- TAB
- A small piece of leather sewn into the sleeve of a flag fastened to a screw
head protruding from the staff, and designed to keep an indoor flag, parade flag
or military colour from slipping (see also ‘colour 2)’
and ‘sleeve 2)’).
Please note that this is an alternative to a grommet
and clip or decorative nails as methods of fixing a parade flag or military colour
to its staff. It should be noted also however, that the practice of tying a parade
flag or military colour to its staff, or affixing it with metal rings, is not
entirely obsolete (see also ‘ties’).
- TABARD
- 1) In US army usage, a trumpet banner - see
‘bannerette’.
- 2) The formal surcoat worn by a herald on ceremonial occasions, and emblazoned
with those arms appropriate to the particular office involved (see also
‘coat of arms 2)’).
Court of Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland (International Heraldry)
- TABLE FLAG (or TABLETOP FLAG)
- A small flag, frequently mounted on a cross bar whose staff and stand make
it suitable for display on a desk or podium – a desk flag (see also ‘banneret 1)’, ‘flaglet’
and
‘handwaver’).
Table Flag of Gračišće, Croatia (fotw and CS)
- TACK
- 1. The nautical term for a line which is spliced into (or attached to) a grommet or eyelet
at the foot of a flag’s hoist for securing it to its halyard (see also
‘grommet 1)’,
‘halyard’,
‘hoist 2)’,
‘Inglefield clips’,
‘splice’ and
‘tackline’).
- 2. A term for the lower hoist corner of a flag (see also ‘hoist 2)’).
- TACK PIN
- See ‘belaying pin’.
Tack/Belaying Pins (Wikipedia)
- TACKLINE
- A nautical term for a length of halyard fitted with Inglefield clips at both ends which is used to separate
different signal hoists on the same halyard (see also
‘halyard’, ‘hoist 2)’
‘Inglefield clips’ and 'tack').
- TAILS
- Two or more projections extending from the fly of a flag or the bottom edge of a gonfalon, hanging flag or
banner, either varying in width/length or of even size, sometimes triangular or possibly straight-sided with
rounded, triangular or squared ends – tongues (See also ‘gonfalon’, ‘multiitailed’,
‘swallow-tail(ed)’
and ‘triangular-ended tails’.
Gonfalon/Ceremonial Flags of Kumrovec,
Breznički Hum and
Baska, Croatia (fotw)
- TAKBIR
- A term for the Arabic inscription Allahu Akbar or “God is Greater” that has
appeared on several Arab Flags and can currently be seen on those of Iran and
Iraq (see also ‘shahada’ and
‘zulficar’).
Flag of the Waziristan Resistance Movement c1930, Pakistan (fotw);
National Flag of Iran (fotw);
Flag of Pakhtunistan, Pakistan (fotw)
- TALONED
- In heraldry see ‘armed’ (also ‘membered’).
Arms and Flag of Brandenburg, Germany (fotw)
- TANGLE ROD
- A metal implement attached to a flagpole (particularly one set at an angle
from a building) that clasps a flag and prevents it wrapping itself around the
pole (see also ‘flag pole’,
‘flag spreader’,
‘outrigger pole’
and ‘weighted fly’).
- TANZENSPITZKREUZ
- The German term for the heraldic phrase a “Latin cross fitchy’ –
see ‘fitchy’, ‘Latin cross’ and ‘cross of Santiago’
(also ‘cross fitchy’ and
‘Latin cross fleury fitchy’).
Flag of Villamayor de Santiago, Spain (fotw)
- TAPERED SWALLOWTAIL
- See ‘broad command pennant’,
‘broad pennant’,
‘burgee 1)’,
‘burgee 2)’ and
‘burgee command pennant’.
Broad Pennant, Norway (fotw);
Burgee of the Bourne Yacht Club, US (fotw);
Burgee Command Pennant, USN (sea flags)
Please note that (in addition to the references given above) this term may
also be applied (as one example) to the flag of the state of Ohio.
Flag of the State of
Ohio, US (fotw)
- TASSELS
- A decoration of twisted fabric or metal, often surrounding a wooden core and
hanging from a cord, attached to a staff or directly onto a flag – especially
a colour or parade flag (see also ‘colour 2)’,
‘cord(s) 1)’, ‘lanyard 1)’ and
‘parade flag 2)’).
Ceremonial Flag of Abedim-Moncao (detail), Portugal (fisisco)
- TATZENKREUZ
- The German term for a cross pattée - ‘cross pattée’
Flag of Cortaillod, Switzerland (fotw)
- TAU CROSS
- In heraldry see ‘cross tau’.
Flag of L’Albiol, Spain (fotw)
- TELEGRAPH FLAG
- 1) In British RN usage now obsolete, the flag devised by Captain Sir Home Popham
in 1800, and raised prior to a
signal hoist to indicate whether the following flags were to be deciphered using a signal book
or by his vocabulary code (see also ‘code pennant’,
‘finishing flag’,
'preparative' and
‘signal flag’).
2) Marryat’s 1817 code (of signals for the merchant service) also showed a telegraph flag - but see note
b) below (also ‘Marryat's
code’).
Telegraph Flag in Popham’s Code; Telegraph Flag in
Marryat’s Code (fotw)
Note
a) With regard to 1), this system formed the basis of the RN naval code for over 100 years.
b) Regarding 2), exactly how this flag was in used in Marryat’s code cannot be confirmed at the present time, however, it is not unreasonable to assume a similar meaning to that in Popham.
- TELEGRAPHING
- See 'semaphore 2)'.
- TEMPLAR CROSS
- 1) Generically a red cross of varying design representing the Medieval Order of the Knights Templar – see ‘bauceant’ and ‘balcanifer’.
2) Specifically, the cross of the Portuguese branch of the above order – see ‘rounded cross’.
A Templar Cross (Wikipedia); Flag of Vila Chã de Braciosa, Portugal (fotw).
- TEMPLATE FLAG
- That flag whose colours and/or design form the model upon which other flags are based – an archivexillum (see also ‘core flag’ and ‘flag family’).
Flag of Berlin, Germany, together with those of
The Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf District and
Mitte District of that city (fotw)
- TENNÉ
- A heraldic term for the colour orange – see ‘mixed tinctures’.
- TERRITORIAL ARMS (or COAT OF ARMS)
- See ‘coat of arms’.
Arms of Altay Territory,
Russia (ICH)
- TERRITORIAL FLAG
- See ‘sub-national flag’.
Flag of Altay Territory, Russia (fotw)
- TERRY
- A heraldic term for the colour of earth - see ‘proper’.
- TEUTONIC CROSS
- A cross of varying design, but always black on a white field, and symbolic
of the German Order of The Brothers of St Mary of Jerusalem, - see ‘iron cross’.
Flag and Arms of the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order c1500 (fotw)
Please note that this term should only be used when the cross so described has a direct
connection to the Teutonic Order.