Abridge

An abridgement is a shortened version of a written or spoken work. To abridge means to condense or shorten something, typically a piece of writing, while retaining its main points and essence. An abridgement aims to reduce the length of the original work without significantly altering its meaning or sacrificing essential information.

Abridged works can take various forms, including summaries, excerpts, and adaptations. The process of abridging involves careful selection and omission of material, often focusing on removing repetitive passages, detailed descriptions, tangential arguments, and less crucial supporting evidence.

The purpose of abridging a work can vary. It might be done to make a complex text more accessible to a wider audience, to fit within length constraints (such as for publication in a specific format), or to create a simplified version for educational purposes. It is crucial that an abridgement accurately reflects the original work and does not distort its intended message or meaning.