Digital Syriac Corpus Documentation
In the right-hand box "About This Digital Text" there is an element called "Type of Text." The following are the status descriptions we use, along with their explanation:
1. Manuscript Transcription
This label signifies that the text was transcribed directly from a manuscript. The manuscript is identified in the same box in the "Source" element. A manuscript transcription is not intended to be anything other than the most basic digitization of the text of a manuscript. This electronic text is not a critical edition and has often not been proofread or reviewed. It is provided here because the texts of many Syriac manuscripts remain unedited and it is the hope of the editors of the Digital Syriac Corpus that providing basic transcriptions will help encourage new editions by making texts more available to scholars.
2. Print Transcription
This label signifies that the text was transcribed from a print edition (book, article, etc.). The source publication is identified in the same box in the "Source" element.
3. Born Digital Diplomatic Edition
This label signifies that the version of the text found in the Digital Syriac Corpus represents a new critical edition of the text. A diplomatic edition represents the text of a single manuscript, even when the readings of other manuscripts may be cited in the apparatus. A digital diplomatic edition differs from the simple transcription of a manuscript in that the digital editor used scientific principles to determine uncertain readings and has attempted to produce a highly accurate representation of the text.
4. Born Digital Eclectic Edition
This label signifies that the version of the text found in the Digital Syriac Corpus represents a new critical edition of the text. An eclectic edition represents the text constructed by the editor from multiple witnesses, with variant readings cited in an apparatus.
If you would like to consider submitting a text--either a transcription or a born digital edition--please see the Submission Guidelines.