<gap>

<gap> (gap) indicates a point where material has been omitted in a transcription, whether for editorial reasons described in the TEI header, as part of sampling practice, or because the material is illegible, invisible, or inaudible. [3.4.3 Additions, Deletions, and Omissions]
Modulecore — 3 Elements Available in All TEI Documents
Attributesatt.global (@xml:id, @n, @xml:lang, @rend, @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.duration (att.duration.w3c (@dur)) (att.duration.iso (@dur-iso)) att.editLike (@evidence, @source, @instant) (att.dimensions (@unit, @quantity, @extent, @precision, @scope) (att.ranging (@atLeast, @atMost, @min, @max, @confidence)) ) (att.responsibility (@cert, @resp))
reasongives the reason for omission. Sample values include sampling, inaudible, irrelevant, cancelled.
Status Optional
Datatype 1–∞ occurrences of 

<rng:ref name="data.word"/>
data.word
separated by whitespace
Values any short indication of the reason for the omission.
handin the case of text omitted from the transcription because of deliberate deletion by an identifiable hand, signifies the hand which made the deletion.
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).
agentIn the case of text omitted because of 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
Used by
Contained by
analysis: cl m phr s span w
figures: cell figure table
linking: ab seg
nets: graph
spoken: u writing
tagdocs: valDesc
textcrit: app lem rdg wit witDetail
verse: metSym rhyme
May contain
Declaration

<rng:element name="gap">
 <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.duration.w3c.attributes"/>
 <rng:ref name="att.duration.iso.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:ref name="data.word"/>
    <rng:zeroOrMore>
     <rng:ref name="data.word"/>
    </rng:zeroOrMore>
   </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:zeroOrMore>
  <rng:ref name="model.glossLike"/>
 </rng:zeroOrMore>
</rng:element>
element gap
{
   att.global.attributes,
   att.global.linking.attributes,
   att.global.analytic.attributes,
   att.global.facs.attributes,
   att.global.change.attributes,
   att.duration.w3c.attributes,
   att.duration.iso.attributes,
   att.editLike.attributes,
   att.dimensions.attributes,
   att.ranging.attributes,
   att.responsibility.attributes,
   attribute reason { list { data.word, data.word* } }?,
   attribute hand { data.pointer }?,
   attribute agent { data.enumerated }?,
   model.glossLike*
}
Example
<gap extent="4" unit="chars" reason="illegible"/>
Example
<gap extent="1" unit="essay" reason="sampling"/>
Example
<del>
 <gap
   atLeast="4"
   atMost="8"
   unit="chars"
   reason="illegible"/>

</del>
Note
The gap, unclear, and del core tag elements may be closely allied in use with the damage and supplied elements, available when using the additional tagset for transcription of primary sources. 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.
The gap tag simply signals the editors decision to omit or inability to transcribe a span of text. Other information, such as the interpretation that text was deliberately erased or covered, should be indicated using the relevant tags, such as del in the case of deliberate deletion.