Dear Devon and all Correspondents Participating on Arachne, My original May 19th memo was about Lace Editors and Proofreaders.
Yes, proofreaders would love a Lace Style Sheet, Devon! However, the structure of languages differs greatly, and Lace is an international passion enjoyed by many people reading this in English - not in their primary languages. Much is impacted during translations. Choice of words, spelling, grammar, and punctuation come to mind. Translators volunteering their language talents to editors of the quarterly OIDFA Journals spend many hours trying to make an article written in French comprehensible in English, or making an English article enjoyable for French-speaking members to read. It is stressful for the non-professional translators, but so appreciated by members of the International Bobbin and Needle Lace Organisation. (This is the official English spelling for de l'Organisation Internationale de la Dentelle au Fuseau et à l'Aiguille.) My best proofreading suggestion is easy. Read what has been printed aloud. You will probably realize when a word is missing, a sentence is too long, or something is confusing. I wrote the memo that set off this discussion because there are so many things the presence of a good editor and proofreader improves in our lace publications. However, often there is no proofreader. We need to convey accurate information, with the realization that researchers will use what we publish 100 years from now. Every lace group publication needs a proofreader. Every self-published lace book needs a proofreader. At a business and professional level, books are not being properly proofread in the 21st century, which annoys literate readers. Here are a few examples of what I mean: Fiction and non-fiction books are full of errors of all possible kinds. There is a relatively new book about 19th century art needlework in my library. The preface refers to it as a thesis. It contains so many convoluted sentences that it was very difficult to read. It seemed to me that the author (Cluckie), who lectures at a university, took her text straight from another author and twisted the sentences around to avoid being accused of plagiarism. What a waste. It makes my skin crawl to think that this author is being paid to teach others. Very expensive books from publishers such as Yale University Press and V & A Publishing have met my eagle eyes, and failed. Specifically, sections of their books researchers will use: Notes and Bibliographies. Authors seem to be putting un-proofread and un-verified content in these sections. Institutions and publishers who have become sloppy now receive a letter of complaint from at least one person. They do not reply. But, they know someone is reading *all* the pages in their books and has higher expectations. If you enjoy a lace newsletter or bulletin that is well-edited and proofread, please thank the persons who have donated their time toward making your reading time more enjoyable. Jeri Ames in Maine USA Lace and Embroidery Resource Center -------------------------------------------------------- In a message dated 5/19/2014 12:35:11 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, dmt11h...@aol.com writes: I for one would like a lace "Style Sheet" for lacemaking terms. lace making, lace-making or lacemaking? lace makers or lacemakers? needle lace or needlelace? plural of lace? lace or laces? ...............these come to my mind immediately. Devon - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
