Topic 4. Transcription

[Richard Noble]

The rule as it stands is a pretty close paraphrase of Bowers, Principles of
Bibliographical Description, pp. 180-4, "Title-Page (Simplified)". If we
retain it, it might be useful to add to our reference to this passage (in
the bibliography to appendix B) a note pointing this out. Bowers doesn't
really think much of the simplified system in general--it is, he says,
"difficult to reduce to precise rules and has little place for title-pages
in serious bibliographical work although it is convenient in certain kinds
of catalogues". He includes an account of it "not because it has any
connection with the subject of standard bibliographical description of a
title but because students should understand the principles when they meet
with writers who have employed it". It is, in short, a pis aller; but
within the context of simplified transcription he accepts without demur the
transformational rule for IJUV.

I've never much liked it--where applied, it results in a piece of sheer
editorial invention--but BDRB/DCRB records have been produced according to
this system for nearly two decades. The future is indeed longer than the
past, but we should not take lightly any foray into yet another variant
practice. I.e., I'm on the fence. I would be perfectly content as a
cataloguer with a system that called for IJUV to be transcribed directly
into their lower-case forms without regard for 15th-17th century
typographical sensitivities or continuity with the practices of our
bibliographical grandparents. I would be equally happy to continue the
present practice. In either case, we have appendix A, 0H, to ensure that
the book can be found, whatever system is used, as well as the principle
that reductions of the rules, a la Core, should not vary from DCRB proper.


At 10:15 AM 1/15/99 -0800, Elizabeth Robinson wrote:
>Hello.
>
>The topic I am working on (as regards revision of DCRB) is the transcription
>rules. The chief one seems to be the i/j and u/v issues, so I will start with
>that. However, if there are other transcription issues we need to discuss,
>please let me know.
>
>The rule in question for i/j, etc. is 0H which currently instructs
catalogers to
>first try to determine a pattern of usage and then use the table within
the rule
>as last resort. This is for conversion between upper and lowercase.
>
>As I see it, the options are:
>
>1. Leave it like it is.
>
>        EX.  245 10 Advice from a country judge.
>
>                [Printed as: ADUICE FROM A COUNTRY              IUDGE]
>
>2. Leave it like it is and add a statement to enter a 246 (variant of
title) in
>the manner in which printed (which is what many libraries do already):
>
>        EX. 245 10 Advice from a country judge.
>              246 3_ Aduice from a country iudge
>
>3. Do a vice versa: 245 as printed and 246 as conversion.
>
>        EX. 245 10 Aduice from a country iudge.
>              246 3_ Advice from a country judge
>
>Are there other problematic transcription areas we need to discuss?

RICHARD NOBLE : RARE BOOK CATALOGUER : JOHN HAY LIBRARY : BROWN UNIVERSITY
PROVIDENCE, RI 02912 : 401-863-1187/FAX 863-2093 : RICHARD_NOBLE at BROWN.EDU