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Geographic information systems and perceptual dialectology: a methodfor processing draw-a-map data

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 August 2013

Chris Montgomery  and
Philipp Stoeckle
Chris Montgomery*
Affiliation:
School of English, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
Philipp Stoeckle
Affiliation:
Deutsches Seminar, Universität Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
*
*Address for correspondence: Chris Montgomery, TheSchool of English Literature, Language and Linguistics, 2.27 Jessop West, 1Upper Hanover Street, Sheffield S3 7RA, UK. Email c.montgomery@shef.ac.uk
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Abstract

This article presents a new method for processing data gathered using the“draw-a-map” task in perceptual dialectology (PD) studies. Suchtasks produce large numbers of maps containing many lines indicatingnonlinguists’ perceptions of the location and extent of dialect areas.Although individual maps are interesting, and numerical data relating to therelative prominence of dialect areas can be extracted, an important value of thedraw-a-map task is in aggregating data. This was always an aim of thecontemporary PD method, although the nature of the data has meant that this hasnot always been possible. Here, we argue for the use of geographic informationsystems (GIS) in order to aggregate, process, and display PD data. Using casestudies from the United Kingdom and Germany, we present examples of dataprocessed using GIS and illustrate the future possibilities for the use of GISin PD research.

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Articles
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Journal of Linguistic Geography , Volume 1 , Issue 1 , June 2013 , pp. 52 - 85
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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