Avoiding Transcription Errors
Avoiding Transcription Errors
Editorial history
Created 25/05/14, by CSG
Purpose
This Avoiding Transcription Errors page is being developed by Colin Greenstreet for use as a training tool during the MarineLives Summer Programme 2014
Contents
Suggested links
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Words
A
aforesaid or aforesayd
- probably 60% of the time "sayd"
- where there is the abbreviation "aforesd" on a page, look for an example of the expanded version on the same page and use that to expand the contracted "aforesd" to that version
amendment
- Often wrongly transcribed as "mend"
- To amend a ship is to have a ship repaired
apparell
- MEANING: ship's sails
B
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C
Cilley or Scilley
- As in what we now call the Scilly islands
- Transcribe with a "C" of "S" according to what you see
currans or currants?
- usually "currans", but occasionally "currants"
- currants were imported from Zant and the Morea
D
dischardge or discharge
- usually has the extra "d"
- EXAMPLE: "dischardge goods at the Port of London"
dunkerkers alt. dunkirkers
- MEANING: Dunkirk men of war
- Transcribe what you see, but "e" and "i" is very easily mistaken
E
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F
ff
- we are NOT transcribing the dounle "f" as "F"
- so "ffebruary" and NOT "February" (unless of course it is written "February"
foregoeing
- usually spelled with an "e", so "goeing" not "going"
furniture
- MEANING: XXX
G
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H
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I
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J
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K
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L
ladeing or lading
- the variants are distributed roughly 50/50, so be careful
M
mett or met
- almost always with a double "t"
- EXAMPLE: "the ship was mett with a seized by a Brest man of warr"
N
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0
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P
Port of London
- the "p" in the phrase "Port of London" is often written in the Court manuscripts as a captial "P". Please transcribe as "Port of London"
premisses
- yes, it says "premisses"!
- MEANING: the facts as stated
- as in "the premisses he knoweth because"
proceeds or proceed or proceede
- usually "proceeds"
- EXAMPLE: the "proceeds of certaine goods"
Q
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R
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S
said or sayd
- probably 60% of the time "sayd"
- where there is the abbreviation "sd" on a page, look for an example of the expanded version on the same page and use that to exapand the contracted "sd" to that version
she or shee
- the variants are distributed roughly 50/50, so be careful
- ships are referred to as "she/shee" and "her"
shipp or shipps?
- look carefully to see if there is an "s" after the second "p"
- does the sense of the phrase suggest this is a plural?
- EXAMPLE: "one of the shipps company"
subiects or subjects
- you will see both variants; transcribe it as you see it
surprized
- EXAMPLE: The ship was met with, surprized and seized"
- Usually with a "z"
T
tackle
- MEANING: ship's equipment
togeather or together
- usually it is "togeather"
twentith or twentieth
- don't correct "twentith" by adding an "e" if it is written without one
- it is esy to SEE letters which are not there
U
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V
voyage or voiage
- you will see both variants
W
Wittnes or Wittnesse
- You will find the variants "wittnes" and "wittnesse"
- You will never find "wittness" with two "s" but without an "e"
X
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Y
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Z
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Capitalisation
C or G
- Captal "C's" and capital "G's" are easily confused
d or D
- only capitalise IF it is a clear "D", even if it is the first letter of a person's name
- EXAMPLE: "david" not "David", UNLESS a clear "D"
- EXAMPLE: "december", UNLESS a clear "D"
- EXAMPLE: "doctor of Lawes"
h or H
- only capitalise IF it is a clear "H", even if it is the first letter of a person's name
- so "henry" not "Henry", UNLESS a clear "H"
m or M
- pay attention to the capitalisation of "m/N", especially in "master" or "Master"
- transcribe what you see
Grammar
- Grammar is pretty close to modern grammar, and is rigorously adhered to (as opposed to orthography, which is very variable)
- Some oddities you may come across:
was instead of were
- EXAMPLE: "there was Currans and wine and oyle to about the quantitie of sixty tonnes put aboard"
Common Sense
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