RESEARCH ON EXPERIMENTAL INTERACTIVE VISUALIZATION OF ETYMOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE. By Paloma López Grüninger
This research project aims to design new informative structures for the interactive visualization of knowledge from the fields of etymology and historical linguistics. By making full use of the possibilities of digital media, information that is relegated to the background in current visualizations can be more easily accessible.
A brief definition of the various linguistic disciplines related to this project will be given, followed by an analysis of the usual structure of an etymological dictionary, the traditional means of communicating knowledge in this discipline. Lastly, the visualizations carried out during thge both are derived from and its primitive vocabulary.e first design phase of this project will be presented.
Definition of related linguistic disciplines
Among the branches of the field of linguistics, this project focuses on etymology and historical linguistics. These two disciplines are so closely related that it would be difficult and senseless to offer visualizations of exclusively etymological aspects.
Etymology can be defined as the science that studies the history of words: their origin or creation, their incorporation into a language and their source, and their formal and semantic historical evolution. In languages with a long written history, etymology as a discipline is closely related to philology and historical linguistics.
Comparative linguistics methods can be used to reconstruct information about ancient languages, where no direct sources exist. By analyzing related languages, linguists draw inferences about the original language both are derived from and its primitive vocabulary.e first design phase of this project will be presented.
Knowledge in the field of etymological science is transmitted through theoretical publications that offer an in­depth look at specific aspects of the field or commonly used methodologies. All the information is gathered into alphabetical etymological dictionaries, where specific words and related information can be found. Historical linguistics, also known as diachronic or evolutionary linguistics, studies the evolution of languages over time, their relation or genetic ties to other languages, and the process of linguistic change they have undergone. “Linguistic change” refers to the process of modification and transformation that all languages generally undergo in the course of their 1 historical evolution. Fundamental factors during this process are loans
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(external cause) and analogies (internal cause). There are three types of linguistic changes: phonetic, morphosyntactic, and lexical semantic. Visualization of linguistic phenomena
Visualizations are used in linguistics to illustrate concepts that are abstract to some degree and communicate them to the reader.
Diagrams
Diagrams are one of the traditional types of visualization used in linguistics. The foremost example in the field of historical linguistics is the genealogical tree of languages, shown as both a schematic structure and an illustrative th
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image. This visualization has been used since the mid­18 century. 1
A linguistic loan is an element, usually a lexical one, that one language takes from another.
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An analogy, in the field of linguistics, is defined as the creation of new linguistic forms or the modification of 3
existing ones that are similar to others. PÖRKSEN, Uwe (1997): Weltmarkt der Bilder. Eine Philosophie der Visiotype. Stuttgart: Klett­Cotta, p. 115.
1 Timeline of Indo­European languages, published in dtv­Atlas Deutsche Sprache.
However, this image is quite controversial, given that some see it as a classification system that imposes a non­existent hierarchical order upon languages. The lack of space in the first image means that many Indo­
European languages have been omitted. This leads to contradictory situations, as it could seem that German is the only Germanic language (the others are not included). In contrast, seven different languages are shown in the group of Romance languages.
In the second image, it might look as if Germanic and Slavic languages are superior to the other Indo­European languages, given that the spatial distribution of the branches that represent them seem to have attained heights the others cannot reach.
2 Genealogical tree of Indo­European languages, by Thomas C. Moore, 2000.
An awareness of the problems in the interpretation of this type of visualization generally leads to scepticism about images. As a result of this choice not to use images, more textual metaphors are used.
Etymological dictionaries
4 Etymological knowledge is usually found in an etymological dictionary.
Even though an etymological dictionary can be said to belong to its own scientific­literary genre, each has a set of individual features, depending on the priorities of its author or publisher. Some etymological dictionaries enumerate and cite the sources of ancient headwords, while others omit them, to provide a shorter, more manageable manual. Some include only antecedents that are absolutely certain, while others incorporate suppositions and uncertainties. While some are limited to a sole language and its antecedents, others choose to relate the search word to the entire Indo­European family. The inclusion of these features depends on basic criteria for each dictionary: how extensive it will be, its target audience, and its focus.
