Linguistic Literature GEO Search

MPDL,LinguisticLiterature

= Introduction =

This WP consists of three parts


 * 1) Linking of ISO language codes to geographical coordinates [[Image:Checkmark.png | 20px]] and addition of maps to the Linguistic Diversity Heritage blog [[Image:Symbol_Remove.png | 20px]]
 * 2) Make special search page to search geographically [[Image:Symbol_Remove.png | 20px]]
 * 3) Add genealogical search to the geographical search page (lower priority: only to be done when there is time left) [[Image:Symbol_Remove.png | 20px]]

= Usage Scenarios =

Linking of ISO language codes to geographical coordinates
There is all kind of geographical information available for ISO 639-3 codes (cf. http://www.ethnologue.com), but no consistent simple coordinate-request is possible. What we would need is a simple database that consists of all ISO 639-3 codes with approximate coordinates that can be accessed online to display the approximate location of languages. The books in the LDH blog are all tagged with ISO 639-3 codes, so once such coordinates are available, the blog can show small maps with the location of the languages as described in the book.

However, the database with the geographical coordinates should be a small, separate service - not a part of the blog. For this service a basic table is sufficient. Michael Cysouw has a large table with geographical coordinates for all ISO 639-3 codes (further information: discussion). This table should be published online and be accessible for an automatic query. This idea is that the blog uses the information from this geo-service, but if a better one would become available in the future, that should only be a simple switch of service. Given these locations, each book on the LDH blog can get a little Google-Map with the approximate location of the language being described. Also, we could make a separate page on the blog showing all locations of the languages available through the LDH.

Special search page to search geographically
Given a database providing literature with ISO 639-3 codes (e.g. LDH blog) and a database providing geo-locations for ISO 639-3 codes (the above mentioned service), these might be cross-searched. For example, a user would like to find all descriptions in the LDH-blog that are within 100km of a particular point on the earth. A special webpage to make such searches will have to be created as a show-case of what is possible with such sources. This webpage should be not a part of the LDH. It will be a separate service that uses the information from LDH. It should allow for a choice of databases providing ISO 639-3 codes (e.g. ethnologue.com, wals.info, the LDH-blog) and a choice of databases providing geo-locations (currently only the database from the first part of this WP). User chooses database with literature (currently only LDH is available) and a database with geo-locations (currently only our own table is available). Then the user enters a location, either as coordinates, or through clicking on a map. Results offered as list of nearby literature or view on a map.

Given a choice of sources, the webpage offers some basic geo-search possibilities, like


 * A) closest languages in X km around a point
 * B) X closest languages around a point
 * C) (optional) distance either "as the bird flies" or through a delaunay-triangulation distance (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaunay_triangulation)

Genealogical search
The special search page can also add in language family information (so-called 'genealogical' information). Languages are know to form groups of related languages stemming from a common ancestor; groups like "germanic" or "indo-european". The web page should also allow a choice of genealogical trees (http://www.ethnologue.com/, http://wals.info/, http://linguistlist.org/multitree/) to allow for more intricate queries:


 * show all languages from a certain genealogical unit
 * show all languages from a certain genealogical unit within a certain distance of a given point
 * show X closest languages around a point, coloured to genealogical grouping

= Implementation =

CoNE
 * When viewing the details of each ISO 639-3 code, a google map from the region, where the language is spoken, is displayed.