Church record book

By Ohiogirl48@gmail.com on Sat, 02/22/2020 - 13:10

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The book is Trinity Lutheran Church Records, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, vol. 3, 1782-1796, translated and edited by Debra D. Smith and Frederick S. Weiser.  Do I begin with Debra D. Smith and Frederick S. Weiser, translators and editors since there is no author noted?

Submitted byEEon Sun, 02/23/2020 - 08:53

Ohiogirl48, the "creator" field of a book citation is for whatever function the creator served. In brief:

  • If the title page names only a translator, then the translator's name goes in that creator field. See the Costa example at 12.9 "Author's Role: Translator or Transcriber."
  • If the title page names only an editor, then the editor's name goes in that creator field. See 12.65, "Citing Editor as Author."
  • If the title page names both a translator and an editor, the translator would be cited in the creator field. That name would be followed by the title of the book, after which the editor and her role would be cited. See the Smith-Sanborn example at 12.66 "Citing Editor as Well as Author."

We would not lump the translator and the editor together in the creator field. If the translator created the work, the translator is the creator. The editor is the person who "tidied up" the manuscript. She did not create it.