one-handed hilt, 'short' blade)
   
2. Bastard sword (hand and a half sized hilt, 'medium blade')
   
3. Longsword (two-handed hilt, 'long' blade)
   
4. Warsword (two-hands and a half hilt, 'very long' blade)
   
5. Greatsword (enough room for three hands if you happened to be a mutant, 'you can use it to pole vault with' blade)

Now, historically speaking, the middle three are all longswords. All of them at some point have been called bastard swords, to my knowledge. Many of them have been called by other names, some in that very list. Confusing. It just depended on what your culture at that time thought was big, small, regular, or irregular. Or a bastard. And inanimate objects can't be insulted by that, usually.

Long story short, the historical definition is MYSTERY ZONE and the modern definition is, well, in that list. That you just read.


Edit for slightly more information: Most of the historical looseness of the term 'bastard sword' comes from how sword sizes increased over time until everyone switched to the new coolness of the rapier and getting shot to death by lead balls.

[Vince ✟]

tmwfte の投稿を引用：

Because it's a hand and a half. It wasn't a normal sword (a one-hander) and it wasn't a longsword (a two-hander).

[Flavor]

that just makes the sword better imo