Help for using the Sanskrit-Lexicon Correction Form

This correction form is intended to facilitate communication between users and maintainers of the Cologne Sanskrit Lexicon. When a user of one of the dictionaries notices what he or she believes to be an error in the display of a particular headword in that dictionary, then the user may click the Corrections link to access the Sanskrit-Lexicon Correction Form. Briefly, this form has fields for identifying the dictionary, the headword, and the particular 'record' of the headword in which the error appears; and fields for specifying the text that appears erroneous, and the alteration of the text which will correct the error. When the form is filled out, clicking the button registers the correction for implementation by the maintainer of the dictionary.

The following table describes each of the form fields.
Note (Mar 31, 2014) This help file is based on a slightly different version of the Correction Form, so some images won't exactly match what you see. Since the differences are 'cosmetic', this help file should still be useful.

  1. Which Dictionary? This will be filled in for you, according to the dictionary you were working with when you clicked the Corrections link. You should not change this.
    For instance, if you are using this dictionary, then the Dictionary field on the corrections form will be filled in as:

    Note also the red asterisk, *, indicating that this is a Required field, which must be filled in before you submit the form.
  2. Which L code? The 'L code' is a number identifying a particular record in the underlying data for a dictionary. It helps the maintainers find the spot where the underlying data needs to be corrected. For instance, here is a known error in the PWG 2013ed. dictionary, which has not yet been corrected. It occurs under the headword 'dA'. Here is how the basic display looks for this word, with the first L code highlighted:
    If the error were in this record, then '32399' would be put into the 'L code' field of the Corrections form. However, there is a lot of information in the dictionary under headword 'dA', and this information is spread across several records with different L codes. In the error I have in mind, the error actually occurs in another record which appears further down in this display:
    So the highlighted number '32405' is the one to put into the L code field of the Corrections form.
  3. Headword In the 'dA' example, the headword could be put as dA. You could also enter this word in devanagari or roman or in some other transliteration - your choice. The maintainer who processes the correction can figure it out.
  4. Old In this case, the error is in the German word spelled 'reinigeh'; so this is put into the 'Old' field of the Correction form. If it is a Sanskrit word, just copy and paste from the display, or enter the old word in some transliteration - your choice.
  5. New The correction is 'reinigen', which is put into the 'New' field of the Correction form.
  6. Comment Put here comments that will help the maintainer of the data understand the problem. You might put 'Typo' or 'Typing error' or this example; or "typing error, 'h' should be 'n'". Presumably, the person who found this error referred to the corresponding scanned image, so a more full Comment might be "typing error, 'h' should be 'n'; page 3-0579 of the scan." So, the guidance is to be concise and helpful to the poor maintainer who will validate and then implement your correction.
  7. Your Email Address This is optional. It both identifies you to the maintainer; often the maintainer who implements the correction may send you a brief note so you will know the status of your correction.
    Alternately, you might just put your name or a nickname in this field; this might be appropriate if you have privacy concerns about sharing an email address, but plan to often submit corrections and want us to know who you are.
    Here is what the correction form might look like now:
  8. button: When you click this, you will see the following (The 'Google Drive' part is just along for the ride, since the Correction Form is part of the Google ecosystem.) You would normally just close this window, although you could, as shown, either Edit your response. It is advised that you do not press the 'Submit another response', since in this case the 'Which Dictionary' field won't be filled in. It is better to just close the 'Submit' page, and reclick the Corrections link to submit another correction.