Evaluating the Relationship between Linguistic and Geographic Distances using a 3D Visualization

Abstract

In this paper we discuss how linguistic and geographic distances can be related using a 3D visualization. We will convert linguistic data for locations along the German-Dutch border to linguistic distances that can be compared directly to geographic distances. This enables us to visualize linguistic distances as “real” distances with the use of the third dimension available in 3D modelling software. With such a visualization we will test if descriptive dialect data support the hypothesis that the German-Dutch state border became a linguistic border between the German and Dutch dialects. Our visualization is implemented in the 3D modelling software SketchUp.

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