Best practices for spatial language data harmonization, sharing and map creation-A case study of Uralic

PLoS One. 2022 Jun 8;17(6):e0269648. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269648. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Despite remarkable progress in digital linguistics, extensive databases of geographical language distributions are missing. This hampers both studies on language spatiality and public outreach of language diversity. We present best practices for creating and sharing digital spatial language data by collecting and harmonizing Uralic language distributions as case study. Language distribution studies have utilized various methodologies, and the results are often available as printed maps or written descriptions. In order to analyze language spatiality, the information must be digitized into geospatial data, which contains location, time and other parameters. When compiled and harmonized, this data can be used to study changes in languages' distribution, and combined with, for example, population and environmental data. We also utilized the knowledge of language experts to adjust previous and new information of language distributions into state-of-the-art maps. The extensive database, including the distribution datasets and detailed map visualizations of the Uralic languages are introduced alongside this article, and they are freely available.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Data Management
  • Databases, Factual*
  • Information Dissemination
  • Language*
  • Maps as Topic

Grants and funding

TR was financially supported by the University of Turku Graduate School (UTU-BGG); https://www.utu.fi/en/research/utugs/doctoral-programme-in-biology-geography-and-geology), Kone Foundation (UraLex and personal grant); https://koneensaatio.fi/en/grants/, Finno-Ugrian Society; https://www.sgr.fi/en/, and UIT – The Arctic University of Norway; https://en.uit.no/startsida. OV was funded by Kone Foundation (SumuraSyyni, AikaSyyni); https://koneensaatio.fi/en/grants/, and the Academy of Finland, grant number 329257; https://www.aka.fi/en/. MR was funded by the Academy of Finland, grant number 329257; https://www.aka.fi/en/. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.