▁an ▁orn amental ▁gar land ▁of ▁leaves ▁for ▁visual ▁balance . ▁ ▁D iffer encing ▁and ▁cad ency ▁ ▁Since ▁arms ▁pass ▁from ▁parents ▁to ▁off spring , ▁and ▁there ▁is ▁frequently ▁more ▁than ▁one ▁child ▁per ▁couple , ▁it ▁is ▁necessary ▁to ▁distinguish ▁the ▁arms ▁of ▁sib lings ▁and ▁extended ▁family ▁members ▁from ▁the ▁original ▁arms ▁as ▁passed ▁on ▁from ▁el dest ▁son ▁to ▁el dest ▁son . ▁Over ▁time ▁several ▁schemes ▁have ▁been ▁used . ▁ ▁Bla zon ▁ ▁To ▁" bla zon " ▁arms ▁means ▁to ▁describe ▁them ▁using ▁the ▁formal ▁language ▁of ▁her ald ry . ▁This ▁language ▁has ▁its ▁own ▁voc ab ul ary ▁and ▁syntax , ▁or ▁rules ▁gover ning ▁word ▁order , ▁which ▁becomes ▁essential ▁for ▁compreh ension ▁when ▁bla zon ing ▁a ▁complex ▁coat ▁of ▁arms . ▁The ▁verb ▁comes ▁from ▁the ▁Middle ▁English ▁bl as oun , ▁itself ▁a ▁derivative ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁bl ason ▁meaning ▁" sh ield ". ▁The ▁system ▁of ▁bla zon ing ▁arms ▁used ▁in ▁English - spe aking ▁countries ▁today ▁was ▁developed ▁by ▁her ald ic ▁officers ▁in ▁the ▁Middle ▁A ges . ▁The ▁bla zon ▁includes ▁a ▁description ▁of ▁the ▁arms ▁contained ▁within ▁the ▁esc ut che on ▁or ▁shield , ▁the ▁cr est , ▁supp or ters ▁where ▁present , ▁mot to ▁and ▁other ▁ins ign ia . ▁Complex ▁rules , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁rule ▁of ▁t inct ure , ▁apply ▁to ▁the ▁physical ▁and ▁art istic ▁form ▁of ▁newly ▁created ▁arms , ▁and ▁a ▁thorough ▁understanding