Transcription Query

[slateral]

I am reformatting previously transcribed records sent to me as Excel files for uploading onto FreeReg. They contain abbreviated place names and peoples names, plus, for example, Street recorded as St.. Should I be editing these to their full names or leaving them alone?
I know this is really a question for my co-ordinator but she is away on holiday and I don't want to bother her any more than I already have.

[Geoffers]

I'm not connected with freereg so this isn't a 'correct' answer for that web-site - But -

I would expect someone transcribing or indexing entries to record what is actually written. It frequently occurs that a name is abbreviated in original registers - e.g. Geo, Jno, Eliz, Willm, Jos, Jas, Sus, etc - and such abbreviations should be retained.

The rule is never to expand on what is written - personal names, place names, street names; record only what is written. I would hope the freereg co-ordinators would agree but in any case this response will bump your message up the list and hopefully help to bring it to their attention.

[busyglen]

I'm not connected with freereg so this isn't a 'correct' answer for that web-site - But -

I would expect someone transcribing or indexing entries to record what is actually written. It frequently occurs that a name is abbreviated in original registers - e.g. Geo, Jno, Eliz, Willm, Jos, Jas, Sus, etc - and such abbreviations should be retained.

The rule is never to expand on what is written - personal names, place names, street names; record only what is written. I would hope the freereg co-ordinators would agree but in any case this response will bump your message up the list and hopefully help to bring it to their attention.
I would agree with that Geoffers. I haven't done anything for FreeReg, but I did transcribe for FreeCen, and we were always told to transcribe `as is' in other words exactly what you see, even if you knew something was wrong.

Glenys

[Grandadron]

Hello
Perhaps I can give some input on this, Only transcribe what you see, dont make any assumptions, and dont correct any "Spelling mistakes" that way we are being true to the original record.
When we are working from other peoples transcripts we have to trust that they are a true record of the original.

Ron
FreeReg coordinator LEI & RUT.

[pipsqueak]

My FreeReg coordinator said that all shortened names must be lengthened - eg. Wm. should be transcribed as William etc. Apparently it's to do with the search engine being unable to recognise that Wm. might also be William, so if someone performs a search for "William Smith", only William Smiths will appear in the search results, and not variants such as Wm. Smith, Will. Smith, Willm. Smith, etc.

[Geoffers]

My FreeReg coordinator said that all shortened names must be lengthened

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhh!!! !!!!!!!

Your co-ordinator's instruction absolutely horrifies me. Which 'lengthened' name do you chose? - which spelling? What about Latin names?

Some very simple examples from many that could be picked.

'a' and 'o' are very difficult to interpret in some registers and you frequently find a three letter abbreviation begining with J and ending in s.

Is that 'Jas' or 'Jos'? Is Jas short for James or Jacobus, or if it is Jos, is that short for Joseph or Josiah - or Josephine?

If you lengthen Wm to William, do you translate Guillielmus?

Is Ric an abbreviation of Rick, Rich, Richard or Richardus

Is Elz an abbreviation of Eliza or Elizabeth? What about Elis(abeth) are you told to change that Elizabeth? - or is Elis an abbreviation for Elisha, or Ellis??

Is Ann just that, or Anne, Anna, Annie, Hanna or Hannah? Is Han a misreading of Hen, and is Hen short for Henrietta, Henry or Henricus?

[Grandadron]

Hello all

The previous reply goes against FreeReg guidelines. You should enter the name as it appears in the original, ie Wm is Wm. It is up to the researcher to search all fields please see http://www.freereg.org.uk/howto/realnames.htm
There are further Guidelines on other pages, the following is a quote from one of them
"Transcription Rules.
For those of you who have transcribed for other projects the first and last rule for transcribing is well known. You transcribe what you read; errors and all!!!!! It is to be left to the researcher to make a correction or adjustment for his or her own purpose. Your job, as job one, is to tell it as it is; nothing more, nothing less. (It is worth noting that this is a change from the original specification for FreeREG where transcribers were encouraged to convert the old texts into the modern usage) In the next section on reading the registers we will try to assist you in extracting the maximum amount of useful information. "

This quote and other information can be found at :-
http://www.freereg.org.uk/transcribers.shtml

Hope this helps

Ron Freeston
FreeReg coordinator LEI & RUT

[busyglen]

Goodness gracious! I can't believe that either!

It's hardly worth the effort of trancribing if people aren't going to be able to find their rellies because the search engine can't find them. Which they wont if the wrong name is put in in the first place.|banghead|

Glenys

[Geoffers]

The previous reply goes against FreeReg guidelines. You should enter the name as it appears in the original, ie Wm is Wm. It is up to the researcher to search all fields please see
Ron Freeston
FreeReg coordinator LEI & RUT


Phew! - Thank you Ron.

[Copper]

I transcribe for Free REG and Kirk Dawson (Norfolk) told me that we type what we see. This instruction includes Latin names. Eventually the search will be improved so that people can find their relatives, even if their names are in Latin.

Some transcribers add things in the notes which includes giving the English version of the Latin name.

[pipsqueak]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhh!!! !!!!!!!



I admit my reaction was much like yours (albeit less dramatic!) but this is what we were told two weeks ago, in an email dated Jan 9th, 2009:


I have been asked to make you all aware of something that is become a problem throughout FreeREG. This may not apply to you, but I want everyone to be aware of it.

A number of registers in the system have been coming up with entries as abbreviations, eg Wm instead of William, Thos instead of Thomas, Jno instead of John, and so on. If you come across a name which has been abbreviated, you must enter the name in its full format. Consult the Guide to Abbreviated names (which is attached here if you don't have a copy) or email me and I will try to help you out.

A fully written name is important for the search engine to be able to locate an entry. The engine has no clue Wm is William.

Perhaps the coordinators aren't all getting the same information.

[Grandadron]

I have emailed the FreeREG Exec to seek there input.

Ron
FreeReg coordinator LEI & RUT

[Dave]

Right

From the project manager for FreeREG

You should transcribe as is, as you see them, names should NOT be expanded ever

Do not assume

Now a question, who is the coord in qustion and which county

Dave

[Dave]

and an entry from a register I'm doing

WOR,Pershore,St Andrew,,,18 Nov 1695,Frannisye,M,Frannis,,DAVIS,,,,

That is exactly as it is in the register

It may look odd, but a search on DAVIS will find it

Dave