Transcription as Interpretation: XML, TEI, and Digital Editions

Transcription is, at its core, interpretation, and this consideration is crucial when confronted with the question of how to render visually, whether in print or digitally, an accurate representation of the text. This session will introduce theoretical considerations of transcription as interpretation, along with a brief introduction to XML coding, TEI (Textual Encoding Initiative), and editorial decision making when designing a digital edition and marking up a text. Essentially, how do different choices an editor makes reflect an audience? What are the limitations of those choices? Though the example used in this session is a manuscript from the early modern period, the discussion and skills imparted are inclusive of all manuscripts.

Hunter Corb is a first-year master's student in the Masters of Library Science program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Texas A&M University, and aspires to become a rare book and manuscript curator.

For further details, please see the brief description on our website at https://sites.duke.edu/paleographyworkinggroup/. You can keep up to date on the working group's meetings via our website or contact Dr. Jessica Hines (jessica.hines@duke.edu) to be added to the mailing list.