Format and Usability of Maupassant Documents in ARTFL

The problem:

This is a brief report on the format and usability of the Maupassant documents in ARTFL. The page numbers generated by the search software are not edition-accurate nor do they reflect any coherent markup within ARTFL. Besides the lack of correlation with the edition, other kinds of information cannot be generated in any direct fashion. For instance, there is no direct way to know which target words belong to which short story. This report suggests a work-around for the problem.

A few facts:

• ARTFL uses the Schmidt and Délaisement edition of Maupassant's Contes et Nouvelles, which has 294 stories divided into two separate volumes ("tomes", i.e. separate books). ARTFL indexes the edition under a single title, and has reorganized the stories by date in documents CoN80-90. Each of these 11 documents has stories from both volumes, with those of the first volume appearing before those of the second in a given document. The stories have therefore an edition order and a ARTFL order. (We will speak of "ARTFL order" and "edition order" of the stories and "ARTFL page number" and "edition page number" for pages.)
• To reproduce edition page numbering, ARTFL has a page index that is generally set after the title; the title itself has the page number of the last page of the text that precedes it in ARTFL order.
• For the first title in a document, ARTFL and edition page numbers coincide, since the page tag precedes the title at the beginning of a document.
• The ARTFL page numbers can never be edition accurate, since the volume number is not indicated, only the date, and the date does not correspond to edition divisions. (ARTFL uses only a single edition title for all documents.)
• Here is a sample case, where I have extracted all the titles from CoN80 (bars indicate the field divisions of a table):

Doc|EditionVolume|EditionPage|ArtflPage|Title

CoN80|1|283|283|un dimanche d'un bourgeois de paris

CoN80|2|114|337|boule de suif

CoN80|2|1207|153|une page d'histoire inédite

• CoN80 has the first 3 stories in ARTFL order, 2 stories from volume 2 and one from volume 1. The first story starts at page 283; this is edition-accurate. The title of the second story is, according to ARTFL, on page 337, but according to the edition, it is on 114. Page 337 is the last page of the first story in CoN80. Likewise, since the second story ends on page 153, the third title is on page 153. The first word of each story is typically edition-accurate, but lacks a necessary volume indication.
• Since stories from different volumes are mixed in a given document, and the volume is not indicated in the references, most documents have some page number collisions. Here is one example. One occurrence of "Roque" is given as CoN85, p. 1022. We do not know if that is p. 1022 of volume 1 or 2. If it is volume 2, then that occurrence belongs to "La Petite Roque" (which is the case), instead of "L'Épingle" (volume 1).

Doc|Volume|EditionPage|Target/title

CoN85|2|1018|la petite roque

CoN85|?|1022|Roque

CoN85|1|1022|l'épingle

Summary and solution:

The markup system in this text is not accurate nor functional. There are page number collisions because there are no volume indications, and titles are misnumbered. Markup should reflect the edition, and if ARTFL date order cannot be changed, then a volume number should be added to each page when giving references.

In the present state of the database, the only way to know in which story a target occurrence actually appears is to concord the titles with the target occurrences and note which title comes before the occurrence. This cannot be done in a systematic fashion, but there is a work-around: since each title is followed by the indication "t 1" or "t 2", one can concord on "1|2|target", which will concord all the titles, plus other occurrences of "1" or "2"as well.

Included below is the full correspondence table for the titles, in ARTFL order, which gives the ARTFL page number and document, and the true edition page number and volume (bars indicate field divisions).

