AN ELEMENTARY GUIDE TO TRANSCRIBINGCARLSON C. GIVEN & EMMA C. STERNBERG

INTRODUCTION

Over the course of ten weeks, we had the opportunity to transcribe eighteenth-century manuscripts at the Connecticut Historical Society. When beginning this project, we had no prior experience or training in the process of transcribing. In addition, we both lacked familiarity in reading cursive writing. Consequently, we developed the skills for transcribing as we worked. Initially, we did not recognize that we were using strategies until we sat down to create a transcription guide. Since cursive literacy is becoming rarer, manuscripts like the ones we transcribed will become inaccessible for future generations. This guide is a culmination of the tips and tricks we picked up along the way that proved to be successful in helping achieve cursive literacy.

TIPS AND TRICKS

Getting Started At first, the text will seem daunting. Take each line one word at a time, one

letter at a time. Find a standardized cursive alphabet online to become familiarized with cursive

handwriting.

Pacing When words begin to look no longer clear, look away from the page and take a

break. As you approach the text after a short pause, the words that once seemed like gibberish will be much more obvious.

Moving through the text word by word and letter by letter slowly is a beneficial way to begin. However, if the process becomes too frustrating and you are getting stuck on every word or letter, it is helpful to put the confusing part in brackets and continue on to get a better feel for the document. Then you can return back to it when other words or the context illuminates the previously confusing word.

It is important to note that the learning curve is steep. You will continually see progress in your ability to transcribe. Individual letters will consistently become clear and common words and phrases will become familiar.

Letter and Word Identification In the beginning stages of transcribing, differentiating between letters is

challenging. To make progress, type out multiple version of what the word

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might be, switching in different possible letter combinations until a word becomes clear.

When a word is not clear, it is not always beneficial to look at the individual letters, but instead the shape of the word as a whole. It is often easier to recognize words not for their letter composition but for their familiar shape. So, as opposed to closer to the text, move away from it to get a better view of the word.

When you can decipher individual letters, but they do not combine to make a real word because they are not all completely accurate, type exactly what you think the letters are into a word document. By having most of the letters laid out next to one another, even with a few mistakes, the intended word becomes more apparent.

As individual letters are identified but do not make a real word, type the combination of letters into google. Sometimes the suggestion of what google thought was meant helps reveal the actual word itself.

In situations where the letters are not easy to identify because the text is unclear or too small, take a photo of the text and zoom in to enlarge the words and letters.

Remember that depending on when and where the text is written, spelling can vary greatly. For example, endeavor vs. endeavour, realization vs. realisation, delightful vs. delightfull, practice vs. practise – variations in spelling is common so take that into consideration when a word may look less familiar.

Use what you have transcribed to your advantage. If something is unclear, look for other spots within the text that you have already solved as hints of potential letters and words.

Expanding Strategies Context is beneficial for letter and word identification as well. The context of

what the overall text is discussing helps create clarity. Consider where in the sentence the word is located and what other words around it are legible. Identifying the surrounding words illuminates what the unclear one may be.

If possible, work with a partner or in a group setting in order to compare notes and proofread each other’s work; a fresh set of eyes can pick up on things you may have overlooked.

Ideas to Consider Individual handwriting is distinct; therefore, it takes time to get to know the

quirks of the writer. As you become more accustomed to their style, words that were once challenging will become clearer. Your pace will be slower when you are less familiar with the writer’s handwriting.

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Some writers use spellings and abbreviations that are unique to them. Also, certain letters can be formatted differently in comparison to standardized cursive alphabets.

Consider where in the word a letter falls. Some letters vary greatly depending on if they are in the beginning, middle, or end of a word.

Abbreviations Hond – Honored Yr – Your V – Verse Chapr – Chapter Revd – Reverend &c. – etc. Recd – Recorded Sert – Servant Jesus X or J X- Jesus Christ

CONCLUSION

At the end of our ten weeks at the Connecticut Historical Society, we transcribed over 50 manuscripts, each ranging from two to thirty pages. The process of learning to transcribe eighteenth century manuscripts was difficult but incredibly rewarding. We noticed our work pace begin to pick up as words and phrases became more familiar, making transcribing an exciting challenge. The handwriting would vary at times depending on the author and their intended audience. Because of the slight changes, we felt like we were back to learning how to transcribe all over again. As a result, we were forced to slow down and remember the strategies we taught ourselves, eventually regaining our quicker work pace and familiarity with the documents. Our transcription guide aims to introduce strategies that will help make these works continue to be accessible and legible.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.

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EXAMPLE TRANSCRIPTION

Joseph Johnson’s eighteenth-century sermon

SOURCES

Joseph Johnson Sermon, May 24, 1772, Samson Occom Papers, Box 1, Folder #22, Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, Connecticut.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.