The first experimental visualizations carried out in the context of this project are based on the study of systematic structure in the articles of 5
Herkunftswörterbuch published by Duden. As no Spanish etymological 6
dictionary was known to offer a similar structure to that of 7
Herkunftswörterbuch, a translation from German to Spanish was made of one of its articles. It permits the Spanish­speaking reader to read the conclusions that served as a starting­off point for the first sketches. 4
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In the context of this project, an etymological dictionary is considered to be a typology of visualization, given that the systematic ordering of information within a strict typographic system generate a consistent, recognizable visual structure.
DUDENREDAKTION (eds.) (2001). Das Herkunftswörterbuch. Etymologie der deutschen Sprache. Mannheim: Dudenverlag.
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According to the features described, the Herkunftswörterbuch can be defined as a short publication (a sole tome of limited dimensions) for the general public, which also includes a section on the history of the German language. A feature of specific interest highlights the family relationship of the search word to words in other languages, whether derived from an Indo­European root or the German group. The main difference between the reference works in Spanish reviewed to date lies in this feature of that publication. It is clearly similar to works such as the Breve diccionario etimológico de la lengua castellana by Joan Corominas which, nonetheless, only rarely provides contemporary related vocabulary. Its main focus is Spanish and its antecedents. Only the semantic definitions of the word at various historical stages, the supplementary linguistic explanations, and the abbreviations of different languages havae been translated into Spanish. The German search word, as well as its antecedents and relatives, are written as in the original text. The system of abbreviations for different languages was taken from the abbreviation key used in the following work: COROMINAS, Joan; PASCUAL, José A. (1980­1991): Diccionario crítico etimológico castellano e hispánico. Madrid: Gredos, pp. LXIX – LXXV.
Image 3 shows the design and systematic structure we find when we look up any word (in this case, the German word glatt, which means “smooth, polished” in Spanish) in Duden’s Herkunftswörterbuch. The search word stands out in a bold sans serif typeface. The accompanying explanations are composed in a font based on ancient Roman styles. The different languages and their respective historical eras are shown in abbreviated form, followed by the word as it was originally written, highlighted in cursive. The original meaning of the term is then given in quotes. This typographical system is used consistently.
3 Translation of the article glatt (smooth)4 Time analysis of the article glatt (smooth)
from Duden's Herkunftswörterbuch.
from Duden’s Herkunftswörterbuch.
The lack of a clear and logical time structure is a problem: if we carefully analyze our "journey through time" as we accompany the selected word, we see that it is presented as follows (see Image 4): 1. We are at the present time with the word we have looked up.
2. We start to travel back to the past, moving through various German linguistic periods (in this case, High Middle German and High Old German). 3. We are suddenly brought back to the present, with a list of contemporary words in other Germanic languages related to the search word (in this case, a Dutch word, an English word and a Swedish word). 4. We are thrown back to an even more distant past; to the Indo­European root. 5. Lastly, words deriving from a common Indo­European root are named, which have developed outside the Germanic group. In this case, we are taken from a Latin example up to the present, where we are given a Russian word.
Reading it is a rhythmic, homogeneous act. Each line takes approximately the same time to read. However, the contents are not presented systematically. The historical time described lacks order and has no direct relation with the structure of the text. The reader is jerked roughly through time and geography.
Moreover, time orientation is not facilitated for the reader. Only by consulting the prologue of the Herkunftswörterbuch can one determine which century or millennium corresponds to each linguistic period. There is no visual orientation at all.
Connections to other words are explained in a way that poses an additional problem. They are either written with the abbreviation S. (meaning See) or marked with a small upward arrow beside the word to be consulted. In sum, the time structure presented in the articles of etymological dictionaries is not as logical or comprehensible as it could be, which causes confusion and a lack of understanding in the interested reader. The numerous abbreviations and indications force the reader to flip the pages back and forth, which is a distraction from the matter at hand, and interrupts the comprehension process. It also hinders the interrelation of the various aspects that are presented.
