märkmeid

Märkmeid are notes or annotations added to a text to provide clarification, commentary, references, or auxiliary information. They can take several forms, including footnotes placed at the bottom of a page, endnotes collected at the end of a chapter or work, marginalia written in the margins, glosses that explain difficult terms, or editor's notes that indicate corrections or editorial choices. In digital texts, märkmeid may appear as inline annotations, hover texts, or linked citations.

The primary purpose of märkmeid is to aid understanding without interrupting the main narrative. They allow authors and editors to cite sources, add cross-references, clarify terminology, or discuss methodological decisions. They also enable readers to assess reliability and follow the development of arguments or translations.

Historically, marginal notes and similar marks can be traced to medieval manuscripts, where scribes and readers added remarks to aid study and interpretation. In modern publishing, märkmeid follow established conventions and style guides, with decisions about placement, numbering, and formatting varying by discipline and publisher. In scholarly editions, they often carry bibliographic information, source commentary, or translational notes, while general reference works use them to provide quick explanations or citations.

See also: annotation, footnote, endnote, marginalia, gloss. The practice of adding notes and annotations is widespread across languages and publishing traditions, though specific terms and conventions differ by context.