Editing Editorial Guidelines - Texts and Translations (section)

== Page Markers and Pagination ==
To ensure absolute fidelity to the historical archive, original text transcriptions must mirror the exact pagination of the primary source edition used. Page markers serve as the low-level anchoring system across the database and must be inserted precisely where the physical page transitions, regardless of whether this split occurs in the middle of a sentence, clause, or compound phrase. Translations mirror the page markers of their original texts, so that the text pairs remain locked in sequence. Page markers are templates, not headings, so they do not appear in the table of contents.

=== Page Markers in Original Texts ===
* '''Standard Rule:''' Every new physical page of the source edition is introduced by a page marker.
** If there is an English translation of the text in the RBP wiki, use <code><nowiki>{{tpage|#}}</nowiki></code>, replacing "#" with the page number.
** If there is '''no''' English translation of the text in the RBP wiki, use <code><nowiki>{{page|#}}</nowiki></code>, replacing "#" with the page number.
* '''Changing Status:''' When a translation of a text is added to the wiki, all <code><nowiki>{{page|#}}</nowiki></code> markers on the original text page must be changed to <code><nowiki>{{tpage|#}}</nowiki></code> at the same time.

=== Page Markers in Translations ===
* '''Standard Rule:''' Every page segment of the translation must match the original layout by being introduced by a page marker with the same page number as the original.
** If the original text is available in the RBP wiki, use <code><nowiki>{{opage|#}}</nowiki></code>, replacing "#" with the page number.
** If the original text is '''not''' available in the RBP wiki, use <code><nowiki>{{page|#}}</nowiki></code>, replacing "#" with the page number.
* '''Changing Status:''' When the original text is added to the wiki, all <code><nowiki>{{page|#}}</nowiki></code> markers on the translation page must be changed to <code><nowiki>{{opage|#}}</nowiki></code> at the same time.

=== Mid-Sentence Placement ===
* '''Character-Level Splitting:''' In an original text, the page marker must be placed directly between the two characters where the physical page split occurs in the source document. Do not wait for a sentence, clause, or punctuation mark to end.
* '''No Added Marks:''' When a page marker splits an original sentence or word block, do not insert Western-style hyphens, spacing, or editorial punctuation to indicate the break. The text must simply resume naturally after the page marker.

=== Determining Translation Page Breaks ===
Because Asian languages use vastly different syntax and word orders compared to English, finding the precise point to split an English translation to match an original page break is structurally difficult (especially in Japanese, due to trailing verbs and modifying clauses). Translators must navigate this anchoring using the following priority system:
* '''Priority 1 (The Exact Syntactic Split):''' Wherever possible, the translator must place the English page marker at the exact point in the English sentence that corresponds to the semantic transition in the original text. This means a single English sentence will frequently be split across two page markers.
* '''Priority 2 (The Sentence Boundary Exception):''' If an original page break occurs at a point where the Japanese or Chinese syntax is so deeply inverted that splitting the English sentence creates complete gibberish or destroys the meaning of the passage, the translator may place the page marker at the nearest logical grammatical boundary (such as the end of the immediate English clause or sentence).

=== Typography for Split English Sentences ===
* '''No Mechanical Hyphenation:''' If an English sentence or phrase must be split across a page marker, do not use hyphens or ellipses at the end of the line. Capitalize the first word of the text resuming after the page marker only if it marks the start of a completely new sentence. Otherwise, let it resume in lowercase.
** ''Syntax Example (English Split):''
<pre><nowiki>
He argued passionately for the complete overthrow of the imperial
{{opage|2}}
system and the liberation of the agricultural class.
</nowiki></pre>

=== Interface Integration Note ===
Custom MediaWiki interface templates render functional user toggle buttons at the page markers. This allows readers to seamlessly switch views between these precise anchor points and their matching segments in the English translation. This section will be extended once those specific template codes are finalized.