Charting Linguistic Features by Density Estimation

在20世纪80年代，用于分析地理格局的统计技术已经完善到可以应用于许多不同领域的数据的程度。该项目将利用《中大西洋和南大西洋国家语言地图集》（LAMSAS）的大量计算机文件，实施密度估计算法，为语言数据绘制不同频率的边界；然后将这些边界与统计前定性方法生成的方言特征边界以及选定的地形和文化区域的边界进行比较。国家科学基金会先前的支持帮助开发了有效的小型计算机方法来编码LAMSAS数据，并为其统计分析开发了初步方法。这个项目将用统计算法和地理信息系统软件处理现有数据库中的文件，以便显示；Sun工作站将为计算机密集型的统计和图形提供快速处理。具体程序将由顾问编写，以实现LAMSAS数据的密度估计，并与GIS下旧边界的数字化地图进行比较。将对大约50个项目进行全面分析和比较，从而产生几篇文章，讨论当地域变化被认为是语言特征的差异频率时，它的性质，以及这种定量方法与早期定性方法的关系。

ABSTRACT During the 1980s statistical techniques for analysis for geographical patterns have been refined to the point that they may be applied to data from many different fields. This project will implement density-estimation algorithms to draw differential- frequency boundaries for language data, using the extensive computer files of the Linguistic Atlas of the Middle and South Atlantic States (LAMSAS); these boundaries will then be compared to dialect feature boundaries generated with pre-statistical qualitative methods and to boundaries of selected topographical and cultural areas. Prior NSF support assisted the development of efficient small-computer methods to encode LAMSAS data and to develop preliminary methods for its statistical analysis. This project will process files from the existing data-bases with statistical algorithms and with GIS (Geographical Information System) software for displays; a Sun work station will provide fast processing for computer-intensive statistics and graphics. Specific programs will be written by a consultant to implement density- estimation for LAMSAS data and to enable comparison with digitized maps of older boundaries under GIS. Approximately 50 items will receive comprehensive analysis and comparison, leading to several articles on the nature of areal variation when it is conceived as the differential frequency of linguistic features, and on the relation of this quantitative method to earlier qualitative methods.