Rules for a Dictionary Catalogue U. S. Bureau of Education Special Report on Public Libraries—Part II, Third Edition — Story, Setting & Ideas

The Grammar of Omission

Cutter's rules on abbreviation and omission reveal a systematic approach to condensing titles without losing meaning. Rule 153 advises omitting puffs and descriptive words implied by context or class; examples include stripping "a (plain) treatise on" to just the subject, and reducing "Compendious pocket dictionary" by dropping either adjective. Rule 153½ goes further, using double parentheses to mark what every catalogue ought to omit and single parentheses for what may well be omitted. The examples show a tiered logic: "with ((an appendix containing)) problems" versus "((a collection of)) papers." Cutter acknowledges exceptions—sermon collections may need distinguishing phrases retained. This is not arbitrary truncation but a reasoned code where omission serves the user's need for speed and precision.

Dates, Initials, and the Economy of Reference

Rule 154 mandates replacing chronological phrases with dates: "from the accession of Edward III. to the death of Henry VIII." becomes [1327–1547]. Rule 155 governs initials—use them for all Christian names in titles, notes, and contents, but omit for famous men unless there are two of the same name (Bachs, Grimms, Humboldts). Short entries may drop editors' and translators' initials entirely. Cutter's examples show the effect: Dante's "Divine comedy; tr. by Cayley" versus "tr. by Wright" versus "tr. by Longfellow," each entry pared to essentials. The rule balances brevity with disambiguation, a recurring tension in the code.

Abbreviation as a Controlled Vocabulary

Rule 156 addresses abbreviation of common words always, and less common ones in long titles that cannot be shortened otherwise. Cutter insists abbreviations should suggest the word and not, if avoidable, suggest any other. When one abbreviation serves two words, context must decide; if not, the abbreviation must be lengthened. The list includes Abp., a. d. Lat., add., Amer., anon., app., Aufl., bibl., biog., Bp., Chr., class., col., com., comp.—a controlled vocabulary for cataloguers. This rule, like the others, treats language as a tool to be shaped by convention and utility, not as a fixed system.

The Voice of the Rulemaker

Cutter's prose is direct and occasionally personal. He writes "I shall be obliged to librarians for criticisms, objections, or new problems, with or without solutions," acknowledging the provisional nature of his work. The rules are phrased as imperatives—"Omit puffs," "Use dates," "Abbreviate certain common words always"—but the examples and exceptions soften the tone. The prefatory note situates the work within a lineage of cataloguing theory, citing Edwards, Petzholdt, Harris, Abbot, Schwartz, Jewett, Perkins, and the British Museum. Cutter positions himself as a synthesizer and innovator, not a dictator.

Cutter's rules reward close reading: the examples often carry as much weight as the prescriptions. Notice how he distinguishes between what "every catalogue ought to omit" and what "may well be omitted"—a hierarchy of necessity. The work is best approached as a reference to be consulted rule by rule, not read straight through. Pay attention to the footnotes and the occasional N.B., where Cutter flags exceptions that reveal the limits of codification.

Cutter’s carefully ordered abbreviations made me think of shelves where wonder waits quietly, untidied. His rules tame the chaos of names and dates, yet I felt the same patient hush one finds in The wonders of the world — Background and Themes. Both ask us to pause, to let order hold surprise gently, like a hand resting on a closed book.