excerptum

Excerptum is a Latin term that translates to "taken out" or "selected." In various academic and literary contexts, it refers to a portion of a larger text that has been intentionally removed for specific purposes. This can include quoting a passage to support an argument, illustrating a point, or analyzing a particular section of work. The act of creating an excerpt involves careful selection to ensure that the extracted portion accurately represents the original meaning or serves the intended analytical purpose without misrepresenting the broader context.

The practice of excerpting is fundamental to many forms of research and writing. Scholars frequently use excerpts from primary sources to provide evidence for their claims. Literary critics may excerpt passages to examine stylistic elements, character development, or thematic motifs. In legal settings, excerpts of statutes or case law are used to refer to specific provisions or precedents. The effectiveness of an excerpt often depends on its representativeness and the clarity with which it is presented alongside the original source.

In some instances, the term excerptum might also appear in discussions of manuscript traditions, referring to sections of a text that were copied or transcribed separately. This can occur due to various reasons, including the preservation of significant passages or their use in different compilations. Regardless of the specific field, the core concept of excerptum remains the extraction of a meaningful segment from a larger whole.