In addition to the transcription recorded with the abovementioned standards, we present a partially regularized reading version. Rather than existing as a separate document, the regularized version is layered on top of the transcription. The two versions represent one linear string within a single <text> element, with the <choice> element employed to designate original and regularized readings.
Abbreviations
We use
<choice><abbr></abbr><expan></expan></choice> to simultaneously record an abbreviation and provide its resolution, as in
<choice><abbr>1st</abbr><expan>first</expan></choice>. When letters in the original appear in raised script, we document that using the
hi element, as in <em"><hi style="superscript">st</hi>;choice><abbr>1st</abbr><expan>first</expan></choice>. As a general rule, we expand all abbreviations.
Misspellings
We use <choice><sic></sic><corr></corr></choice> to simultaneously record and correct a misspelling (a misused homonym, a word spelled incorrectly, etc.), as in the following examples: We had some very nice <choice><sic>whether</sic><corr>weather</corr></choice> last week, or Lisa's dog is partly <choice><sic>Dauchshound</sic><corr>Dachshund</corr></choice>, I think.
Punctuation
We have used <choice><orig></orig><reg></reg></choice> to regularize punctuation, as in the following examples: <choice><orig>,</orig><reg/></choice> to remove a comma; <choice><orig>.</orig><reg/></choice> to remove a period; <choice><orig/><reg>,</reg></choice> to add a comma; <choice><orig>,</orig><reg>.</reg></choice> to change a comma to a period; <choice><orig/><reg>.</reg></choice> to add a period; and <choice><orig>;</orig><reg>,</reg></choice> to replace a semicolon with a comma.
Capital letters
We respect the use of lower case/upper case letters in our transcriptions, but regularize them in the reading version, using <choice><orig></orig><reg></reg></choice>. We replace the entire word, not merely the individual letter or letters. When we encounter text that appears in all caps in the original, we transcribe in title or sentence case, as would be appropriate in the regularized version, indicating the capitalization in the original as follows: <emph style="case(allcaps)">.
Layout/formatting
In regularized versions, we standardize the use of underlining, italics and boldface. Only titles of books (and other similar items encoded as <title level="m">), and words used as words (encoded as <mentioned>, are italicized. Only headers are bolded. In addition, all headers appear centered, all body text is left-aligned, paragraphs are not indended, and a blank line is imposed following each. We use only one font size for all body text. Items presented in all caps in the original are shown here in title or sentence case, as appropriate. Unlike other modernizations, these layout/formatting changes are accomplished not with <choice>, but rather the Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) that modify the HTML output of our interface.
