[DCRM-L] Final call for discussion (was: RE: DPC: Wording of i/j u/v conversion in DCRM)

[Manon Theroux]

I think that would make the proposed footnote clearer, yes.

Manon

On Mon, Dec 13, 2010 at 9:30 AM, Erin Blake <EBlake at folger.edu> wrote:
> The only way I can think to make the footnote clearer would be to state exactly what requires no further consideration, i.e., "Likewise, an uppercase U in the source signals that u and v are functioning as separate letters, requiring no special consideration of U, V, u, or v while converting case."
>
> Would that be better?
>
>   EB.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu [mailto:dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu] On Behalf Of Manon Theroux
> Sent: Monday, December 13, 2010 12:25 AM
> To: DCRM Revision Group List
> Subject: Re: [DCRM-L] Final call for discussion (was: RE: DPC: Wording of i/j u/v conversion in DCRM)
>
> I like the proposed revisions. However:
>
> 1) In the G4.2 footnote, I think "requiring no special consideration
> while converting case" might still be a little vague.
>
> DCRM(C) discussion paper #1 contained the example that sparked this
> discussion at ALA Annual:
> On map:
> LE NOUVEAU MEXIQUE et LA FLORIDE: Tirees de diverses Cartes et Relations
> Transcription following pattern of usage:
> Le Nouveau Mexique et la Floride : tirees de diverses cartes et relations
> Transcription if one were to go straight to the default table instead
> of looking at the pattern of usage:
> Le Nouueau Mexique et la Floride : tirees de diverses cartes et relations
>
> We were told this was not a good example because, according to the
> G4.2 footnote, if a title contains an uppercase J or U, no further
> scrutiny of the entire title is needed; you just transcribe all the
> letters as found and do simple case conversions as needed. This was
> news to me (and I was mortified); my own understanding of the footnote
> had essentially been: An uppercase J requires no special consideration
> while converting case; it should be transcribed as a lowercase j.
> Likewise, an uppercase U requires no special consideration while
> converting case; it should be transcribed as a lowercase u. But any
> other letters in the title will still need to be scrutinized. [Hence,
> the difference in the two different transcriptions of the "V" in
> NOUVEAU in the example above].
>
> I'm not convinced that the proposed revisions fully address the issue
> that was raised at Annual. It needs to be crystal clear exactly which
> text "requires no special consideration while converting case"
>
> 2) If I read the revised sentences within the context of the entire
> rules from which they were plucked, it makes me wonder if we might
> also need to make the distinction between uppercase and lowercase
> letters more explicit in the other "lowercase-only instances" of
> i/j/u/v that appear in these rules. For example:
>
> In 0G2.2: Does the caption "Letters i/j and u/v" now need to be
> "Letters I/J, U/V, i/j, and u/v"? What about in the footnote? In the
> sentence about gothic typefaces? In the G4 caption? In G4.2, what
> about the instruction that begins "Identify examples of i, j, u, and v
> having the same function ..."? Might someone get a little confused and
> think, okay, it makes sense to look at those lowercase letters if I'm
> converting I or V. But if I'm converting i,j,u, or v to uppercase,
> shouldn't I be looking at the pattern of the uppercase letters
> instead?
>
> In the current text, the reader is meant to understand that i/j/u/v
> may also refer to uppercase instances of the letters as appropriate.
> In the revised text, by putting a finer point on some sentences but
> not others, it seems like we could be introducing some potential for
> confusion. I haven't tried a re-write though- not sure how awkward it
> might sound.
>
> Sorry this is so long,
>
> -Manon
>
>
> On Sun, Dec 12, 2010 at 7:43 PM, Erin Blake <EBlake at folger.edu> wrote:
>> Discussion will close at the end of Monday, December 13.
>>
>>
>>
>> Changes to 0G2.2 and G4.2  are proposed, with re-wording based on DCRM-L
>> discussion:
>>
>> -----------------
>>
>> Existing:
>>
>> 0G2.2. Letters i/j and u/v. If the rules for capitalization require
>> converting the letters i/j or u/v to uppercase or lowercase, follow the
>> pattern of usage in the publication being described....
>>
>>
>>
>> Proposed:
>>
>> 0G2.2. Letters i/j and u/v. If the rules for capitalization require
>> converting the letters I or V to lowercase, or i, j, u, or v to uppercase,
>> follow the pattern of usage in the text to determine which letter form to
>> use....
>>
>> ------------------
>>
>> Existing:
>>
>> G4.2. Transcription. As instructed in rule 0G2.2, when the rules for
>> capitalization require converting i/j or u/v to uppercase or lowercase,* the
>> cataloger is to follow the pattern of usage in the publication being
>> described.
>>
>>
>>
>> *An uppercase J or U in the source signals a modern distribution, in which i
>> and j are functioning as separate letters, as are u and v, requiring no
>> special consideration while converting case.
>>
>>
>>
>> Proposed:
>>
>> G4.2. Transcription. As instructed in 0G2.2, when the rules for
>> capitalization require converting the letters I or V to lowercase, or i, j,
>> u, or v to uppercase, follow the pattern of usage in the text to determine
>> which letter form to use.*
>>
>>
>>
>> *An uppercase J in the source signals that i and j are functioning as
>> separate letters, requiring no special consideration while converting case.
>> Likewise, an uppercase U in the source signals that u and v are functioning
>> as separate letters, requiring no special consideration while converting
>> case.
>>
>>
>>
>> --------------------
>>
>>
>>
>> BSC members can see a re-statement of this e-mail on the ALA Connect site
>> here: http://connect.ala.org/node/121481
>>
>>
>>
>> For the discussion thread, please see the DCRM-L archives for December:
>> https://listserver.lib.byu.edu/pipermail/dcrm-l/2010-December/thread.html.
>>
>>
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>>
>>
>>    Erin Blake
>>
>>
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------
>>
>> Erin C. Blake, Ph.D.  |  Curator of Art & Special Collections  |  Folger
>> Shakespeare Library  |  201 E. Capitol St. SE  | Washington, DC 20003-1004
>> |  office tel. (202) 675-0323  |  fax:  (202) 675-0328  | eblake at folger.edu
>> |  www.folger.edu
>>
>>
>