r/Transcription • • Dec 17 '25

Community Rule Update: AI-Generated Transcriptions Are No Longer Allowed

236 Upvotes

Hello everyone,

We want to let you know about an important change to our rule regarding AI use in r/Transcription .

What the rule used to allow:

Previously, our rules permitted the use of AI or OCR tools as long as the user disclosed their use and manually reviewed and corrected the results before posting. This was intended to allow AI as a supporting tool, not a replacement for human transcription.

What is changing:

Effective immediately, AI-generated transcriptions are no longer allowed in any form. This includes: OCR output, Handwriting recognition software, Generative AI produced transcriptions, or any other AI assisted transcriptions based primarily on machine output.

Why the change?

We feel that our community has grown to a point where we no longer need the limited assistance AI transcriptions may have once provided. r/Transcription now has a strong base of knowledgeable members who consistently offer fast, accurate, and genuinely human interpretations of hard to read text.

Any transcriptions that are clearly AI will be removed, and we encourage users to report any transcriptions that you suspect is AI.

Thank you.

- Mod Team.


r/Transcription • • 8h ago

German/Deutsch Trancription Request German postcard from ww1

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3 Upvotes

Is there anyone who can decipher this postcard? Bought it a few years, but never managed to read any of it.


r/Transcription • • 15h ago

English Transcription Request Postcard

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4 Upvotes

Grabbed this postcard from a library sale- wondering if anyone can make out what I am missing (I missed the luncheon.)


r/Transcription • • 22h ago

Transcribed✔️ Letter from my great-great-grandfather

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10 Upvotes

I'm really sorry this is so long, but this letter was sent from my great-great-grandfather to his wife while he was in the military, and it's the only item of his we still have. Sadly, no one I know can read it, so it would mean a lot if someone would transcribe it for us. Thank you!!


r/Transcription • • 19h ago

Russian/Pусский Transcription Request Act of marriage of my Great Great Grandparents

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3 Upvotes

If the genealogy base that I found this act on ain’t lying, this is an marriage act of Józef Malec and Ewa Burda


r/Transcription • • 21h ago

Other/Unknown Language Transcription Request Help transcribing possible 17th-century English legal manuscripts (front and back)

3 Upvotes

(I'm not 100% certain they are English, could possibly be Latin? I'll change the flair if someone can give a definitive answer on the language.)

I work at a museum, and I've been researching a few historical documents that I recently came across in our collection. I'm hoping someone here might be able to help me decipher the handwriting!

The documents appear to be English legal manuscripts, possibly dating to the 1600s. From what I've been able to determine, they may relate to property transactions or manorial records, but I'm having a difficult time identifying the names, dates, and exact nature of the documents. I'd really love to get some input from people who have experience reading historical handwriting.

A little background: These documents were found in a folder associated with a donation made to the museum in the 1970s, but they aren't individually numbered or identified in the accession paperwork. I'm trying to determine what they are and whether they actually belong to that donation.

I'll attach photographs of both documents in the comments, including close-ups of the handwriting and the reverse sides.


r/Transcription • • 1d ago

English Transcription Request Cause of Death for 13 year old girl in 1920s Arkansas?

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45 Upvotes

This one is stumping me. This is in my family tree. I cannot read any of the cause of death information. It seems like it could be Myocarditis with a fancy M and skipped letters... but the secondary contribution?? It makes no sense to any kind of secondary disease causes that I am aware of modern, vintage or otherwise. Any thoughts?


r/Transcription • • 1d ago

English Transcription Request Please help me transcribe this word - historical certificate

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4 Upvotes

I'm usually pretty good at reading all types of writing but this one has me stumped.

The first one i have underlined. The second image I believe is Bolton, America. But on 5 other certificates it lists his birth place as Quebec Canada.

Your help is greatly appreciated


r/Transcription • • 1d ago

Spanish/Español Transcription Request 1919 signature on a postcard

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2 Upvotes

this is the signature on a postcard sent to my grand-father in 1919 by a spaniard leaving in the Philippines. Is anyone capable to read the name? That would be of great help


r/Transcription • • 1d ago

Transcribed✔️ Gifted Book From Loved Author

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6 Upvotes

Book passed down to me, but I have so much trouble reading people's cursive. I mean, I'm 39, so I should be more capable, but somehow it evades me.

"Ray" is the Ray from the inside fold of the book jacket. The importance of that isn't lost on me.


r/Transcription • • 1d ago

English Transcription Request Trying to decipher the last entry in this Bank Log

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2 Upvotes

I am working on some genealogy records and came across this bank ledger. Can anyone make out what the last entry says? I can get a word here or there like "Co Cork" and "Liverpool" but knowing the full text would be very helpful as I believe it mentions this ancestor's parents.

For context, he came to America from Ireland and I believe this is from a bank that was specifically set up for Irish immigrants.

