Descriptive Studies on the Omolt and Cushitic Languages of Ethiopia, and Datahoro Construction based on GIS

该项目的目的是研究埃塞俄比亚的Omotic和Cushitic少数民族语言，并利用地理信息系统（GIS）建立数据库。我们与埃塞俄比亚研究所、阿迪斯大学合作，在埃塞俄比亚开展了语言学领域的工作。我们的项目在三年中开展了两项活动：首先，我们收集了Omotic语言（Basketo，Aari，Dime，Wolaytta，Hamer，Ganjule，Ganta和Malo）和Cushitic语言（Konso，Awngi和Khamtanga）的语言数据。(1)基本词汇（Basketo、Aari（Galila方言）、Konso、Hamer和Malo）。(2)语法数据（Basketo、Aari、Konso、Wolaytta和Malo）。(3)文本（Basketo、Awngi、Khamtanga和Wolaytta）。(4)社会语言学数据（Basketo，Ganjule，Ganta和Konso）。其次，我们制作了一张数字地图，显示了基于GIS的埃塞俄比亚语言的一些语言特征的分布。(1)我们在互联网上建立了一个数据库，保存了我们在实地调查中收集到的语法、词汇、声音和视频数据。(2)我们不仅建立了处理语言特征层的GIS，而且改进了服务器功能，利用ASP（Active Server Pages）功能建立了GIS语言地图参考系统，虽然利用GIS进行语言学研究才刚刚起步，但毫无疑问，我们的项目将为埃塞俄比亚Omotic和Cushitic少数民族语言的研究提供新的思路。

The purpose of this project is to research on the Omotic and Cushitic minority languages in Ethiopia and construct a database using GIS (Geographic Information System). We have conducted our linguistic field work in Ethiopia with the cooperation of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies (IES), Addis Ababa University.Our project has performed two activities for three years.First, we have collected the linguistic data of Omotic languages (Basketo, Aari, Dime, Wolaytta, Hamer, Ganjule, Ganta and Malo) and Cushitic languages (Konso, Awngi and Khamtanga).(1) A basic vocabulary (Basketo, Aari (Galila dialect), Konso, Hamer and Malo).(2) Grammatical data (Basketo, Aari, Konso, Wolaytta and Malo).(3) Texts (Basketo, Awngi, Khamtanga and Wolaytta).(4) Sociolinguistic data (Basketo, Ganjule, Ganta and Konso).Second, we have made a digital map showing the distribution of a number of linguistic features of the Ethiopian languages based on GIS.(1) We have constructed a database on the internet, holding grammatical, lexical, sound and video data we collected in our filed surveys.(2) We have not only constructed GIS handling layers of linguistic features, but also improved the server function and constructed the reference system by the function of ASP(Active Server Pages) for the language maps on GIS.Although linguistic studies using GIS have only just started, there is no doubt that our project will throw new lights upon the studies of Omotic and Cushitic minority languages in Ethiopia.