However, this project does not aim to criticize the systems that have been set up over the last few centuries in the field of the visualization of historical etymological linguistics. Limited space, and price concerns, made it essential to use an extremely compact and abbreviated system, and its widespread use proves that it was successful in carrying out its communicative function.
Digital visualization of etymological knowledge
The development of new technologies has been the focus of a large part of human creativity throughout history. Basic related challenges are the development of innovative systems that use them, the search for new fields they can be applied to, and their integration into everyday life. It is therefore understandable that in the introduction phase of new media, there is generally a period of initial disorientation, where people attempt to apply pre­existing systems appropriate for other media to the new technology, without looking at itsinherent medial qualities. This also occurs today in the field of interactive information visualization.
The field of linguistics has benefitted greatly from the incorporation of new technologies. In electronic dictionaries, the integration of complex databases and efficient surfing through hyperlinks significantly enhances and accelerates the search for terms. Digitalization has also reduced the contents of several printed volumes to a sole CD ROM. Its subsequent availability on the Internet has enabled access for a larger number of interested persons. However, the visual structure of new digitalized dictionaries was taken from printed models, which, for medial reasons, aimed to communicate the maximum amount of information in the minimum amount of space. Once this specific visualization was applied to digital media, that no longer made sense, given that the particular circumstances that led to the way dictionaries were usually organized (the high cost of space in the printed medium) no longer apply to digital media, which is not tied to paper, or the financial and space constraints of paper. 8
In 1995, Werner Bies wondered : “[...] whether the authors of digitalized dictionaries have completely understood the unique characteristics of this new medium, and whether the structure, construction and design of the information should not be better adapted to this new technology.” For some years now, several classic etymological dictionaries have been available in digital format.An example is the “Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache” (Etymological dictionary of the German language) by Friedrich Kluge. Since its 24th edition in 2002, it has been sold with a CD­ROM, which they promise “[offers] the same contents as the highly­
valued printed version, while making intelligent use of the features of 9
electronic media”. Currently, at the University of Trier in Germany, work is being done to digitalize the “Deutsche Wörterbuch” (German dictionary) by 10 Jacob and Willhelm Grimm, making it available to readers on the Internet.
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BIES, W. (1995)): «Beobachtungen zum digitalisierten Wörterbuch: Versuch eines Fazits.» Published in: Informationsmittel für Bibilotheken (IFB), 1995, Año 3, Journal 4. Accessed 03.12.2004 http://www.bsz­bw.de/depot/media/3400000/3421000/3421308/95_0546.html
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Text written on the cover of the CD­ROM sold with the work by KLUGE, Friedrich (2002): Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache. Berlin: W. de Gruyter.
Accessed 14.05.2007 http://www.dwb.uni­trier.de The “possibilities of electronic media”, however, are limited in both cases to efficient search systems and practical links among different articles in the dictionary. That does make it easier to use a dictionary in the regular way, but no use is made of the visual nature of the new medium, which offers many benefits.
Experimental interactive visualization of etymological knowledge
We have seen how, in the field of etymological knowledge, the possibilities of design and visualization offered by the new technologies have not been exploited to the fullest to date. That is why this project aims to reconsider the forms of classic representation through the study of the conventions that govern them, and propose a new visualization system that makes full use of the features of digital media, adapting them optimally to the specific subject of the field of etymology.
Below, the first designs made in the context of this project are presented. Neither of the two visual systems developed is intended to replace the usual etymological dictionaries or pre­existing literature. They do intend to emphasize those aspects relegated to the background in the usual structure of conventional publications with medial limitations.
First interactive visual experiment: Radial System (Round Timeline)
The linguistic and etymological information this system is based on comes 11
from two etymological dictionaries, one for the general public and the 12
other, a specialized reference. Information referring to the history of the 13
language is from the Atlas of the German Language by W. König.
To create an effective system, apt for diverse etymological cases, an 14
essential choice was a German word from a current word family that was as broad as possible. Thus, the broadest range could be put to the test, 15
although we know that this is a fairly exceptional case. According to the material reviewed in Duden’s Herkunftswörterbuch, the German word “gelb” (yellow) optimally meets these requirements. The design of the visualization system set forth below is based on the aforementioned analysis of the structure of etymological dictionaries. 11
DUDENREDAKTION (2001), op. cit.
