Supplement: Help

Table of contents.

1. Site structure

Figure 1: The main components of WALS

In the introduction you will find more on how WALS is organized, on the choice of features, about the maps, and about the selection criteria for feature values.

Terminology:

Feature
A single language structure, each described in a chapter of its own. The distribution of the feature values is shown on a map. (More on features.)
Feature values
The distinguishing values of a feature. The simplest maps show just two different values. For example, Map 107A on passive constructions shows two language types, those possessing a passive construction and those lacking a passive construction. (More on feature values.)
Datapoint
A single 'language-feature value' pair (see fig. 12). (More on feature values.)

The information about a feature is served in three different views:

  • The feature page (e.g. Feature 13A) shows the table of values with their corresponding languages for a particular feature. Here you can customize the presentation of values on the adjoining map.
  • The chapter text (e.g. Chapter 13) gives background information and, if possible, examples.
  • The map (e.g. Map 13A) displays the values of the feature on a world map.

Figure 2: Where and how information on features is displayed in WALS

2. Languages

If you start your research from the language side there are various selection options, e.g. by genealogical classification, country or ISO code amongst others. The description page of each language lists those properties that data was provided for.


Figure 3: Seeking information about a language

Figure 4: Information on single languages and data points

3. Combining features

In the online version, users can create their own compound features. For example, a linguist may want to know whether the existence of tone correlates with certain types of polar questions. By combining the values of two features (here feature 13A, 'Tone' and feature 116A, 'Polar Questions' ), one gets 21 theoretical values of which sixteen have documented examples. The results can also be viewed on a map.


Figure 5: Combining features

4. Customizing appearance

You can change the colour, form and size of icons and also influence at what position in the layers of icons they will appear on the map.


Figure 6: Customizing icon display

You can show or hide the legend, toggle the visibility of icons, pop up the list of languages for a feature value or the detailed information for a data point, i.e. a single 'language-feature value' pair. And you can copy the URL of any map for reference.


Figure 7: Customizing map display

5. Exporting feature data

Feature data can be exported in several formats:

  • In KML - now an open standard,

  • in a simple home-grown XML format,

  • as tab-delimited values.


Figure 8: Exporting data

6. References

Reference information can be found in several places (see also 'Customizing map display'). References can be downloaded in various formats (BibTeX, RIS, !EndNote, XML, RDF+DC, and tei) from the WALS Reference Database.


Figure 9: Reference information for data points

Figure 10: Downloading bibliographic data

7. Commenting on features and languages

To leave a comment on a specific feature, follow the 'discuss' link in the context menu. Your comment will appear in the corresponding blog.


Figure 11: Commenting on features


Figure 12: You can also comment on a single datapoint.