expanding abbreviated names

HalFields

It was my understanding that when I indexed a name, I was to make an exact letter by letter transcription. Then I reviewed someone else's indexing, and they had expanded abbreviations such as Geo., Jas., Wm., and Jno. into George, James, William, and John. The indexer even took it one step further and changed some nicknames such as Betty to Elizabeth. This struck close to home, as my mother was baptized with the name Betty (not Elizabeth), and I have an uncle baptized with the name Gene (not Eugene). I am pretty sure we are to transcribe nicknames exactly as given, but what about abbreviations?

Dellory Matthews

We always type personal names exactly as we see them on the image. We never expand name abbreviations or change nicknames. Thanks for being so careful as a Reviewer.

https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/how-do-i-index-given-names

(Indexing rules for place names vary by project and as mentioned above, the Field Help will instruct you.)

Brown, Sylvia

Each section in Indexing on the right side of the area that you type the information has a purple question mark by it. If you click the question mark it will tell you if you should expand abbreviations or not. I have found that most of the time with names you type it as is.

The Field Help is what pops up when you click the question mark. It gives you all the information you need to index this section. Every section has it.

WagnerJL6

I find on the Get Involved reviewing that the computer is expanding the abbreviations. Wm becomes William, Jas becomes James etc. For the Get Involved reviewing, do we review those as "matches?"

Lisa Kay Horlacher

My understanding is that on Get Involved, we match the computer expanded abbreviations. I read it in a post somewhere and can't find it now. That's why there needs to be instructions somewhere.

maryellenstevensbarnes1

@Lisa Kay Horlacher Several posts under Categories

This one might help

My thought is that no one on the Name Review team or Artificial Intelligence understands that "Wm." could be an abbrev for "Willem" and "Jas" is not only "James" but "Jasper", :Theo" could also be short for "Theodosius" etc -- we should not be expanding abbreviations --that's for the researcher in my opinion - I don't do name review for these exact reasons, rather spend my time indexing and reviewing-more fun too😎