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KLUGE, F. (2002), op. cit.
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KÖNIG, Werner (2001): dtv­Atlas: Deutsche Sprache. München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag.
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"Current word family" refers to all current existing words that stem from a common Indo­European root.
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In most cases, the family circle of a word is much more limited, and its origin is often unknown. One of the main problems observed in the standard visualization of these reference books is that they show the interaction among different words with a common Indo­European root, limited to placing a small upward arrow before the related word, which means "See also". The link between these words is therefore not visually clear, given that they are distributed throughout the entire book, due to its alphabetical organization. That is why an attempt at designing an etymological system will be made wherein all interrelated words can be linked in a visually perceivable way.
Another fundamental problem is caused by the numerous abbreviations used to refer to different languages and linguistic periods, as well as prior knowledge in connection with a the time lapse in the various languages alluded to. An attempt will be made to solve this problem in the following visualization system.
In the first design phase, a system was designed that makes it possible to order all the current interconnected words around their Indo­European root. A circular base was created so that the words are all at an equal distance from their origin. At the centre of the circle is the primitive Indo­European language (proto­Indo­European), the origin of contemporary Indo­European languages. The exact birth date of this reconstructed language is unknown, but its origin is usually estimated between the third and fourth millennia BCE (Before the Common Era). The outer edge of the circle represents the present. The space between the outer edge and the centre is divided into five inner equidistant rings, each representing a millennium.
Time base for the radial system
The visualization of the different linguistic periods of the German language is based on a circular time structure. The monochrome circle has been subdivided into several areas, marked by gradations in the colour of the original circle. Each of these inner rings represents a specific period in the German language.
Primitive Indo­European (restructured)
Germanic
High Old German
High Middle German
High Modern German
Contemporary German
Periods of the German language
This structure allows for a visual ordering of etymological information on the circle, providing direct time and historical­linguistic orientation.
The contemporary search word should be entered into a window located outside the circle for this purpose. The search term is then connected through its historical antecedents (located in the corresponding time range) to its primitive root (at the centre of the circle). The system does more than trace the Indo­European origin of the contemporary word. Once that is done, it returns to the present day, showing the other contemporary German words that have arisen from the same Indo­European root as the sample­word, gelb. Therefore, along with gelb (yellow), we see other terms, such as Gold, Galle (bile), Chlor (chlorine), Glas (glass), glatt (smooth), Glut (ember), glänzen (shine) and gleiten (slide). All these words are shown, connected to the root by a thin line. Some of them are connected to each other, illustrating words that are based on others that stem directly from the Indo­European root. Visualization of the current direct family of the German word gelb (yellow)
The connection among different German words is not immediately evident. That is why explanations may be activated in the interface, showing the semantic evolution of the word over time. Beside each historical German term, its associated meaning at its time appears, as well as the meaning attributed to the proto­Indo­European word. This allows us to observe that the supposed meaning of the root was “shiny, polished (yellowish, greenish, bluish), sparkling”. Thus, the relationship among terms like gold and glass (which historically meant amber) is clearer, as both derive from the meaning “bright yellow”, whereas words like chlorine and bile are related through the colour greenish yellow. Ember and shine evolved from "shiny", and slide and smooth from the “polished”.
Semantic evolution of the Indo­European root *ghel[e]
The information initially ordered based on the historical­time structure of the radial system is taken from Duden's Herkunftswörterbuch. In the interface, however, another source can be activated: the etymological dictionary known as Kluge. Using this option brings a completely different scene into view. The diverse interpretations have their origin in the various meanings 16
assigned to the proto­Indo­European root. This double etymological perspective is of crucial importance, as it makes the user aware of the fact that not all etymological dictionaries espouse the same theories, which brings the credibility of the entire system into question. Semantic evolution according to the "Kluge" etymological dictionary Through a link in the interface, Indo­European terms can be reached. The same time structure was used for the visualization in the German circle. The proto­Indo­European language is placed at the centre (4000 BCE) and present day Indo­European languages on the outside edge of the circle (2000 CE). The inner space is also divided into rings representing different millennia, where the most significant ancestral languages from which contemporary Indo­European languages are descended are placed. 16
Etymology bases its theories on written linguistic testimonies. However, the further back we go in time, the less written material we find. There are no written testimonies of proto­Indo­Euroean; it was hypothetically reconstructed using the comparative method based on evidence of similarities among surviving languages that descended from it. For this reason, we find such divergent opinions in the field of etymology.
