Udslættet

Udslættet is a Danish term used in textual editing and philology to refer to material that has been removed or erased from a text, whether in manuscript tradition, print, or later transcription. The concept covers portions that are intentionally deleted, illegible, or otherwise absent from the surviving witnesses. In scholarly work the erased sections are described as udslættet to distinguish them from passages that are present but disputed or uncertain.

In practice, udslættet appears in critical editions and manuscript descriptions as an indicator of text that no longer exists in the source material but is known to have been part of the original or an earlier version. Editors may note udslættet in apparatuses, footnotes, or marginalia, and may provide conjectural readings, reconstructions, or explanations for why the passage was removed. The term is commonly used in Danish-language editions and discussions of medieval and early modern texts, as well as in studies of censorship, revision, and redaction.

The concept also has relevance in modern contexts, where digital transcription, archival processing, and censorship practices can lead to erasure or redaction of content. In such cases udslættet helps scholars track how texts have been altered over time and what material might have influenced later versions. Overall, udslættet serves as a concise descriptor for the erased portions of a text, guiding interpretation and scholarly attribution. See also redaction, excision, textual criticism, and manuscript studies.