aSSalaMUAlaikum.......

My fourth posting is about the application of concordance. It is important to know the term of concordance first before we apply it to complete our task.
A concordance is, according to Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (10^th ed.), "an alphabetical index of the principal words in a book or the works of an author with their immediate contexts." An index is, from the same source, "a list (as of bibliographical information or citations to a body of literature) arranged usually in alphabetical order of some specified datum (as author, subject, or keyword): as a: a list of items (as topics or names) treated in a printed work that gives for each item the page number where it may be found." The definition for index goes on to include a number of related ideas, most of which have to do with "indicating." A better definition, for this particular usage of the word index, is this: "An index is a structured sequence—resulting from a thorough and complete analysis of text--of synthesized access points to all the information contained in the text. The structured arrangement of the index enables users to locate information efficiently" (Mulvany, 1994).

Now then, we have defined our terms. Now we can determine what the needs of a particular book are. It may be that a concordance would be useful, but for most books, an index is what is needed. A concordance generator produces a list of words that occur in the book, with the exception of those on the stop list (lists of prepositions, conjunctions, common articles and the like). So, you will see that it is a listing of mainly nouns, verbs and other words not included on the stop list. It will also produce a list of pages or references where these words occur. This sounds good—it sounds like a useful thing. But, you will note that there are several things missing that a standard index should contain.

Concept Indexing If a text contains the words roses, snapdragons, petunias, orchids and violets, there will be page references next to each in the concordance. But there will be no listing under the umbrella term, flowers. Think about that for a minute. And while the text clearly discusses what type of fertilizer to give each plant, it might never mention care and feeding. It is precisely these issues that require a human to analyze the content and organize the information. All but the simplest of books need a map. And that is what an index is. Topic Selection A concordance cannot distinguish between a term that is mentioned in passing at a few locations in the book and a term that is fundamental to the theme or focus of the book. The relative importance of words and concepts can only be determined by a subjective and intelligent analysis of the context of the discussion. No computer program can yet do this. Cross-References Cross-references provide alternate pathways to the information contained in the index. There are two main types of cross-references. See and See also. A See reference indicates that there is no information contained at that entry point. It points the reader to the correct location to find information on that topic. A See also reference points readers to related information in addition to what is found at that entry. These are not the same, but the difference between them can be subtle. Regardless, they are useful and common features of a good index. Cross references can comprise between 1 and 10 percent of all the locators (page references) in an index. Mapping routes through the index is a prime responsibility of a good indexer. Double-Posting Double-posting creates a duplicate entry under another, often synonymous, term. In the book that mentioned flowers, you might see that there is discussion of St. John’s wort (also known as hypericum). If it were double-posted, it might be listed under both of these in the index, with full references to all information contained in the book under each listing. Of course, double-posting is commonly eschewed in favor of See references, because of frequent space limitations in an index. Sub-headings Sub-headings are the real meat-and-potatoes of a good index. A concordance does not have the intellectual and conceptual framework to support an in-depth analysis of topics in sub-heading form. In our flower book, a good index might contain a listing of all of the flowers, and specific topics under each flower noting the context of the discussion. For example: "Roses, mildew on" or "St. John’s wort, medicinal applications of" or "Corn, care and feeding of," to name but a few. In Conclusion An index and a concordance share very little. They are different creatures entirely, each serving a particular need. Concordances lack the analysis that goes into an index, and are consequently less useful. They can be, and are, useful as tools for the information professional; but I wouldn’t recommend them to the general publishing field. A Note on E-Books The growing popularity of the many forms of portable electronic books has serious repercussions for the information retrieval industry (indexing and cataloguing professionals). Should your e-book have an index? Should you rely on the full-text search capabilities of the e-book platform itself? What are the costs involved?

