O idealizacji i innych postawach wobec tekstu staropolskiego
On idealization and other attitudes towards Old Polish texts

Summary/Abstract: The term “idealization”, proposed by the present author, represents a research and editorial attitude that is based on the belief that the text under scrutiny is in some respect (and more often than not, in a number of respects) more perfect than it seems from a simple reading of its written form as it is preserved in a manuscript. This attitude can be manifested by changes in the transcription made by editors that go far beyond the basic scope of editorial interference arising from the essence of this form of transmission. The present article lists numerous examples of transcriptions of Old Polish texts which illustrate the editorial interference that exceeds far beyond the boundaries of accepted practice. The author proposes that as long as it is possible to understand the text in the Old Polish language, editors should refrain from correcting it, even if (from today’s perspective) it does not show content’s conformity with form or semantic and structural coherence.

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