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| transcriptions:rules [2019-11-09 00:28:43] – wordsmithing Ken Norman | transcriptions:rules [2019-12-14 16:18:02] – fixed text for "Long s" Ken Norman |
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| ====== My Rules for Transcriptions ====== | ====== My Rules for Transcriptions ====== |
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| * **Semantic preservation**: I always preserve the semantics of what is written/typed. If the text is factually incorrect, I nevertheless remain faithful to the author's words. | * **Semantic preservation**: I always preserve the [[define>semantics]] of what is written/typed. If the text is factually incorrect, I nevertheless remain faithful to the author's words. |
| * **Brackets** (i.e., ''<typo fc:blue; fw:bold>[</typo> ... <typo fc:blue; fw:bold>]</typo>''): I use brackets to denote something that is //not// in the original text. I have very rarely found brackets in use in older handwritten text. | * **Brackets** (i.e., ''<typo fc:blue; fw:bold>[</typo> ... <typo fc:blue; fw:bold>]</typo>''): I use brackets to denote something that is //not// in the original text. I have very rarely found brackets in use in older handwritten text. |
| * **Errors**: I use ''[sic]'' to denote when an error is the author's, not mine. Sometimes, I will include the correction (e.g., ''pson [sic: person]''). | * **Errors**: I use ''[sic]'' to denote when an error is the author's, not mine. Sometimes, I will include the correction when it isn't entirely obvious (e.g., ''pson [sic: person]''). |
| * **Dates**: Dates are written in a variety of ways, to include numbers written as words. I strive to always type the date in a standardized Gregorian Calendar format of ''dd Mmm yyyy'' immediately after the text date (e.g., ''the Tenth Day of aprill 1684 [10 Apr 1684]''). This makes the date more easily recognized by search engines. | * **Dates**: Dates are written in a variety of ways, to include numbers written as words. I strive to always type the date in a standardized Gregorian Calendar format of ''dd Mmm yyyy'' immediately after the text date (e.g., ''the Tenth Day of aprill 1684 [10 Apr 1684]''). This makes the date more easily recognized by search engines. |
| * **Numbers**: When quantities are written as words, I'll give the numeric equivalent in brackets (e.g., ''one hundred [100]''). | * **Numbers**: When quantities are written as words, I'll give the numeric equivalent in brackets (e.g., ''one hundred [100]''). |
| * **Names**: When a name is abbreviated, or given only as initials, I will provide a complete name if it is known (e.g., ''Wm. [William]''). | * **Names**: When a name is abbreviated, or given only as initials, I will provide a complete name if it is known (e.g., ''Wm. [William]''). This helps improve search engine results. |
| | * **Illegible/Confusing**: |
| | * If a word is illegible, I'll typically use a sequence of underline characters in place of the unknown word (e.g., ''[%%____%%]''). |
| | * Sometimes I'll take a reasonable guess (based on context and/or similarity to other text on the page) and include a question mark (e.g., ''[twenty?]''). |
| | * Occasionally, if the word appears legible, but also seems incorrect in context, I'll just add a commented question mark after the transcription (e.g., "...Quingsby''[?]'' Swamp..."). |
| * **Money**: I will indicate money using modern notation wherever possible (e.g., ''ten pounds [£10]''). If old style notation is used, I will convert to modern notation (e.g., ''4/ [4s]'', which is four shillings). | * **Money**: I will indicate money using modern notation wherever possible (e.g., ''ten pounds [£10]''). If old style notation is used, I will convert to modern notation (e.g., ''4/ [4s]'', which is four shillings). |
| * **No new content**: I never introduce new content into the transcribed text (except when contained within brackets, as described above). | * **No new content**: I never introduce new content into the transcribed text (except when contained within brackets, as described above). |
| * **Typeset "long" //s//** (i.e., the ''<typo fc:blue; fw:bold>ſ</typo>'' character): Some early printing typesets used the [[wp>Long_s|long s]] character, which is an archaic form of the lower case letter //s//. I simply replace it with a lowercase //s//. Some transcribers use the lowercase //f//, but that is grammatically and syntactically incorrect. | * **"Long" //s//** (i.e., the ''<typo fc:blue; fw:bold>ſ</typo>'' character): The [[wp>Long_s|long s]] is an archaic form of the lower case letter //s//, which was used both in some early printing typesets as well as in handwriting. I simply replace it with a lowercase //s//. Some transcribers use the lowercase //f//, but that is grammatically and syntactically incorrect. |
| * **Existing line breaks**: As a general rule, I do not preserve line breaks in the original text when it is due solely to the text encountering the edge of the paper. This rule is driven primarily by two factors: | * **Existing line breaks**: As a general rule, I do not preserve line breaks in the original text when it is due solely to the text encountering the edge of the paper. This rule is driven primarily by two factors: |
| * Intentionally preserving such a line break does not enhance the transcription. | * Intentionally preserving such a line break does not enhance the transcription. |