TEI Element Set for bookcove.net

version 1.0 as of 2025-12-04

Core Required Elements (TEI Minimal)

Document Structure

<TEI> - Root element for TEI document
<teiHeader> - Container for metadata
<fileDesc> - File description (bibliographic information)
<titleStmt> - Title statement
<title> - Title of the work
<publicationStmt> - Publication statement
<sourceDesc> - Source description
<text> - Container for the text itself
<body> - Main body of text

Basic Text Structure

<p> - Paragraph
- Use @rend attribute for styling: rend="no-indent", or any custom CSS class

Additional Structural Elements

Document Divisions

<div> - Text division (chapters, sections, parts)
- Use @type attribute: type="chapter", type="section", etc.
- Use @xml:id attribute for linking: xml:id="ch1" (creates anchor point for table of contents)
<head> - Heading for divisions
<front> - Front matter (preface, introduction, etc.)
<back> - Back matter (appendices, notes, etc.)

Poetry/Verse

<lg> - Line group (stanza, verse paragraph)
- Use @rend="center" to center the entire poem
<l> - Line of verse
- Use @rend attribute for indentation: rend="indent", rend="indent2", or rend="indent3"
- Use @rend="center" to center a single line

Lists

<list> - List container
<item> - List item
<label> - Label for list item

Tables

<table> - Table container
<row> - Table row
<cell> - Table cell
- Use @role="label" for header cells

Inline Elements

Emphasis and Highlighting

<hi> - Highlighted text (general purpose)
- Use @rend attribute: rend="italic", rend="bold", rend="underline", rend="small-caps", etc.
<emph> - Semantic emphasis (optional alternative to <hi>)

Quotations and References

<quote> - Quotation (inline or block)
<signed> - Signature or attribution line (typically at the end of a quote or letter)
- HTML/EPUB: Renders as <div class="signature"> (right-aligned, italic)
- Text: Right-aligned plain text
<ref> - Reference or link
- Use @target for URLs: <ref target="https://example.com">link text</ref>
- Use @target with # for internal links: <ref target="#ch1">Chapter 1</ref>
<note> - Note or annotation

Special Text

<foreign> - Foreign language text (optional)
<title> - Title of a work mentioned in text

Breaks

<lb> - Line break
<pb> - Page break
- Use @n attribute for page numbers: <pb n="42"/>
<milestone> - Section break or thought break
- Use @rend="stars" for asterisk separator: <milestone rend="stars"/>
- Use @rend="space" for blank space separator: <milestone rend="space"/>
- Use @rend="space2", @rend="space3", etc. for larger vertical spacing
- Format-specific rendering: Use @rend-epub="none" to suppress milestone in EPUB output only
  - Example: <milestone rend="space" rend-epub="none"/> renders spacing in HTML/text but not in EPUB
  - Example: <milestone rend="stars" rend-epub="none"/> renders asterisks in HTML/text but not in EPUB

Figures/Illustrations

<figure> - Container for illustrations
- Use @rend attribute for positioning: rend="left", rend="right", or rend="center"
<graphic> - Image reference
- Use @url attribute: <graphic url="images/picture.jpg"/>
- Use @width attribute for sizing: <graphic url="..." width="50%"/> or <graphic url="..." width="300px"/>
<figDesc> - Figure description (for alt text/accessibility)
<head> - Caption for the figure (when used within <figure>)

Total Count

Approximately 34 elements - enough for most literary texts without overwhelming users.

Common Attributes

@type - Specify types for various elements
@rend - Rendering/display information
@n - Numbering
@role - Role specification (especially for table cells)

Example Usage

<TEI xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0">
  <teiHeader>
    <fileDesc>
      <titleStmt>
        <title>Pride and Prejudice</title>
      </titleStmt>
      <publicationStmt>
        <p>Published by bookcove.net</p>
      </publicationStmt>
      <sourceDesc>
        <p>Transcribed from 1813 edition</p>
      </sourceDesc>
    </fileDesc>
  </teiHeader>
  <text>
    <front>
      <div type="preface">
        <head>Preface</head>
        <p>This is the preface...</p>
      </div>
    </front>
    <body>
      <div type="chapter" n="1">
        <head>Chapter I</head>
        <p>It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.</p>
        
        <figure>
          <graphic url="images/estate.jpg"/>
          <head>Netherfield Park</head>
          <figDesc>A grand English estate with manicured gardens</figDesc>
        </figure>
        
        <p>However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered the <hi rend="italic">rightful property</hi> of some one or other of their daughters.</p>
        
        <milestone rend="stars"/>

        <p>The next morning brought a new development.</p>

        <quote>
          <p>I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading!</p>
          <signed>— Miss Bingley</signed>
        </quote>
      </div>
    </body>
  </text>
</TEI>

Notes

This set balances simplicity with functionality for typical literary texts
Can be extended if needed for specific text types
AI assistance can help users apply these elements correctly
All elements are valid TEI and will work with TEI processing tools