Aha, I get it now. It looks like Heidrun is asking if maybe the LC-PCC PS
should be turned into an alternative, and generalized from "English" to
"language of the cataloging agency". I think the PS is a matter of expediency,
and is probably meant to be used as a last resort. I'm not sure I'd like to
see this as an actual alternative in RDA; it would seem to be legitimizing
mixed-language ("nonsense") title strings which I really think should be kept
to the barest minimum.
Kevin
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Resource Description and Access / Resource Description and Access
> [mailto:RDA-L@LISTSERV.LAC-BAC.GC.CA] On Behalf Of John Hostage
> Sent: Monday, December 10, 2012 4:10 PM
> To: RDA-L@LISTSERV.LAC-BAC.GC.CA
> Subject: Re: [RDA-L] Description of symbols - in which language?
>
> I think that kind of begs the question. The part that she thought went
> against RDA was the LC-PCC PS that said to use English if the term in the
> language of the context was unknown. There is still no solution in RDA
> itself for what to do when the title is in Polish or some even more obscure
> language and the cataloger doesn't know how to say "proportional to" or
> whatever the symbol might be.
>
> ------------------------------------------
> John Hostage
> Authorities and Database Integrity Librarian
> Harvard Library--Information and Technical Services
> Langdell Hall 194
> Cambridge, MA 02138
> host...@law.harvard.edu
> +(1)(617) 495-3974 (voice)
> +(1)(617) 496-4409 (fax)
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Resource Description and Access / Resource Description and
> Access
> > [mailto:RDA-L@LISTSERV.LAC-BAC.GC.CA] On Behalf Of Kevin M
> Randall
> > Sent: Monday, December 10, 2012 16:28
> > To: RDA-L@LISTSERV.LAC-BAC.GC.CA
> > Subject: Re: [RDA-L] Description of symbols - in which language?
> >
> > Heidrun Wiesenmüller wrote:
> >
> > > I find it hard to believe that RDA expects catalogers to be able to
> > > describe complicated symbols in any number of foreign languages.
> > > The LC-PCC PS for 1.7.5 has taken care of the problem by stating:
> > > "Substitute in the language of the context the word, phrase, etc.,
> > > that is the obvious spoken/written equivalent (if unknown in the
> > > language of the context, use English)". Well, this is certainly a
> > > sensible way of doing it, but it still seems to go against RDA.
> >
> > This seems to be entirely in keeping with the principles of RDA. Bear
> > in mind that you don't use the language of the *resource* but the
> > language of the rest of the element being recorded. If it's the TITLE
> > that has the symbol, and the title is in English, use an English word
> > or phrase in place of the symbol; if the title is in German, use a
> > German word or phrase, etc. Regardless of the language of the
> > resource itself. (For example, the resource could be in German, with
> > an English title proper.) This is not at all unlike supplying a
> > variant access point replacing an ampersand with a word. If the title
> > is in English, you would replace the ampersand with "and"; if the title
> > is in German, you would replace the ampersand with "und". In any
> > catalog, it would look kind of funny (to me, at least) to see an access
> > point such as "Advise und consent", "Advise et consent", "Advise y
> > consent", etc. instead of "Advise and consent".
> >
> > Kevin M. Randall
> > Principal Serials Cataloger
> > Northwestern University Library
> > k...@northwestern.edu
> > (847) 491-2939
> >
> > Proudly wearing the sensible shoes since 1978!
