Multidimensional Exploration of Linguistic Databases

University Of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

This project aims to foster a new mode of fundamental research in linguistics, namely 'web-based exploration of linguistic field data.'' The objectives are to develop tools for manipulating linguistic databases; to store and disseminate large datasets using the model; to exploit the tools and datasets in teaching and research; and -- underlying all of the above -- to explore new methods for representing and analyzing linguistic data. The consequence of this research will be increased accessibility, accountability, and stability of empirical linguistic research. The project will provide wide-ranging support for empirical linguistic research, through the combination of traditional field methods with new technologies for exploring and visualizing complex databases. The interlinked, heterogeneous, and multimodal aspects of the data will be a key component, and the research will encompass data types including lexicons, interlinear texts, field notes, paradigms, grammar sketches, annotated recordings, annotated maps and photographs, folios, course notes, and problem sets, as well as links between all of these. A set of collaborators have granted access to their field data for the purposes of this project, and have agreed to road-test the new tools in their ongoing fieldwork. All of the primary data created by the project will be published on the web site of the Linguistic Data Consortium (LDC), for general public access, subject to the appropriate permissions having been granted. All tools and documentation produced by the project will be freely available to others.