Editing Troubadour (section)

===Transmission===
Some 2,600 poems or fragments of poems have survived from around 450 identifiable troubadours. They are largely preserved in songbooks called ''[[chansonnier]]s'' made for wealthy patrons.

Troubadour songs are generally referred to by their [[incipit]]s, that is, their opening lines. If this is long, or after it has already been mentioned, an abbreviation of the incipit may be used for convenience. A few troubadour songs are known by "nicknames", thus ''D'un sirventes far'' by [[Guilhem Figueira]] is commonly called the ''Sirventes contra Roma''. When a writer seeks to avoid using unglossed Occitan, the incipit of the song may be given in translation instead or a title may even be invented to reflect the theme of the work. Especially in translations designed for a popular audience, such as Ezra Pound's, English titles are commonly invented by the translator/editor. There are examples, however, of troubadour songs given Occitan titles in the manuscripts, such as an anonymous ''pastorela'' that begins ''Mentre per una ribeira'', which is entitled ''Porquieira''.