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Document Details : Title: 'Genetically Modified Corpus' or 'Critical Edition'? Subtitle: The Shãnãma Genome Project Author(s): AMIN MAHDAVI, M. Journal: Persica Volume: 19 Date: 2003 Pages: 1-31 DOI: 10.2143/PERS.19.1.505103 Abstract : One of the aims of this paper is to explore the resemblance between the textual content of a work to the book of life captured by the DNA sequence in living organisms. In this paper it will be argued that a critical edition is a genitically modified text that is engineeered to be different from all other copies. This paper draws upon research in evolutionary biology and computational linguistics to suggest a multi-text solution as an alternative to the practice of producing critical editions. This paper uses the Shâhnâma of Firdausî as an example to argue that current methodologies in producing critical editions may have to be rethought and re-examined. It posits that, unlike direct methods if copying manuscripts, critical editions introduce a premeditated evolutionary shift in the content of works, for they tend to pick and choose from various versions of a given text what the editor deems correct. |
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