★ Find a new page on our Untranscribed Manuscripts list.
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* compare individual letters in the word to others letters elsewhere in the document | * compare individual letters in the word to others letters elsewhere in the document | ||
* magnify or minimise the document to view the word from a different perspective | * magnify or minimise the document to view the word from a different perspective | ||
* take a look at a [[JB/027/162/001 completely transcribed page]] for help | |||
* have a break and come back to the word later | * have a break and come back to the word later | ||
Reading and transcribing historical documents can seem daunting at first. Here are some tips to help you.
Be aware that in the past spelling was inconsistent. Always transcribe the spelling you see in front of you and do not attempt to translate the word. Here are some examples of Bentham’s alternative spellings.
Bentham also coined many new words. Some of these, like ‘international’, we still use today, but many words are unusual and particular to Bentham. Try to represent the word as faithfully as possible. See a list of Bentham’s neologisms.
Letters were often represented with certain flourishes we do not use today. For example, Bentham usually wrote the letter 'd' with a swirl to the left.
A double 's', as in the word ‘necessary’, was represented as follows:
Take a look at further Examples of Bentham's handwriting .
If you are finding it difficult to make out a particular word, try the following:
The manuscripts have been categorised by difficulty level. If you are a beginner, select a manuscript from the Easy category to start off with. Remember, the more you read the easier it becomes!
