Uncertain Readings
If the legibility of the source is limited, so that the text must be reconstructed or the reading of the publisher is not certain, this can be reproduced by the <unclear> and <supplied> elements.
<unclear> is used if the source material is only indistinctly readable. The reason for using the <unclear> element is given with the @reason attribute, the degree of certainty of the reading can be given in the @cert attribute. The following values are possible:
| Element | Attribute | Value | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
<unclear> |
@reason |
illegible |
illegible |
covered |
difficult to read due to overwriting/overdrawing | ||
@cert |
high |
high certainty of the reading | |
low |
low certainty of the reading |
The use of the attribute @reason in <unclear> is mandatory, the use of @cert is optional.
<unclear reason="covered" cert="low">[uncertain reading]</unclear>
If material that is likely or possibly to be existing in the source is reconstructed, this must be reproduced with the <supplied> element. The reason for the illegibility is given in the @reason attribute, the certainty of the reconstruction is given in the @cert attribute. The following values can have the @reason and @cert attributes:
| Element | Attribute | Value | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
<supplied> |
@reason |
damage |
lost due to damage to the original |
covered |
illegible due to overwriting/overdrawing | ||
@cert |
high |
high certainty of the reading | |
low |
low certainty of the reading |