Time structure of the Indo­European circle
Proto­Indo­European divided into various groups, which then subdivided and evolved independently, giving rise to today's different Indo­European languages. That is why the circle is divided into different sections, each of a different colour. Each section corresponds to one of the subdivisions of the family of Indo­European languages. Thus, the dark blue section represents the Germanic group; green, the Celtic one; yellow, the Romance languages; pink, the Greek group; brown, the Balkan group; orange, the Anatolian group; red, the Indo­Iranian group; purple, the Tocharian group; sky blue, the Slavic group; and turquoise, the Baltic group. Groups comprising the Indo­European family
Proto­Indo­European is the parent language and origin of all Indo­
European languages, and therefore it is reasonable to assume that the root of the German word gelb has other descendents, if we search for them among the set of Indo­European languages. Indo­European examples can be activated on the interface. The German word gelb, our starting point on this historical­linguistic journey, is remains in the same spot it occupies in the German radial system, just as the Indo­
European root it stems from ­ gelb (yellow) – remains at the centre. However, now we find words in different languages spread all over the circle and around the edges.
Thus, we can see how the proto­Indo­European root *ghel[e] led, in the Germanic group, to words such as yellow in English or glan (shine) in Icelandic. Outside the Germanic group, we find descendents of the same root in the Latin helvus (yellow­honey), Irish gelach (moon), Albanian dhelpërë (fox = “the yellow one”), Bulgarian ylakove (grass), and Russian zelënyj (green). To find out what Indo­European language the word one reads belongs to, the Indo­European circle can be activated and deactivated on the interface, which then superimposes the related terms, thus permitting their linguistic identification. Related Indo­European vocabulary
Second interactive visual experiment: visual linguistic exchange
The idea evoked by the term “language” is often excessively homogeneous and therefore, has nothing to do with reality. The history of any language is marked by intercultural contacts that arise for different reasons, due to geography, economics, or wars. Usually, when others' technologies or structures are adopted, the words used for them are also imported. Thus, the vocabulary of a language indirectly portrays the history of its civilization.
The following graphic aims to visually narrate the evolutionary history of the German language. It highlights those aspects related to cultural interchange, demonstrating that a language is not comparable to a homogeneous, uniform, monochrome block. , In addition to their own development over time, all languages experience an evolution that arises out of contact with other cultures, which proves mutually enriching.
This animation is based on information obtained primarily from the Atlas of 17
the German Language by W. König. The second graphic, in contrast to the first visual experiment, is dynamic in nature. It is an animation which does not require any specific action by the user and describes the historical­linguistic development of the German language against the grey background of the interface. In the upper left corner, there is a small box where the user can read the year when the action taking place in the animation took place. Surfaces of different colours provide an abstract representation of the different languages involved in the development of the German language. An interaction takes place among them, as they interchange small particles of their own colour with the neighbouring language. These pixels symbolize the new words that come to form a part of each language’s vocabulary. Their movement is programmed in such a way that the interaction only takes place for the duration of the historical period during which the intercultural contacts occurred. However, the traces of these encounters are still with us today (the words made up of interchanged pixels). At the end of the animation, the German language is seen as a multicoloured surface, the result of cultural and linguistic exchanges. 17
KÖNIG, W. (2001): op. cit.
Due to geographic, political and cultural circumstances, languages evolve over time, leading to a variety of new languages that are significantly different from each other.