Sources Mulvany, Nancy C. (1994) Indexing Books. The University of Chicago Press. (Chicago)
Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition (1997) Merriam-Webster. (Springfield, Massachusetts)

THE EXAMPLE OF CONCORDANCE USAGE:
This poem was created by P.B. Shelley...
(http://www.dundee.ac.uk/english/wics/wics.htm)

A.....................110
Such gloom, why man has such a scope
Or moonlight on a midnight stream,
Like darkness to a dying flame!
Like life and fear, a dark reality.
While yet a boy I sought for ghosts, and sped
Through many a listening chamber, cave and ruin,
I call the phantoms of a thousand hours
When noon is past; there is a harmony
In autumn, and a lustre in its sky,
I met a traveller from an antique land
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
Like a cloud of fire;
Like a star of Heaven,
As from thy presence showers a rain of melody.
Like a Poet hidden
Like a high-born maiden
In a palace-tower,
Like a glow-worm golden
In a dell of dew,
Like a rose embower'd
That panted forth a flood of rapture so divine.
A thing wherein we feel there is some hidden want.
Or how could thy notes flow in such a crystal stream?
Not to shed a tear,
Each like a corpse within its grave, until
Will be the dome of a vast sepulchre,
Beside a pumice isle in Baiae's bay,
If I were a dead leaf thou mightest bear;
If I were a swift cloud to fly with thee;
A wave to pant beneath thy power, and share
Scarce seem'd a vision; I would ne'er have striven
Oh, lift me as a wave, a leaf, a cloud!
Oh, lift me as a wave, a leaf, a cloud!
Oh, lift me as a wave, a leaf, a cloud!
A heavy weight of hours has chain'd and bow'd
Will take from both a deep, autumnal tone,
Like wither'd leaves to quicken a new birth!
The trumpet of a prophecy! O Wind,
Thaw not the frost which binds so dear a head!
An echo and a light unto eternity!
Like his, a mute and uncomplaining sleep;
Trampled and mock'd with many a loathed rite
Like a pale flower by some sad maiden cherish'd,
A grave among the eternal. -- Come away!
So fair a prey, till darkness and the law
They ne'er will gather strength, or find a home again.
Like dew upon a sleeping flower, there lies
A tear some Dream has loosen'd from his brain.
Lost Angel of a ruin'd Paradise!
She faded, like a cloud which had outwept its rain.
One from a lucid urn of starry dew
A greater loss with one which was more weak;
And, as a dying meteor stains a wreath
And, as a dying meteor stains a wreath
Into a shadow of all sounds: a drear
Into a shadow of all sounds: a drear
A quickening life from the Earth's heart has burst
The lamps of Heaven flash with a softer light;
Be as a sword consum'd before the sheath
A moment, then is quench'd in a most cold repose.
A moment, then is quench'd in a most cold repose.
A wound more fierce than his, with tears and sighs.
Swift as a Thought by the snake Memory stung,
Even as a ghost abandoning a bier,
Even as a ghost abandoning a bier,
Had left the Earth a corpse. Sorrow and fear
In the death-chamber for a moment Death,
Kiss me, so long but as a kiss may live;
Now thou art dead, as if it were a part
Is gather'd into death without a dawn,
A godlike mind soars forth, in its delight
A phantom among men; companionless
A pardlike Spirit beautiful and swift --
A Love in desolation mask'd -- a Power
A Love in desolation mask'd -- a Power
It is a dying lamp, a falling shower,
It is a dying lamp, a falling shower,
A breaking billow; even whilst we speak
The killing sun smiles brightly: on a cheek
And a light spear topp'd with a cypress cone,
And a light spear topp'd with a cypress cone,
A herd-abandon'd deer struck by the hunter's dart.
He answer'd not, but with a sudden hand
The heavy heart heaving without a moan?
Life's early cup with such a draught of woe?
Thou noteless blot on a remember'd name!
And like a beaten hound tremble thou shalt -- as now.
A portion of the Eternal, which must glow
Like corpses in a charnel; fear and grief
A heart grown cold, a head grown gray in vain;
A heart grown cold, a head grown gray in vain;
Which like a mourning veil thy scarf hadst thrown
He is a presence to be felt and known
He is a portion of the loveliness
And death is a low mist which cannot blot
Lifts a young heart above its mortal lair,
Sublimely mild, a Spirit without spot,
Oblivion as they rose shrank like a thing reprov'd.
Silent alone amid a Heaven of Song.
As from a centre, dart thy spirit's light
Even to a point within our day and night;
Thy footsteps to a slope of green access
A light of laughing flowers along the grass is spread;
Feeds, like slow fire upon a hoary brand;
A field is spread, on which a newer band
A field is spread, on which a newer band
Here, on one fountain of a mourning mind,
Life, like a dome of many-colour'd glass,
A light is pass'd from the revolving year,
The soul of Adonais, like a star,