<unclear>

<unclear> contains a word, phrase, or passage which cannot be transcribed with certainty because it is illegible or inaudible in the source. [11.3.3.1 Damage, Illegibility, and Supplied Text 3.4.3 Additions, Deletions, and Omissions]
Modulecore — 3 Elements Available in All TEI Documents
Attributesatt.global (@xml:id, @n, @xml:lang, @rend, @style, @rendition, @xml:base, @xml:space) (att.global.linking (@corresp, @synch, @sameAs, @copyOf, @next, @prev, @exclude, @select)) (att.global.analytic (@ana)) (att.global.facs (@facs)) (att.global.change (@change)) att.editLike (@evidence, @source, @instant) (att.dimensions (@unit, @quantity, @extent, @precision, @scope) (att.ranging (@atLeast, @atMost, @min, @max, @confidence)) ) (att.responsibility (@cert, @resp))
reasonindicates why the material is hard to transcribe.
Status Optional
Datatype 1–∞ occurrences of 

<rng:ref name="data.word"/>
data.word
separated by whitespace
Values one or more words describing the difficulty, e.g. faded, background-noise, passing-truck, illegible, eccentric-ductus.
<div>
 <head>Rx</head>
 <p>500 mg <unclear reason="illegible">placebo</unclear>
 </p>
</div>
handWhere the difficulty in transcription arises from action (partial deletion, etc.) assignable to an identifiable hand, signifies the hand responsible for the action.
Status Optional
Datatype 

<rng:ref name="data.pointer"/>
data.pointer
Values must point to a hand identifier typically but not necessarily declared in the document header (see section 11.3.2.1 Document Hands).
agentWhere the difficulty in transcription arises from damage, categorizes the cause of the damage, if it can be identified.
Status Optional
Datatype 

<rng:ref name="data.enumerated"/>
data.enumerated
Sample values include:
rubbing
damage results from rubbing of the leaf edges
mildew
damage results from mildew on the leaf surface
smoke
damage results from smoke
Member of
model.choicePart model.pPart.transcriptional
Contained by
analysis: cl pc phr s w
core: abbr add addrLine author bibl biblScope choice citedRange corr date del distinct editor email emph expan foreign gloss head headItem headLabel hi item l label measure mentioned name note num orig p pubPlace publisher q quote ref reg rs said sic soCalled speaker stage street term textLang time title unclear
dictionaries: case colloc def dictScrap entryFree etym form gen gram gramGrp hyph iType lang lbl mood number orth per pos pron re sense stress subc syll tns usg xr
drama: actor camera caption castItem role roleDesc sound tech view
figures: cell
header: change distributor edition extent geoDecl handNote licence scriptNote typeNote
linking: ab seg
msdescription: accMat acquisition additions catchwords collation colophon condition custEvent decoNote explicit filiation finalRubric foliation heraldry incipit layout material musicNotation objectType origDate origPlace origin provenance rubric secFol signatures source stamp summary support surrogates watermark
namesdates: addName affiliation birth bloc country death district education faith floruit forename genName geogName nameLink nationality occupation orgName persName placeName region residence roleName settlement sex socecStatus surname
spoken: u writing
textcrit: lem rdg wit witDetail
textstructure: byline closer dateline docAuthor docDate docEdition docImprint imprimatur opener salute signed titlePart trailer
transcr: am damage fw line metamark mod restore retrace supplied surplus zone
verse: rhyme
May contain
analysis: c cl interp interpGrp m pc phr s span spanGrp w
certainty: certainty precision respons
core: abbr add address bibl biblStruct binaryObject cb choice cit corr date del desc distinct email emph expan foreign gap gb gloss graphic hi index label lb lg list listBibl measure measureGrp media mentioned milestone name note num orig pb ptr q quote ref reg rs said sic soCalled stage term time title unclear
dictionaries: lang oRef oVar pRef pVar
drama: camera caption castList move sound tech view
figures: figure formula notatedMusic table
gaiji: g
header: biblFull idno
iso-fs: fLib fs fvLib
linking: alt altGrp anchor join joinGrp link linkGrp seg timeline
msdescription: catchwords depth dim dimensions height heraldry locus locusGrp material msDesc objectType origDate origPlace secFol signatures stamp watermark width
namesdates: addName affiliation bloc climate country district forename genName geo geogFeat geogName listEvent listNym listOrg listPerson listPlace listRelation location nameLink offset orgName persName placeName population region relationGrp roleName settlement state surname terrain trait
spoken: incident kinesic pause shift vocal writing
tagdocs: att classSpec code eg egXML elementSpec gi ident listRef macroSpec moduleSpec specDesc specGrp specGrpRef specList tag val
textcrit: app listApp listWit witDetail
textstructure: floatingText
transcr: addSpan am damage damageSpan delSpan ex fw handShift listTranspose metamark mod redo restore retrace space subst substJoin supplied surplus undo
verse: caesura rhyme
Declaration

<rng:element name="unclear">
 <rng:ref name="att.global.attributes"/>
 <rng:ref name="att.global.linking.attributes"/>
 <rng:ref name="att.global.analytic.attributes"/>
 <rng:ref name="att.global.facs.attributes"/>
 <rng:ref name="att.global.change.attributes"/>
 <rng:ref name="att.editLike.attributes"/>
 <rng:ref name="att.dimensions.attributes"/>
 <rng:ref name="att.ranging.attributes"/>
 <rng:ref name="att.responsibility.attributes"/>
 <rng:optional>
  <rng:attribute name="reason">
   <rng:list>
    <rng:oneOrMore>
     <rng:ref name="data.word"/>
    </rng:oneOrMore>
   </rng:list>
  </rng:attribute>
 </rng:optional>
 <rng:optional>
  <rng:attribute name="hand">
   <rng:ref name="data.pointer"/>
  </rng:attribute>
 </rng:optional>
 <rng:optional>
  <rng:attribute name="agent">
   <rng:ref name="data.enumerated"/>
  </rng:attribute>
 </rng:optional>
 <rng:ref name="macro.paraContent"/>
</rng:element>
element unclear
{
   att.global.attributes,
   att.global.linking.attributes,
   att.global.analytic.attributes,
   att.global.facs.attributes,
   att.global.change.attributes,
   att.editLike.attributes,
   att.dimensions.attributes,
   att.ranging.attributes,
   att.responsibility.attributes,
   attribute reason { list { data.word+ } }?,
   attribute hand { data.pointer }?,
   attribute agent { data.enumerated }?,
   macro.paraContent
}
Example
and from time to time invited in like manner
his att<unclear>ention</unclear>

Here the last few letters of the word are hard to read.

Example
<u> ...and then <unclear reason="background-noise">Nathalie</unclear> said ... </u>
Note

The same element is used for all cases of uncertainty in the transcription of element content, whether for written or spoken material. For other aspects of certainty, uncertainty, and reliability of tagging and transcription, see chapter 21 Certainty, Precision, and Responsibility.

The damage, gap, del, unclear and supplied elements may be closely allied in use. See section 11.3.3.2 Use of the gap, del, damage, unclear, and supplied Elements in Combination for discussion of which element is appropriate for which circumstance.