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Archiver > APG > 2005-12 > 1133541109


From: "Ken Aitken" <>
Subject: RE: [APG] Re: transcribing names
Date: Fri, 2 Dec 2005 10:31:49 -0600
In-Reply-To: <!&!AAAAAAAAAAAYAAAAAAAAAH1kTH4/9P1LkQhS/jaNr0LCgAAAEAAAAEcBSknY3PVLuhqWrinaw5kBAAAAAA==@tampabay.rr.com>


"In for a penny, in for a pound" as my English ancestors said. I'll jump in
again on this thread.
This present discussion of transcription to create indexes and my previous
comment on transcription have been tossed around for years I am sure. In
creating an index, how does the indexer know that names like SAMBROOK,
HAMBROOK,HAMBRICK, HAMBROOKE HAMBROKE HAMBROEK and AMBROKE are
manifestations of the same name? To assume so would be a mistake in my
estimation ( and in my experience).

Recently a colleague specializing in Doukhobor Russian research discussed
his plans for indexing Doukhobors in the 1911 census of Canada and proposed
that he standardize the spelling in the index. The problem was that
enumerators did not understand what they heard for many names, and those
enumerated did not usually read English so the phonetic inspired spellings
could not be checked. I convinced me friend to index the names as found, and
put the standardized spelling in another sortable field.

I stick to my guns-- transcribe the name as found. And if ESM is reading
this she'd probably suggest to the indexers that they include in the index
something showing the entries in the order they are found and not just
alphabetical sorts. Isn't there a case study somewhere that demonstrates the
importance of this?

Kenneth G. Aitken
Prairie History Librarian
Regina Public Library
Regina, Saskatchewan Canada

-----Original Message-----
From: Alvie L. Davidson CG [mailto:]
Sent: Friday, December 02, 2005 10:05 AM
To:
Subject: RE: [APG] Re: transcribing names


Three cheeeeeers for Dee Dee...yes..I know precisely what you mean. I was
looking for the Gross family of Early County, GA and in the marriage index
the transcriber told me that all the GROP family got married in that county.


Alvie L. Davidson CG

CG and Certified Genealogist are Service Marks of the Board for
Certification of Genealogists used under license after periodic evaluations
by the Board.




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