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Transcription Conventions

The transcriptions of the letters appearing in the Digital Indipetae Database largely keep to the original forms of the letters. For example, words or phrases that were first written incorrectly or that are ancient forms of current expressions have been maintained (e.g., “Stragniere missionj” appears in the transcription though the current Italian expression is “Straniere missioni”). The authors' use of capital- and lower-case letters, punctuation, symbols, and signs have also been preserved.

The paragraphs appear in the database as they appear in the letters. However, the database does not indicate the end of a line or a page in the letter. In addition, the exact locations of different elements of the letter -- such as the date or the signature -- do not appear on the database. These elements are all aligned to the left.

Square brackets with three dots ( [...] ) indicate when a transcriber could not be certain of the words in the original letter. The transcriptions of the letters also include any text written on the back of the letters. In this text, new sentences are indicated with the symbol "//". Under "Transcriber" appear the initials of the scholars who transcribed the letters for this Digital Indipetae Database. If two sets of initials appear (for example, EF / MR), the first indicates one transcribed the letter and the second who reviewed the transcription. The names of all the transcribers and their abbreviations appear on the "Contributors" page.

For the sake of clarity, the transcriptions do expand some abbreviations in the original letter. The expanded parts of the abbreviations appear in italic in the database (e.g., V.P., Vostra Paternità). Here are the most frequent abbreviations from the letters and their expanded forms in the database:

7bre, 8bre, 9bre, Xbre settembre, ottobre, novembre, decembre

A.M.D.G. Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam

ad. ad

an. anno/annus

A.R.i.C.P. Admodum Reverende in Christo Pater

A.V.P.M.R. Alla Vostra Paternità Molto Reverenda

Casa Prof. Casa Professa

Chr.o Christo

Coad. (temp.) Coadiutore/coadjutore (temporale)

Coll. Rom. Collegio Romano

Dev.mo Devotissimo

Dir. Direttore

Dom. Domus

d.P.V.M.R. della Paternità Vostra Molto Reverenda

d.C.d.G. della Compagnia di Gesù

f.(r) fratello/frater

F.F. fratelli/fratri

F.G. Fondo Gesuitico

Gen.le Generale

gra. gratia

Gram. Gram(m)atica

Id. Idus/Idi

IHS Iesus

indeg.mo indegnissimo

Inf. Infirmarius/Inferioris

Inf.o Infimo

Kal. Kalendas

Mag. Magister

Math. Mathematica

Miss. Missionarius/Missiones

M.o Maestro

N./NN. Nostro/Nostri o Noster/Nostri

N.S.G.C. Nostro Signore Gesù Cristo

N.S.P. Nostro Santo Padre [Ignazio]

Obb.mo Obbedientissimo

Oper. Operarius

P con taglio pre, per, par

P./PP. Padre/Padri o Pater/Patri

P.re Padre

Phil. Philosophia

Phys. Physica

Praef./Pref. Prafectus/Prefetto

Proc. Procurator(e)

Prof. Professus/o

Prov. Provincia

Prov. Rom. Provincia Romana

Prov.le Provinciale

P.C. Pax Christi

P.V./T. Paternità Vostra o Paternitas Vestra/Tua

Q con taglio qua, que

R.P. Reverendo Padre

Rhet. Rhetorica

Schol./Scol. Scholasticus/Scolastico

Spir. Spirituale

S.D.M. Sua Divina Maestà

S.I./J. Societatis Iesu/Jesu

SS.SS.SS. Suoi Santissimi Sacrifici/Suis Sanctis Sacrificiis

Sup. Superioris/e

Temp. Temporalis/e

Theol. Theologia

Um.mo Umilissimo

V.P. Vostra Paternità

V.P.M.R. Vostra Paternità Molto Reverenda

V.R. Vostra Reverenza

X.o Cristo