Data availability and cooperation

Data availability and cooperation possibilities

The creation of typological databases involves an enormous amount of work. Based on our workload and funding records, we estimate the total production cost of the AUTOTYP network of databases to be about a million euros (as of 2009). This requires a careful policy on sharing data or data structures/database methods. We are generally following the standards in other disciplines.

Generally accessible datasets

Genealogy and Geography. Our data on genealogical and geographical information is available for download as a comma-separated plain text file and as a geography file (*.kmz) that can be viewed in Google Earth. In addition, we provide Google Earth files illustrating our geographical area coding (both for larger, continent-sized areas and for smaller areas). Please read the documentation before using the data and make sure to cite them properly, as explained in the documentation. The data can also be accessed through an on-line search interface. The data are continuously updated and there will be updated releases in the future. Suggestions for improvement of our coding is always welcome [mail to balthasar.bickel at uzh.ch and johanna at berkeley.edu]

2013 release:

On-line Search Interface

Language Reports. For some (more recent) database modules, you can access language reports. These are filled-out questionnaires, sometimes enriched by new analyses, and are based on our own field research data or on published material. Note that before you can download language reports, you will have to agree to our citation policy.

Published (deposited) datasets

1. World Atlas of Language Structures

The following datasets are published in the World Atlas of Language Structures. Note that they are subsets of our data, exported in 2003. Our current datasets are generally larger. Use of these data requires nothing but the usual reference to our chapters in the Atlas.

Variable	From Project	N (Languages)
Phonological fusion of selected TAM markers	Grammatical Markers	163
Phonological fusion of selected CASE markers	Grammatical Markers	163
Exponence of selected TAM markers	Grammatical Markers	160
Exponence of selected CASE markers	Grammatical Markers	160
Inflectional synthesis of verbs	Verb synthesis	145
Basic locus of P	Locus	235
Basic locus of POSS	Locus	235
Obligatory possessive inflection	NP structures	243
Possessive classification	NP structures	243

2. Electronic appendices to published work

The following datasets are available for download. Their use requires no more than the usual reference to the publication that discusses the data.

Ressource	From Project	Number of Languages	Publication
Inclusive/exclusive subtypes	Person systems	293	Bickel, B. & J. Nichols, 2005. Inclusive/exclusive as person vs. number categories worldwide. In: Elena Filimonova [ed.] Clusivity. Amsterdam: Benjamins
Phonological word domains	Word domains	70	Bickel, B., K. Hildebrandt, & R. Schiering. 2009. The distribution of phonological word domains: a probabilistic typology. In Grijzenhout, J. & B. Kabak (eds.) Phonological Domains: Universals and Deviations. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. [PRE-PRINT]
Case alignment	Grammatical relations	435	Bickel, Balthasar, Alena Witzlack-Makarevich, & Taras Zakharko. 2012+. Typological evidence against universal effects of referential scales on case alignment. In Bornkessel-Schlesewsky, I., A. Malchukov and M. Richards (eds.) Scales: A Cross-disciplinary Perspective on Referential Hierarchies. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. [PRE-PRINT]
	Grammatical relations		Bickel, Balthasar and Iemmolo, Giorgio and Zakharko, Taras and Witzlack-Makarevich, Alena. 2013. Patterns of alignment in verb agreement. In D. Bakker and M. Haspelmath (eds.) Languages across boundaries: studies in memory of Anna Siewierska. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton.
Semantic roles	Grammatical relations	141	Bickel, Balthasar and Zakharko, Taras and Bierkandt, Lennart and Witzlack-Makarevich, Alena. 2014. Semantic role clustering: an empirical assessments of semantic role types in non-default case assignment. Studies in Language 38.
	Grammatical relations		Bickel, Balthasar and Witzlack-Makarevich, Alena and Zakharko, Taras and Iemmolo, Giorgio. 2015. Exploring diachronic universals of agreement: alignment patterns and zero marking across person categories. In J. Fleischer, E. Rieken P. Widmer (eds.) Agreement from a diachronic perspective. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton.
S1 Database	Grammatical relations	705	Bickel B, Witzlack-Makarevich A, Choudhary KK, Schlesewsky M, Bornkessel-Schlesewsky I. 2015 The Neurophysiology of Language Processing Shapes the Evolution of Grammar: Evidence from Case Marking. PLoS ONE 10(8): e0132819. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0132819
S1 Sources	Grammatical relations	705
Coargument data	Grammatical relations	24	Alena Witzlack-Makarevicha, Taras Zakharkob, Lennart Bierkandt, Fernando Zúñiga, & Balthasar Bickel. 2016. Decomposing hierarchical alignment: co-arguments as conditions on alignment and the limits of referential hierarchies as explanations in verb agreement. Linguistics 54(3).

Other datasets: cooperation projects

If you want to use (i.e. browse or analyze) any other AUTOTYP datasets (data files or definition files), it is possible to get access to the database if you agree to a Code of Conduct on Fair Use that regulates intellectual property rights and coauthorship structures. Please contact Balthasar Bickel or Johanna Nichols if you are interested in this kind of cooperation and we will send you our Code of Conduct on Fair Use.

The AUTOTYP Method

If you want to simply adopt the AUTOTYP method and principles, all we ask you is to refer to Bickel & Nichols 2002 in publications using the new database, a report on the new database and on any publications resulting from it. We will then crossreference your project from our website. (Note: The 2002 paper will be updated soon, so please check back for newer versions.)

last modified