[bksvol-discuss] Re: Changing Misspelled words?
- From: Guido Corona <guidoc@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 6 Mar 2005 20:21:10 -0600
The most recent case of heavy-handed orthographic 'interventionism' is the
revisionist spelling of the word 'Ocian', quoted from the diaries of
Lewis & Clark on the new commemorative US Nickel coin. The old quaint
spelling is being replace with the modern standard 'Ocean', apparently in
a bizarre effort to promote standardized literacy among the young and
impressionable, and obviously ignoring any historical accuracy.
Guido
Guido Dante Corona
IBM Accessibility Center, Austin Tx.
Research Division,
Phone: 512. 838. 9735.
Email: guidoc@xxxxxxxxxxx
Web: http://www.ibm.com/able
Guido Corona/Austin/IBM@IBMUS
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03/06/2005 07:44 PM
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[bksvol-discuss] Re: Changing Misspelled words?
I agree, especially spellings that may be archaic, demotic, or otherwise
intentional should be left as they are in the print copy.
Besides the already mentioned truly beloved Flowers for Algernon, there
is the entire body of work by H.P. Lovecraft, written in
quasi-pseudo-middle-English.
Not to forget half of the body of work by Stephen King, which is full of
non standard spellings.
The question is though: what to do with obvious typographical problems
outside of quoted passages, in text that appears to be following modern
standard orthographical rules? I am thinking of some authors that seem to
be full of errors that cannot be attributed to OCR problems. James
Patterson--not one of my favorite authors by any stretch--is a notorious
case in point, and Clive Cussler has his share of typos as well.
Do we lend a merciful helping hand to the needy authors,and fix their
typeset typos, or do we let the chips fall where they may?
An intermediate case is found in translated works. I am thinking of the
most excellent hedonistic phylosophical Emmanuelle II, by the French
author Emmanuelle Arsan. In the book I have found both words that were
systematically mistranslated with facile terms that are not consistent
with the author's elegant style, and a couple of sentences that were so
grammatically mangled to be deserving of an F in a basic language class.
What to do? Fix the 'obbrobrii' or leave them intact? In the latter case
we'd be trying to serve the author, in the latter we'd be true to the
translation.
As I have worked on this book prior to Bookshare being started, I took it
upon myself to fix the problems as I saw best. Had I to do the same work
now, I am not quite sure I would behave as such an 'interventionist'.
I really do not have an answer. This is an intriguing issue indeed.
Guido
Guido Dante Corona
IBM Accessibility Center, Austin Tx.
Research Division,
Phone: 512. 838. 9735.
Email: guidoc@xxxxxxxxxxx
Web: http://www.ibm.com/able
"Chancey S. Fleet" <csflee@xxxxxx>
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03/06/2005 04:36 PM
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[bksvol-discuss] Changing Misspelled words?
I have to disagree on this one, guys. I think that, if you check the
print
copy and find the word spelled incorrectly there, you should leave it that
way in the Bookshare copy, for the sake of authenticity. In this
particular
case that's my only reason, but imagine what a correction rampage would do
to Judith Viorst's "If I Were In Charge of the World" or the classic
"Flowers for Algernon".
Best,
Chancey
----- Original Message -----
From: "Shelley L. Rhodes" <juddysbuddy@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 5:17 PM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Irwin the Sock
>A lot of kids books don't have page breaks.
>
> Smile, but indeed, it is a great book. We also have another child
> author's
> book in the collection, check out
>
> Me and My Veggies by Isaac Witlash SP, smile, I think that is how you
> spell
> his last name, he was eight I think when he wrote that book and is worth
> the
> read particularly if you don't like peas or Brussels sprouts. smile.
>
> I have one more of these to submit, but need to clean it up and the dog
is
> staring at me demanding in no uncertain terms, that I am to get off this
> computer. I agree, so this is enough for me for today, well for now.
>
> Smile.
>
> Shelley L. Rhodes and Judson, guiding golden
> juddysbuddy@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> Guide Dogs For the Blind Inc.
> Graduate Advisory Council
> www.guidedogs.com
>
> The vision must be followed by the venture. It is not enough to
> stare up the steps - we must step up the stairs.
>
> -- Vance Havner
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "siss52" <siss52@xxxxxxx>
> To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 5:03 PM
> Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Irwin the Sock
>
>
>
> Oh, I did enjoy it! It is a darling story and there are no misspelled
> words. I will fix Akron on the synopsis when I upload it.
>
> The one thing I did not get was page numbers. There are page breaks and
> of
> course blank pages. Will the automated equipment number the pages or
what
> should I do about that? I wonder what the author is doing now, as he
> would
> be all grown up. <smile>
>
> Sue
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Shelley L. Rhodes" <juddysbuddy@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 3:14 PM
> Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Irwin the Sock
>
>
> The answer is yes to the changing misspelled words, as this book was
> published.
>
> And I was guessing at the city name, smile.
>
> Hope you enjoy it though, It sounded funny when my librarian and I found
> it
> in the library so we decided to give it a try. and well, it is quite
> cute.
>
>
>
>
> Shelley L. Rhodes and Judson, guiding golden
> juddysbuddy@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> Guide Dogs For the Blind Inc.
> Graduate Advisory Council
> www.guidedogs.com
>
> The vision must be followed by the venture. It is not enough to
> stare up the steps - we must step up the stairs.
>
> -- Vance Havner
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "siss52" <siss52@xxxxxxx>
> To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 4:07 PM
> Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Irwin the Sock
>
>
>
> Shelley,
>
> Having raised two very normal mischievous boys I couldn't resist this
one.
> Ackron is wrong, should be Akron. I know this because Ohio is where I
> lived
> for most of my childhood. In the case of a child author, do we change
> misspelled words if there are any? I would say yes, but want to know
for
> sure.
>
> Sue
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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