¶ RDA 5.2: Date Abbreviations
¶ Date abbreviations
There are many different abbreviations in $d (i.e., date) of 1XX, 6XX, 7XX, and 8XX fields that can be expanded. The majority of these date changes only take place within X00 fields. NAF Conversion documentation X00 $d (pdf). The main exception is expanding month names in X10, X11, and X30 fields. RDA App. B (html)
¶ Birth date
RDA rules say that there are two possibilities for when the abbreviation b. has been used in a date. The first option is to remove b. and add a hyphen after the birth date. The other option is that b. can change to born. We have backed away from offering this last option as it contradicts LC policy and it poses a very probable risk that the heading would not find a match against LC authorities since LC does not use born as part of the heading. Please see your project manager if you would like to have the b. spelled out rather than use the hyphen.
Current LC policy is to add the hyphen after the birth date: LC-PCC PS for 9.3.2.3 (html)
Original: 100 1_ $a Mort, Paul R., $d b. 1894. Updated: 100 1_ $a Mort, Paul R., $d 1894- ''LC policy
¶ Death date
As with the birth date, there are also two options for expanding the abbreviation for a death date. When a d. is encountered, a hyphen can be added before the death date with the d. being removed or else d. can be changed to died. Similar to above, we have backed away from offering this last option to clients, unless they specifically request it.
Current LC policy is to add the hyphen before the date: LC-PCC PS for 9.3.3.3 (html)
Original: 100 1_ $a Lewis, Georgina King, $d d. 1924. Updated: 100 1_ $a Lewis, Georgina King, $d -1924. ''LC policy
¶ Flourished > active
The abbreviation fl. can be expanded to two different terms - flourished and active. While both are valid under RDA guidelines, LC/PCC policy is to use active. We will follow LC policy and change fl. to active in dates. Please see your Backstage project manager if you would like to use flourished instead.
Current LC policy is to change these to active: LC-PCC PS for 9.3.4.3 (html)
Original: 100 1_ $a Brown, John, $d fl. 1854. Updated: 100 1_ $a Brown, John, $d active 1854. ''LC policy
¶ Month names
In AACR2, month names were generally abbreviated. In RDA, month names should be expanded. The following table shows the changes that will be made with month names. RDA App. B (html)
| Abbreviated | Expanded | | | Abbreviated | Expanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. | January | Aug. | August | |
| Feb. | February | Sep. | September | |
| Mar. | March | Sept. | September | |
| Apr. | April | Oct. | October | |
| Jun. | June | Nov. | November | |
| Jul. | July | Dec. | December | |
Original: 100 1_ $a Einhorn, Richard, $d 1952 Aug. 2- 730 _0 $a Geneva Conventions $d (1949). $k Protocols, etc., $d 2005 Dec. 8. Updated: 100 1_ $a Einhorn, Richard, $d 1952 August 2- 730 _0 $a Geneva Conventions $d (1949). $k Protocols, etc., $d 2005 December 8.
¶ Other date abbreviations
A few additional abbreviations that can be expanded in date subfields include the following: LC-PCC PS for 9.3.4.3 (html)
| Abbreviated | Expanded |
|---|---|
| ca. | approximately |
| cent. | century |
| cen. | century |
Original: 100 1_ $a Fenton, Geoffrey, $d ca. 1539-1608. 600 10 $a Seghers, Hercules, $d 17th cent. 700 0_ $a Raol, $d 12th cen. Updated: 100 1_ $a Fenton, Geoffrey, $d approximately 1539-1608. 600 10 $a Seghers, Hercules, $d 17th century. 700 0_ $a Raol, $d 12th century.
¶ Default
Make all date changes in X00, X10, X11, X30 ($f & $d), 240, and 151 $y fields.
¶ Links
5.1 - 5.2 - 5.3 - 5.4 - 5.5 - 5.6 - 5.7