STEMMAS Meaning and
Definition
-
Stemmas, derived from the Latin word "stemma" meaning "tree," refers to a visual representation or diagram that depicts the relationship of various manuscript copies of a work, particularly ancient literary texts. Stemmas are commonly used in textual criticism, a branch of literary scholarship that focuses on establishing the most accurate, original version of a text based on available manuscript evidence.
In a stemma, the manuscripts are represented as nodes (also known as "witnesses") connected by lines, showing the paths of transmission from an original archetype or author's autograph. The more distant a manuscript is from the archetype, the more divergent it may be. The structure of a stemma can vary based on the degree of similarity or divergence among the witnesses.
Stemmas play a crucial role in textual criticism as they aid scholars in determining which readings are more likely to reflect the original text. By comparing the variations and agreements among different manuscript copies, scholars can reconstruct the genealogical relationships between them and identify common errors, interpolations, or corruptions that may have occurred during copying and transmission.
Stemmas are typically constructed through meticulous analysis of the textual variants and collation of manuscripts by skilled textual critics. They provide valuable insights into the history of a text's transmission, the influence of individual scribes or textual traditions, and contribute to the understanding and reconstruction of ancient literary works.
Common Misspellings for STEMMAS
- atemmas
- ztemmas
- xtemmas
- dtemmas
- etemmas
- wtemmas
- sremmas
- sfemmas
- sgemmas
- syemmas
- s6emmas
- s5emmas
- stwmmas
- stsmmas
- stdmmas
- strmmas
- st4mmas
- st3mmas
- stenmas
- stekmas
Infographic
Add the infographic to your website:
