new Molina printing

[R. Joe Campbell]

    Regarding the use of the word "facsimile" (and related forms), I have a 
problem.  My problem particularly relates to the Porrua edition of Molina, 
which I believe does not qualify as a facsimile edition, since it is, in 
fact, a facsimile edition of the Platzmann 1880 Molina, although neither 
the type-face nor the pages are the same size.  That is the location of 
the weak link; Platzmann is *not* a facsimile of the 1571 Molina.  It does 
not contain literal images of the folios of the 1571 publication, as do 
the 1944 Ediciones Cultura Hispanica volume and the 2001 volume edited by 
Esther Hernandez.
    Rather, type was re-set in 1880, leaving the way open for the 
introduction of new errors, something which is impossible in a true 
facsimile edition.  The way being open, many errors were in fact 
introduced, some of the popular ones being substitution of 'v' (or 'u') 
for 'n' and vice versa, as well as mis-readings between 'y' and 'v'.

    What all of these editions do share is the original spelling, including 
"tall s", c-cedilla, and vowel abbreviations.  However, the type-font of 
Platzmann is not the type-font of the original.  And the wavy lines of 
type of the 1571 edition are certainly missing in Platzmann!!

    Maria Moliner's definition of "facsi'mil" or "facsi'mile":
"Copia o reproduccio'n exacta de un libro, un impreso, un dibujo, una 
firma, etc."

    If there was an older, looser, and no longer current use of 
"facsimile", I would be interested in knowing about it.

Joe

>
> Some information about the facsimil edition which was printed in Spain:
>
> Fray Alonso de Molina, Vocabulario en lengua castellana y mexicana, Estudio
> de Esther Hernandez, Ediciones de Cultura Hispanica, Agencia Espanyola de
> Cooperacion Internacional, Madrid, 2001.
> ISBN (Obra completa) 84-7232-869-4; (Facsimil) 84-7232-870-8; (Estudio)
> 84-7232-871-6
>
> It is the facsimil edition of 1571 (as well as that of Porrua), and was
> taken from the copy that is in the Biblioteca Nacional de Espanya. The last
> page of the facsimil says: "Edicion facsimilar de 1.000 ejemplares
> numerados".
>