TitleId|Doc|EditionVolume|EditionPage|ArtflPage|Title

1| CoN80|1|283|283|un dimanche d'un bourgeois de paris

2| CoN80|2|114|337|boule de suif

3| CoN80|2|1207|153|une page d'histoire inédite

4| CoN81|1|23|23|histoire d'une fille de ferme

5| CoN81|1|43|42|histoire corse

6| CoN81|1|338|48|en famille

7| CoN81|1|365|364|opinion publique

8| CoN81|1|371|370|une partie de campagne

9| CoN81|1|384|383|au printemps

10| CoN81|1|761|390|une aventure parisienne

11| CoN81|1|1177|768|la maison tellier

12| CoN81|1|1206|1205|les tombales

13| CoN81|1|1214|1213|la femme de paul

14| CoN81|2|154|1232|mademoiselle fifi

15| CoN81|2|305|166|par un soir de printemps

16| CoN81|2|764|310|histoire d'un chien

17| CoN81|2|1215|768|épaves

18| CoN82|1|3|3|la bécasse

19| CoN82|1|49|5|un réveillon

20| CoN82|1|55|54|un bandit corse

21| CoN82|1|59|58|autres temps

22| CoN82|1|63|62|farce normande

23| CoN82|1|68|67|un normand

24| CoN82|1|75|74|aux champs

25| CoN82|1|82|81|conte de noël

26| CoN82|1|391|87|un million

27| CoN82|1|602|396|mots d'amour

28| CoN82|1|606|605|le baiser

29| CoN82|1|633|610|le lit

30| CoN82|1|637|636|en voyage

31| CoN82|1|644|643|voyage de noce

32| CoN82|1|649|648|la rempailleuse

33| CoN82|1|656|655|le pardon

34| CoN82|1|662|661|le testament

35| CoN82|1|667|666|ma femme

36| CoN82|1|680|673|l'enfant

37| CoN82|1|769|685|pétition d'un viveur

38| CoN82|1|774|773|le gâteau

39| CoN82|1|779|778|la bûche

40| CoN82|1|785|784|marroca

41| CoN82|1|795|794|la veillée

42| CoN82|1|799|798|confessions d'une femme

43| CoN82|1|804|803|clair de lune

44| CoN82|1|809|808|un coq chanta

45| CoN82|1|814|813|le verrou

46| CoN82|1|820|819|un drame vrai

47| CoN82|1|824|823|une passion

48| CoN82|1|832|831|une ruse

49| CoN82|1|838|837|la relique

50| CoN82|1|844|843|ce cochon de morin

51| CoN82|1|856|855|rouerie

52| CoN82|1|862|861|nuit de noël

53| CoN82|2|9|866|le saut du berger

54| CoN82|2|14|13|une surprise

55| CoN82|2|21|20|mon oncle sosthène

56| CoN82|2|29|28|clair de lune

57| CoN82|2|167|34|souvenir

58| CoN82|2|172|171|la folle

59| CoN82|2|176|175|un coup d'état

60| CoN82|2|311|186|l'aveugle

61| CoN82|2|315|314|un fils

62| CoN82|2|330|324|rencontre

63| CoN82|2|335|334|histoire vraie

64| CoN82|2|341|340|une veuve

65| CoN82|2|347|346|pierrot

66| CoN82|2|353|352|madame baptiste

67| CoN82|2|360|359|yveline samoris

68| CoN82|2|776|364|magnétisme

69| CoN82|2|781|780|rêves

70| CoN82|2|785|784|fou?

71| CoN82|2|790|789|la rouille

72| CoN82|2|797|796|la peur

73| CoN82|2|1221|803|vieux objets

74| CoN82|2|1225|1224|le voleur

75| CoN82|2|1230|1229|correspondance

76| CoN82|2|1236|1235|un vieux

77| CoN82|2|1241|1240|le loup

78| CoN82|2|1247|1246|menuet

79| CoN82|2|1252|1251|égende du mont st-michel

80| CoN83|1|88|88| les sabots

81| CoN83|1|94|93|en mer

82| CoN83|1|100|99|le père judas

83| CoN83|1|105|104|le cas de madame luneau

84| CoN83|1|110|109|la martine

85| CoN83|1|117|116|une vendetta

86| CoN83|1|123|122|la ficelle

87| CoN83|1|397|130|à cheval

88| CoN83|1|405|404|les bijoux

89| CoN83|1|413|412|mon oncle jules

90| CoN83|1|422|421|décoré!