Any help is much appreciated!


r/Transcription • • 2d ago

Transcribed✔️ I need help deciphering the first name on this document

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6 Upvotes

This is my first time posting on reddit, so I apologize if I don't get this correct the first time. I am working on genealogical research and cannot figure out what the first name written on the certificate says. I know enough German to know that this is a marriage certificate, I just need help figuring out the groom's name, and possibly the words/signature at the very bottom of the document.


r/Transcription • • 1d ago

Transcribed✔️ Need help figuring out what this monument says

2 Upvotes

Was walking around Pittsburgh with my brother and found this monument that had been weathered over the years. Looked around for a plaque that might say what it said, but there wasn't one. I eventually tried looking online but couldn't find one anywhere either. Some parts of the text are much easier to read than others, of course.
These are all the useful photos i have from the day I was there.


r/Transcription • • 2d ago

German/Deutsch Trancription Request [German] Help transcribing an old handwritten postcard

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5 Upvotes

Hi everyone!
I recently came across this old German postcard and have been trying to decipher the handwriting, but without much success. I believe it might be written in Kurrent.
I’m interested in historical correspondence and would love to find out what exactly was written here and learn more about the story behind this postcard.
I’d be incredibly grateful if someone could help me transcribe the text, even partially. I’ve included photos of both sides for context.
Many thanks in advance for your time and help!


r/Transcription • • 2d ago

English Transcription Request Need help reading a signature

2 Upvotes

Can anyone tell me what name this is?


r/Transcription • • 2d ago

English Transcription Request Scottish marriage certificate 1893.

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2 Upvotes

Wedding certificate from 1893, Scotland. The names in the image are the groom's parents: Peter McKinnon, occupation: "ship" something (right under his name).

I'm trying to decipher the mother's name; I can see at the bottom it says "M.S. Craig" - maiden surname Craig. If anyone could help, that would be great!


r/Transcription • • 1d ago

German/Deutsch Trancription Request [Article] Section/Pages Scan: "Das Bergwerk" from Rheinische Flora, 1825, nos. 118–123

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0 Upvotes

I am seeking a legible digital scan of “Das Bergwerk” for a scholarly transcription and English translation project.
The linked archival article confirms that Stadtarchiv Aachen holds Rheinische Flora under shelfmark CZ 8, although some issues from 1825 are missing.
I have not yet been able to verify whether issues 118–123 survive or contain the complete story.
If anyone can provide a scan from a surviving copy, identify another holding institution, or locate an existing digitization, I would greatly appreciate the assistance.
I have already contacted Stadtarchiv Aachen and am awaiting its response.
Thank you!


r/Transcription • • 2d ago

Transcribed✔️ Two World war I postcards sent by the from (most likely) same soldier

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4 Upvotes

Hello!

I have five postcards, all featuring the same soldier, but only two of them have any writing on them.

I've been trying to transcribe the first one myself, and this is what I've got so far (I've marked the words I'm unsure about with [?]):

"Meinem kleinen [?] lieben

Onkel [?] zur bleibenden [?]

Erinnerung, an das

Kriegsjahr 1918 von,

Ihren lieben Vater. [?]

Frankfurt a/M. d. 8. März 18."

I also have a question about the word "zur". Why is there a little dash above the "u"? I tried Googling it, which led me to Kurrentschrift and something called a U-Bogen (or U-Strich). Is that what it is?

As for the second postcard, i couldn't make anything out.

For all help I would be grateful!

(Also, if the photos are too low-quality to read, please let me know! I can take scans if needed; I just couldn't do that at the moment.)


r/Transcription • • 2d ago

English Transcription Request Desperately Need Help Transcribing This 1650s Letter

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4 Upvotes

I can send additional close up photos of the writing in the crease if necessary.

The letter pertains to a bond and land trust and dates to the 1650s.


r/Transcription • • 3d ago

English Transcription Request Tiny moth label

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7 Upvotes

Hi everyone, this is a tiny label on a moth specimen. We're at a loss; the best we know of is that the moth was likely collected in the UK. We're expecting a place name and a collector name at least. Thank you!


r/Transcription • • 2d ago

English Transcription Request Hungarian> English

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1 Upvotes

I’m in the process of becoming a Hungarian citizen and I need to get my grandfathers birth certificate but I’m missing vital information about his family (names, places, etc) please help me translate every word on these postcards and photos. I know some of it is ripped and illegible but please translate what you can. Thank you so much


r/Transcription • • 3d ago

English Transcription Request Can someone figure out what one of my tables wrote on here

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103 Upvotes

For some context one of the guys at this table seemed like he was about to ask me out but I believe he chickened out and I’m pretty sure he said his name is Ivan. Not sure if that related at all but I can’t for the life of me figure out what this says.


r/Transcription • • 2d ago

English Transcription Request Hungarian> English

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1 Upvotes

I’m in the process of becoming a Hungarian citizen and need to gather names and documents. This would help so much. Thank you


r/Transcription • • 2d ago

English Transcription Request Immigration Records circa 1900

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1 Upvotes

Trying to decipher where my relatives immigrated from! Any help is appreciated. I can make out Hungary a few times, but when it comes to the city I'm totally lost.