Aids to reading, translating and understanding manuscripts
- Alcock, N.W., Old Title Deeds
(1986).
- Gouldesbrough, P., A
Formulary of Old Scots Legal Documents (1985).
- The National Archives provides an online currency
converter to translate yesterday's money values into today's.
- University
of Nottingham: Manuscripts skills. Guidance on using and
understanding old records, including dating, deeds and manorial
records..
Dating
Dictionaries
- An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, based on the manuscript collections of the late Joseph Bosworth, edited and enlarged by T. Northcote Toller, M.A. (1898).
- Babylon: collection of English
to Latin and Latin to English dictionaries, which can be used
online or downloaded.
- Celtic-Latin
Word-List: a checklist of distinctive vocabulary
found in the texts covered by the Royal Irish Academy's
Dictionary of Medieval Latin from Celtic Sources,
the first volume of which has been published: A. Harvey and J.
Power, The Non-Classical Lexicon of Celtic Latinity
(2006).
- Dictionary
of the Scots Language combines electronic
editions of the Dictionary
of the Older Scottish Tongue (12th to 17th centuries) and
the Scottish National Dictionary (18th
century to the present day).
- Eagle, A., The Online
Scots Dictionary.
- Gaelic
Dictionaries Online: a selection of
dictionaries, some searchable, including Irish, Manx and Scottish
Gaelic.
- Latham, R.E., Revised Medieval Latin Word-List
(1965).
- Lewis, C.T. and Short, C., A Latin Dictionary (1879).
- Martin, C.T., The Record Interpreter
(1910, facsimile 1982). Lists
abbreviations of Latin and French words used in English medieval
documents and Latin forms of English place and personal names. Its
glossaries are online at the White Trash Scriptorium.
- Nelson, L.H., Latin
Word List, which includes medieval meanings.
- Robinson, M. (ed.), The Concise Scots
Dictionary
(1985).
- Stuart, D., Latin for Local and Family
Historians (1995).
- Thomas,
R.J., Geiriadur
Prifysgol Cymru: a dictionary of the Welsh language
(1950-). Etymological.
Glossaries
-
Cox, N., and Dannehl, K., Dictionary
of Traded Goods and Commodities, 1550-1820
(2007). A dictionary of terms used in documents relating to trade and
retail in early modern Britain.
- Gee, E., A Glossary of
Building Terms Used in England from the Conquest to c.1550
(Frome Historical Research Group 1984).
- Fisher,
J.L., A Medieval Farming Glossary of Latin and English
Words Taken Mainly From Essex Records (Standing Conference
for Local History 1968).
- Milward, R., A
Glossary of Household, Farming and Trade Terms from Probate Inventories,
3rd edn. (Derbyshire Record Society 1986).
- Needham, S., A Glossary for East Yorkshire and
North Lincolnshire
Probate Inventories (1984).
- For glossaries of modern terms for historic architectural
detail see Fabric.
Handwriting guides
- Grieve, H.E.P., Examples of English
Handwriting 1150-1750
(1954).
- Hector, L.C., The Handwriting of English
Documents (1958).
- National
Archives, Paleography
provides a web tutorial to reading documents written in English between
1500 and 1800. Includes exercises.
- Marshall, H., Palaeography
for Family and Local Historians (2004).
- Postles,
D.A., Palaeography
covers medieval charters and 16th and 17th-century manuscripts.
Includes palaeography exercises.
- Rosie, A., Scottish
Handwriting 1500-1700 (1994).
- Scottish
Handwriting: online tuition in the palaeography
of Scottish documents 1500-1750.
- Simpson, G.G.,
Scottish Handwriting (1986).
- Tillotson,
D., Medieval
Writing includes the history of scripts and
interactive palaeography exercises.
Latin tutorials
- Gooder, E.A., Latin for Local History
2nd edn. (1978).
- National
Archives, Beginner's
Latin: a beginners' guide to the Latin used in
documents between 1086 and 1733.
- National Archives, Advanced
Latin: online tutorial with 12 lessons to teach
medieval Latin to an advanced level.
