Abstract
This paper introduces a software tool that implements an innovative type of geolinguistic map, originally proposed by Hideo Suzuki in the 1980s. The software, developed using the R language, automates the map creation process based on word forms and geographic coordinates. Unlike traditional maps, this new type not only displays the locations of word occurrences but also outlines their distribution areas, allowing us to visualize how similar word forms are used in geographically distant regions, such as parts of India and Scandinavia. In Suzuki's time, collecting word data required extensive library research, and mapping involved manually plotting data on large physical maps. Today, with advancements in computing and AI, this process can be fully automated. The software analyzes word similarities using metrics like edit distance, groups the words accordingly, and generates two layers for each group: one displaying the geographic data points, and the other showing a smoothed polygon encircling the distribution area of each group. Both layers can be toggled independently, and multiple-word groups can be displayed simultaneously for comparison. The map is interactive, allowing users to zoom in or out and quickly focus on specific regions or word groups. Thanks to recent advances in AI and the availability of online linguistic resources, data collection has also become significantly more efficient. This tool opens up new possibilities for studying language distribution patterns on a global scale. This software tool is implemented using R and its geographic computing packages, all of which are generously available under open licenses.
Author Information
Hiromi Oda, Tokyo Online University, Japan
Paper Information
Conference: IICAH2025
Stream: Language
This paper is part of the IICAH2025 Conference Proceedings (View)
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