91| CoN83|1|428|427|le père

92| CoN83|1|597|437|jadis

93| CoN83|1|611|601|l'homme-fille

94| CoN83|1|616|615|la moustache

95| CoN83|1|621|620|les caresses

96| CoN83|1|674|625|la serre

97| CoN83|1|867|679|le remplaçant

98| CoN83|1|872|871|m. jocaste

99| CoN83|1|877|876|réveil

100| CoN83|1|883|882|la fenêtre

101| CoN83|1|889|888|la confession

102| CoN83|1|895|894|au bord du lit

103| CoN83|1|903|902|regret

104| CoN83|1|910|909|le vengeur

105| CoN83|1|916|915|un sage

106| CoN83|1|1233|922|le pain maudit

107| CoN83|1|1239|1238|l'ami patience

108| CoN83|1|1246|1245|l'odyssée d'une fille

109| CoN83|2|35|1252|la confession de théodule sabot

110| CoN83|2|187|43|deux amis

111| CoN83|2|194|193|saint-antoine

112| CoN83|2|202|201|l'aventure walter schnaffs

113| CoN83|2|211|210|le père milon

114| CoN83|2|218|217|tombouctou

115| CoN83|2|226|225|un duel

116| CoN83|2|325|231|en voyage

117| CoN83|2|365|329|la mère aux monstres

118| CoN83|2|372|371|l'âne

119| CoN83|2|382|381|le mal d'andré

120| CoN83|2|388|387|le petit

121| CoN83|2|394|393|l'enfant

122| CoN83|2|400|399|humble drame

123| CoN83|2|406|405|l'attente

124| CoN83|2|412|411|première neige

125| CoN83|2|421|420|le modèle

126| CoN83|2|804|427|auprès d'un mort

127| CoN83|2|809|808|mademoiselle cocotte

128| CoN83|2|815|814|apparition

129| CoN83|2|823|822|suicides

130| CoN83|2|829|828|la reine hortense

131| CoN83|2|837|836|l'orphelin

132| CoN83|2|844|843|denis

133| CoN83|2|852|851|lui?

134| CoN83|2|860|859|miss harriet

135| CoN83|2|880|879|enragée?

136| CoN83|2|888|887|la main

137| CoN83|2|1257|894|le condamné à mort

138| CoN83|2|1262|1261|l'ami joseph

139| CoN83|2|1268|1267|une soirée

140| CoN83|2|1278|1277|la farce

141| CoN84|1|131|131|le vieux

142| CoN84|1|140|139|une vente

143| CoN84|1|146|145|le petit fût

144| CoN84|1|152|151|le crime au père boniface

145| CoN84|1|158|157|l'aveu

146| CoN84|1|164|163|le retour

147| CoN84|1|171|170|tribunaux rustiques

148| CoN84|1|438|175|le protecteur

149| CoN84|1|444|443|le parapluie

150| CoN84|1|453|452|la parure

151| CoN84|1|463|462|l'héritage

152| CoN84|1|532|531|souvenir

153| CoN84|1|687|686|le bonheur

154| CoN84|1|693|692|la patronne

155| CoN84|1|923|699|rose

156| CoN84|1|930|929|vains conseils

157| CoN84|1|935|934|rencontre

158| CoN84|1|944|943|adieu

159| CoN84|1|949|948|la confession

160| CoN84|1|956|955|découverte

161| CoN84|1|962|961|le legs

162| CoN84|1|969|968|bombard

163| CoN84|1|976|975|la revanche

164| CoN84|1|986|985|la chambre 11

165| CoN84|1|1253|993|les soeurs rondoli

166| CoN84|2|44|1282|le baptême

167| CoN84|2|232|48|la mère sauvage

168| CoN84|2|240|239|l'horrible

169| CoN84|2|247|246|les idées du colonel

170| CoN84|2|254|253|le lit 29

171| CoN84|2|267|266|mohammed-fripouille

172| CoN84|2|276|275|les prisonniers

173| CoN84|2|428|288|coco

174| CoN84|2|433|432|notes d'un voyageur

175| CoN84|2|439|438|le gueux

176| CoN84|2|445|444|châli

177| CoN84|2|457|456|la confession

178| CoN84|2|465|464|l'abandonné

179| CoN84|2|474|473|un parricide

180| CoN84|2|481|480|yvette

181| CoN84|2|559|558|la dot

182| CoN84|2|566|565|l'armoire

183| CoN84|2|895|572|garçon, un bock!

184| CoN84|2|902|901|ettre trouvée sur un noyé

185| CoN84|2|908|907|misti, souvenirs d'un garçon

186| CoN84|2|914|913|un lâche

187| CoN84|2|923|922|solitude

188| CoN84|2|929|928|l'ivrogne

189| CoN84|2|935|934|la chevelure

190| CoN84|2|943|942|promenade

191| CoN84|2|950|949|le tic

192| CoN84|2|957|956|la peur

193| CoN84|2|965|964|la tombe

194| CoN84|2|970|969|un fou?