This segregation phenomenon is visualized in the animation by overlaying the monochrome surface of a language with a strip of pixels in a different (but related) hue. That makes it possible to discern the new languages, while the original connection among the various languages is still visually perceptible. The German language today
In this second visual experiment, the information is presented at the pace of the animation. However, at any point, the user can obtain additional information interactively about the abstract exchange on the screen. Thus, by moving the cursor over various active squares, short texts appear on the left side of the interface, indicating what language each colour represents, how it is related to the German language, and what type of vocabulary has been exchanged.
Analysis and perspective
The visualizations presented from the first design phase of the project enable us to estimate the possibilities that an innovative visual structure offers for the communication of etymological knowledge. Some of the systems used in the radial visualization and visual linguistic exchange have been shown to be extraordinarily fruitful, and will be included in future visualizations. Thus, the visual relationship, set forth in the first design, among all the words derived from a common root allows for better awareness and understanding of the development and dynamics of the languages. The possibility of perceiving time as a visual extension fosters a more immediate, more intuitive understanding of this aspect. In the visual linguistic exchange, communication of the intercultural aspect of languages is highlighted. The high degree of abstraction that reduces the various languages to simple colour surfaces has great expressive potential. However, there are a set of factors that must be explored in depth in the next phase to make optimal use of the current visualization strategy for etymology. In radial visualization, the circle of the language is placed on a neutral background, creating a sort of visual break in continuity over time, between the language today (the edge of the blue disc) and its future (the grey space). The dynamic quality inherent to language, in constant evolution, seems to break down at this point.
Contrast and hue play an essential part in integrating figure­ground in this sketch. The clear line separating present from future heightens this problem. The varied gradients offer a possible solution; however, they have a certain "New Age" or pseudo­spiritual look, which might be a drawback.
Various experiments for the visualization of continuity over time
Radial visualization poses another problem, in that the tentative aspect of etymology is not sufficiently reflected in the visualizations. This is a science that studies events over an extensive time span and must often base its conclusions on conjectures that cannot be proven by historical documents. In textual form, there are numerous expressions that permit references to this situation (such as "supposing" or “probably") but in visualizations, it is difficult to communicate uncertainty, given that the clear shapes in the system developed denote a certainty in relation to the circumstance portrayed which does not correspond to reality. Etymology is not an exact but rather a relative science, in many cases. The chronological order of certain events is known, such as before verbal form x existed, verbal form y did, but it is impossible to ascertain exactly when these things happened. That is why discovering methods in the visualization of what is uncertain, hazy, or relative in this field will be one of the interesting aspects of upcoming visualizations. Another problem is that the relation among different languages is omitted in radial visualization. In part, that is because the word gelb that was chosen has mainly developed in a linear fashion within the German language, but the system developed in this sketch is limited to the historical narration of a sole language, and that is another influential factor.
However, it would be possible to broaden radial visualization such that inter­linguistic connections would also have their place. A structure of superimposed circles, where each circle corresponds to one of the Indo­
European languages, and where the top visible circle hid the others, might be a solution. That way, the words that have a linear development within their own language could be visualized completely within their historical­
linguistic circle, whereas others with an intercultural background could have an interactive link, making it possible to switch from the history of one language to another.
Radial visualization system
Common Indo­European root
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Time structure, radial system
Common Indo­European root
Internal structure, radial system
History of the German language
History of the Irish language
History of the Greek language ”
Linear and intercultural development of two words.
In the next design phase, the knowledge acquired from this first stage will be included. By developing a new visualization system for etymology, it is hoped that more knowledge will be gained about the undoubtable power of images: their special way of communicating, the "mental image" they generate in the observer, how they are conditioned by contemporary intellectual and media conventions, and their unquestionable influence on society today.
The project “Research on experimental interactive visualization of etymological knowledge” is part of the doctoral thesis project by Paloma López Grüninger, directed by Prof. Manuel Vélez Cea (School of Fine Arts “Alonso Cano”, Universidad de Granada, Spain) with support from the NCCR eikones – iconic criticism at the University of Basel (Switzerland) and the Basel School of Design (Switzerland). The project is also supported by various etymologists at the Universities of Basel and Zürich, who are supervising the work from a linguistic perspective.