[MEI-L] symbol/symbolDef

[TW]

2012/3/20 Roland, Perry (pdr4h) <pdr4h at eservices.virginia.edu>:
>
> The purpose behind the symbolDef/symbol pair is to encode *user-defined* shapes/signs/symbols so that they can be rendered.
>
> This is distinctly different from classifying/identifying shapes/signs/symbols in a facsimile, which  can/should be handled using @facs on MEI elements.
>
> Just a reminder:
>
> Don't forget about @altsym which can be used to link an MEI element directly to a <symbolDef>.
>

When talking with the Corpus monodicum people from Würzburg about
encoding their data in MEI, the problem occured that occansionally
they find neumes that they cannot interpret (yet).  However, those
neumes aren't just sloppily written, they clearly manifest a certain
kind of symbol as it is found repeatedly (for example within the works
of a certain scribe).  @facs doesn't express this, while @altsym could
do.

Would this be misuse as this would not be targeting rendering?  If
not, why force them by means of the Schema to draw a vector version of
a symbol?  Just the classification and one or more facsimile
references would pretty much say everything that can be said, I think.

Thomas