Milestones for reference in translation

[danbalogh]

The old EGD (under §9.2.6 in the Google Doc) contains some instructions for using <milestone type="ref"/> in the translation to refer at any point to the beginning of a source line or a source stanza. I have never used this encoding and have entirely forgotten that it exists. I assume that we added this primarily to cater for critical editions. The schema complains of an error when I try to add such a milestone to a translation. The schema for critical editions and for BESTOW seems to allow it, but I could not find any instances of it actually being used.
@arlogriffiths : do you agree that we can forget about this and it is safe to remove this altogether from the EGD?
@michaelnmmeyer : if Arlo strongly wants to keep this option open, would it be problematic to allow this in the diplomatic edition schema and display it (in whatever way it is displayed in the critical edition transformation scenario)?

[arlogriffiths]

I don't think this has anything to do with critical editions, where reference in translation is by definition always to the edition and not to any physical instance of the text being edited. Some epigraphists like to refer to physical milestones in the original in their translations (examples attached). I think we were trying to cater to them.

My preferred option would be to keep the option provided that @michaelnmmeyer is able to make the schema accept it and make the necessary simple changes to the transformation system. (There is no display for this in the critircal edition transformation scenario that I am aware of — if indeed there isn't any, then we need to conceive one but I think it should essentially reproduce how milestones are treated in editions.)

Although I call it a preferred option, I would not say that it is a very strong preference. If the device has never been used in any of our files, then I can live with getting rid of it.

[danbalogh]

Thanks for the input, @arlogriffiths .
@michaelnmmeyer , the specific encoding concerned is: <milestone> with @type="ref" in the translation division. The attribute @unit is required, the permitted values are "line" and "stanza". The attribute @n is required; permitted values are practically free text to allow for the representation of any line numbering scheme, including allowing hyphens, commas and spaces. No other attributes.
The display, if not already implemented in the critical edition schema, should be as follows

• when @unit="line", this should look the same as the display of line numbers for the @n on a translation <p>, i.e. shown inline as grey angle brackets containing the value of @n.
• when @unit="stanza", it should likewise be shown inline in grey angle brackets (i.e. not like stanza numbers for the @n on a translation <p rend="stanza">); the content in this case should be the value of @n prefixed with "v. " (or, if @arlogriffiths objects to that, with "stanza ")

[michaelnmmeyer]

This is not a trivial change. There is a complex logic around the handling of milestones, which I would rather not mess with. Can we just forget about it, given that nobody uses this feature?

[danbalogh]

I for one am happy to forget about it. I should, however, re-emphasise that this is not a change (it's been in the EGD for years) and that the critical and bestow schemas already seem to be aware of this encoding, or at least they include constraints for its use.

[arlogriffiths]

If implementing display is unfeasible, I recommend the compromise of only making the necessary changes in the schema to bring it into compliance with EGD, so that this encoding device can be used for any encoders who need it, while postponing the necesary work on transformation code to a post-ERC phase of DHARMA development. I suppose this compromise cuts away most of the pain for Michaël, but he may correct me if I am wrong.