By reviewing different TEI project, I have noticed a reoccurring problem with constellations, in which a speech is introduced not via a speech prefix but via a stage direction. The problem is illustrated nicely by the following two examples.
Firstly, in Lenz's Der Hofmeister1, we find the following structure of a stage direction "Hinter der Szene Geschrei" ["shouting behind the scene"] introducing a speech spoken off-stage:
The encoded version by TextGrid Repository based on this exact version of the play offers the following markup. Notice how the stage direction is correctly encoded, but the dialog is merely a random <p> without the <sp> that would rightfully mark it as a speech:
<stage rend="zenoPC" xml:id="tg183.2.5">
<hi rend="italic" xml:id="tg183.2.5.1">Hinter der Szene Geschrei.</hi>
</stage>
<lb xml:id="tg183.2.6"/>
<p xml:id="tg183.2.7">
Hülfe! 's meine Tochter! Sackerment und all das Wetter! Graf! reicht mir doch die Stange: daß Euch die schwere Not.
</p>
Secondly, in Lope de Vega’s Caballero de Illescas2, we find a song, which is introduced as such twice. Thus, we have a stage direction denoting that the three characters Belardo, Tirreno and Riselo enter the stage singing and their song is prefixed yet again with the stage direction "cantan" ["they sing"].
The encoding by ArteLope, which relies on this very edition, correctly encoded the stage directions and the speech, but deemed it necessary to add a specific speech prefix:
<stage>(Sale[n] BELARDO, TIRRENO, RISELO, cantando este villancico.)</stage>
<stage>(Cantan.)</stage>
<sp who="#tir #ris #bel">
<speaker>[BELARDO, TIRRENO Y RISELO]</speaker>
<lg><l>Blancas coge Lucinda</l>[…]</lg>
</sp>
I believe the two examples illustrates that practitioners feel uneasy with using "prefix-less speeches." This, most likely, results from their rarity and the fact that they clash with generally held beliefs about the structure of dramatic texts. While the guidelines contain two examples of comparable structures in chapter 7, this feature is never directly referred to and the examples show prologues and epilogues, which do not necessarily correspond with the general structure of dialogues within dramatic literature. Thus, I think the community would benefit from an inclusion of a genuine example of a "prefix-less speech" in the guidelines and/or a direct acknowledgement of this structure existing and that <sp> (maybe counterintuitively) does not require a <speaker>. Ideally, this could be added to the excellent 3.13.2 Core Tags for Drama.
By reviewing different TEI project, I have noticed a reoccurring problem with constellations, in which a speech is introduced not via a speech prefix but via a stage direction. The problem is illustrated nicely by the following two examples.
Firstly, in Lenz's Der Hofmeister1, we find the following structure of a stage direction "Hinter der Szene Geschrei" ["shouting behind the scene"] introducing a speech spoken off-stage:
The encoded version by TextGrid Repository based on this exact version of the play offers the following markup. Notice how the stage direction is correctly encoded, but the dialog is merely a random
<p>without the<sp>that would rightfully mark it as a speech:Secondly, in Lope de Vega’s Caballero de Illescas2, we find a song, which is introduced as such twice. Thus, we have a stage direction denoting that the three characters Belardo, Tirreno and Riselo enter the stage singing and their song is prefixed yet again with the stage direction "cantan" ["they sing"].
The encoding by ArteLope, which relies on this very edition, correctly encoded the stage directions and the speech, but deemed it necessary to add a specific speech prefix:
I believe the two examples illustrates that practitioners feel uneasy with using "prefix-less speeches." This, most likely, results from their rarity and the fact that they clash with generally held beliefs about the structure of dramatic texts. While the guidelines contain two examples of comparable structures in chapter 7, this feature is never directly referred to and the examples show prologues and epilogues, which do not necessarily correspond with the general structure of dialogues within dramatic literature. Thus, I think the community would benefit from an inclusion of a genuine example of a "prefix-less speech" in the guidelines and/or a direct acknowledgement of this structure existing and that
<sp>(maybe counterintuitively) does not require a<speaker>. Ideally, this could be added to the excellent 3.13.2 Core Tags for Drama.Footnotes
In: Lenz, Jakob Michael Reinhold (1967): Werke und Schriften. Vol. II. Ed. by Britta Titel and Hellmut Haug. Stuttgart: Goverts, 69. ↩
In: Vega, Lope de (1917): Obras de Lope de Vega [nueva edicion]. Vol. IV. Ed. by Emilio Cotarelo y Mori. Madrid: RAE, 138. ↩