195| CoN84|2|977|976|le garde

196| CoN84|2|986|985|berthe

197| CoN84|2|1284|995|idylle

198| CoN84|2|1290|1289|souvenirs

199| CoN84|2|1294|1293|malades et médecins

200| CoN84|2|1301|1300|le bûcher

201| CoN85|1|176|176|toine

202| CoN85|1|186|185|petit soldat

203| CoN85|1|194|193|la bête à mait'belhomme

204| CoN85|1|203|202|les bécasses

205| CoN85|1|540|211|le père mongilet

206| CoN85|1|700|546|à vendre

207| CoN85|1|707|706|mes 25 jours

208| CoN85|1|994|715|le moyen de roger

209| CoN85|1|999|998|un échec

210| CoN85|1|1007|1006|joseph

211| CoN85|1|1015|1014|fini

212| CoN85|1|1022|1021|l'épingle

213| CoN85|1|1028|1027|la confidence

214| CoN85|1|1034|1033|imprudence

215| CoN85|1|1041|1040|sauvée

216| CoN85|1|1283|1046|ça ira

217| CoN85|2|49|1290|nos anglais

218| CoN85|2|58|57|en wagon

219| CoN85|2|573|64|le baptême

220| CoN85|2|579|578|une lettre

221| CoN85|2|996|585|l'inconnue

222| CoN85|2|1003|1002|lettre d'un fou

223| CoN85|2|1010|1009|fou

224| CoN85|2|1018|1017|la petite roque

225| CoN85|2|1308|1051|blanc et bleu

226| CoN85|2|1314|1313| la roche aux guillemots

227| CoN86|1|212|212|le père amable

228| CoN86|1|234|233|le diable

229| CoN86|1|547|241|voyage de santé

230| CoN86|1|553|552|au bois

231| CoN86|1|559|558|une famille

232| CoN86|1|565|564|la question du latin

233| CoN86|1|575|574|le trou

234| CoN86|1|716|581|l'épave

235| CoN86|1|728|727|madame parisse

236| CoN86|1|736|735|amour

237| CoN86|1|1047|741|le signe

238| CoN86|1|1054|1053|jour de fête

239| CoN86|1|1059|1058|cri d'alarme

240| CoN86|1|1291|1065|julie romain

241| CoN86|2|65|1299|le marquis de fumerol

242| CoN86|2|586|73|monsieur parent

243| CoN86|2|626|625|mademoiselle perle

244| CoN86|2|643|642|rosalie prudent

245| CoN86|2|647|646|misère humaine

246| CoN86|2|653|652|le fermier

247| CoN86|2|661|660|clochette

248| CoN86|2|1052|666|l'ermite

249| CoN86|2|1059|1058|sur les chats

250| CoN86|2|1066|1065|un cas de divorce

251| CoN86|2|1073|1072|l'auberge

252| CoN86|2|1087|1086|le horla

253| CoN87|1|242|242| le lapin

254| CoN87|1|582|250|une soirée

255| CoN87|1|589|588|l'assassin

256| CoN87|1|742|594|le père

257| CoN87|1|1066|746|étrennes

258| CoN87|1|1073|1072|la porte

259| CoN87|1|1079|1078|l'ordonnance

260| CoN87|1|1083|1082|comment on cause

261| CoN87|1|1300|1087|la baronne

262| CoN87|2|289|1304|les rois

263| CoN87|2|667|302|le vagabond

264| CoN87|2|680|679|le rosier de madame husson

265| CoN87|2|698|697|duchoux

266| CoN87|2|1124|705|madame hermet

267| CoN87|2|1132|1131|la morte

268| CoN87|2|1138|1137|la nuit

269| CoN87|2|1144|1143|moiron

270| CoN87|2|1319|1150|le voyage du horla

271| CoN88|1|251|251|les 25 fr. de la supérieure

272| CoN88|1|626|256|un portrait

273| CoN88|1|747|630|l'infirme

274| CoN88|1|1088|752|les épingles

275| CoN88|1|1094|1093|divorce

276| CoN88|1|1103|1102|nos lettres

277| CoN88|2|1151|1108|le noyé

278| CoN89|1|257|257|hautot père et fils

279| CoN89|1|271|270|boitelle

280| CoN89|1|753|279|alexandre

281| CoN89|1|1109|758|le rendez-vous

282| CoN89|1|1117|1116|l'épreuve

283| CoN89|1|1127|1126|un soir

284| CoN89|1|1305|1144|allouma

285| CoN89|1|1329|1328|le port

286| CoN89|2|1159|1337|le masque

287| CoN89|2|1168|1167|l'endormeuse

288| CoN89|2|1178|1177|l'homme de mars

289| CoN90|1|1145|1145|l'inutile beauté

290| CoN90|1|1166|1165|le colporteur

291| CoN90|1|1338|1173|mouche

292| CoN90|2|74|1347|le champ d'oliviers

293| CoN90|2|101|100|après

294| CoN90|2|1186|106|qui sait?