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róisín_dubh

(11,941 posts)

55. Jesus, I'm a historian. A dying breed, as it were.

Reply to allegorical oracle (Original post)

Tue Jan 14, 2025, 09:22 AM

Jan 14

I can read cursive in English (back to the 18th century) and Spanish (back to the 17th century).
I'd love to do this, but my rate is $75/hour. My PhD wasn't free.

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National Archives looking for volunteers to read cursive documents [View all] allegorical oracle Jan 12 OP

So they want volunteers? House of Roberts Jan 12 #1

I suppose it sells better than saying they're seeking dinosaurs. Hugin Jan 12 #2

This message was self-deleted by its author PeaceWave Jan 12 #30

Yep, if they want it done, better pay people for their skill and time. brush Jan 14 #52

Volunteers that know how to read. If they still taught cursive and doc03 Jan 12 #3

The documents are very difficult to marybourg Jan 12 #5

It's also not just cursive, as we know it. wnylib Jan 12 #8

Also there's deterioration in the ink and paper over marybourg Jan 12 #10

I imagine many docs are palimpsests. nt Ilsa Jan 12 #22

My Grandmother DeepWinter Jan 12 #25

I have trouble reading my father's cursive - it was beautiful and heavily stylized. nt yellowdogintexas Jan 12 #31

I do genealogy too and some of the old documents are almost impossible to read. Irish_Dem Jan 12 #32

I've had trouble reading the handwriting of wnylib Jan 12 #33

Yes try it in French/Gaelic/Latin. Irish_Dem Jan 12 #34

RE: not understanding people's accents. wnylib Jan 12 #37

I Use The Old "R" ProfessorGAC Jan 13 #45

I can imagine that it's very difficult. old time cursive is very hard (for me) to read BlueWaveNeverEnd Jan 12 #12

Interesting that you apparently believe cursive is not English. Voltaire2 Jan 14 #53

I tried it once and they assigned me marybourg Jan 12 #4

I did take a look at the information page. Hugin Jan 12 #6

My ability to write in a cursive has diminished since I began using keyboards and touchscreens almost exclusively. sop Jan 12 #7

It reads "For lo these many years." NameAlreadyTaken Jan 12 #9

Eventually thinkingagain Jan 12 #11

People who want or need to read cursive can learn to do so on their own. Mariana Jan 12 #13

Won't need encryption anymore! Just handwrite your plan of attack in cursive erronis Jan 12 #19

I will give it a shot Marthe48 Jan 12 #14

People who can't read cursive William769 Jan 12 #15

Yeah, but ... mahatmakanejeeves Jan 12 #16

Yeah, it can be a bit challenging. But you adapt. Igel Jan 12 #35

I also speak cursive Johonny Jan 12 #17

You mean loopy? erronis Jan 12 #18

This message was self-deleted by its author appalachiablue Jan 12 #24

National 3auld6phart Jan 12 #20

I doubt most people will be able to read older cursive Meowmee Jan 12 #21

I love the old writing. Linda ladeewolf Jan 12 #23

Thank you for posting this! Dem2theMax Jan 12 #26

Too complicated for AI? no_hypocrisy Jan 12 #27

pay per page... it'll get done. WarGamer Jan 12 #28

Whut 😮 Blue_Tires Jan 12 #29

Used to volunteer for Project Gutenberg. Igel Jan 12 #36

Confused Language Geek Jan 13 #38

Archives will not see your resume here KS Toronado Jan 13 #39

Sorry I forgot, welcome to DU! KS Toronado Jan 13 #40

Welcome to DU. Many here enjoy volunteering. When I lived in DC, I volunteered at The allegorical oracle Jan 13 #43

Welcome to DU LetMyPeopleVote Jan 13 #49

This is crowdsourcing research iemanja Jan 14 #50

No pay equals No TBF. TBF Jan 13 #41

So, You Are Saying RobinA Jan 13 #42

No, I am saying that if you force me into a box and TBF Jan 13 #44

There's A Middle Way ProfessorGAC Jan 13 #46

"so why should the rest of us? " eShirl Jan 14 #54

I'm fully in support of giving up capitalism and trying another way - TBF Jan 14 #59

Who will fact-check my transcriptions? JustABozoOnThisBus Jan 13 #47

Seems like AI would be good at this Bonx Jan 13 #48

Free human labor is much cheaper than training AI models. Intractable Jan 14 #56

It is until it isn't. And then it's better and cheaper. Bonx Jan 14 #58

I think I'll try this iemanja Jan 14 #51

I think this is a great thing to take a crack at Alice B. Jan 14 #57

Jesus, I'm a historian. A dying breed, as it were. róisín_dubh Jan 14 #55