#387 clarifying heading or title of a graphic
Section 14.4 (#FTGRA) of P5 says:
"Three kinds of content may be supplied inside a figure element: the element <head> may be used to transcribe (or supply) a descriptive heading or title for the graphic itself [. . . .] Figures are often accompanied not only by a title or heading, but by a paragraph or so of commentary or caption. One or more <p> or <ab> elements may be used to transcribe any caption or discussion of the figure in the source[.]"
I read "by a paragraph or so of commentary or caption" to mean "by a paragraph or so of commentary or by a caption". If that's what's intended, then we need to provide guidance on how to distinguish a title or heading (for which you use <head>) and a caption (for which you use <p> or <ab>). The first example of <head> in use looks much like a caption to me.
I recall Lou having a sense of the difference between a <head> and a caption, so you might ask for his advice.
Let me also note that the Chicago Manual of Style (16th ed.) says:
The terms caption and legend are sometimes used interchangeably for the explanatory text that appears with an illustration—usually immediately below but sometimes above or to the side. (In a distinction rarely made today, the term caption once referred strictly to a phrasal title or a headline, whereas legend referred to the full-sentence explanation immediately following the caption. This manual uses caption to refer to both.) A key (also sometimes called a legend) appears within the illustration itself and not as part of the caption; it identifies the symbols used in a map or a chart. For more on captions, see 3.21–27. Labels are any descriptive terms that appear within an illustration. They may also be symbols (often letters) used to indicate an illustration’s parts. See figures 3.3, 3.4, 3.6. See also 3.12, 3.43.
"the term caption once referred strictly to a phrasal title or a headline, whereas legend referred to the full-sentence explanation immediately following the caption" is, I think, still a useful distinction. A <head> is very specifically the title or headline of the picture. Inside a <figure> you will often find a graphic, along with its title, and also a block of descriptive text which talks about the picture, but isn't its title -- you wouldn't expect to see it all in a "List of illustrations" for example.
I don't have any problem with the text in the GL as it stands, but if it would make it clearer, how about just dropping the phrase "or by a caption" ?
The problem with the Guidelines as they stand is that the Guidelines use "caption" in the way that Chicago uses legend -- as something that stands in opposition to the caption as Chicago defines it. Lou's suggested revision would help, but I think it would be even better to change:
Figures are often accompanied not only by a title or heading, but by a paragraph or so of commentary or caption. One or more <p> or <ab> elements may be used to transcribe any caption or discussion of the figure in the source[.]"
to:
Figures are often accompanied not only by a title or heading (a caption), but by a paragraph or so of commentary (a legend) following the caption. One or more <p> or <ab> elements may be used to transcribe any commentary of the figure in the source[.]"
For some reason this ticket wasn't included in the list of outstanding tickets created for the Oxford meeting: http://wiki.tei-c.org/index.php/Council-ticketTriage . It was assigned to Brett by James in the 2012-06-29 round of assignments, though there's been a bit of additional conversation between now and then. Lou, please comment when you have a moment to let us know whether you approve of my latest wording so that Brett can (or can't) get on with implementing it.
I think Kevin's proposed rewording is just fine. Who wants to do it?
Implemented at revision 12617