Language Atlases
- Atlas linguarum Europae (ALE) byCall Number: Library Annex Oversize G 1797.21 .E3 A88 1983 ++The purpose of this atlas is to present side-by-side comparisons of linguistic data taken from the languages on the European continent regardless of whether the languages are related or not. In doing so it hopes to reveal aspects of language contact.
- Atlas of the World's LanguagesCall Number: Olin Library Reference G 1046 .E3 A8 2007 ++Publication Date: 2007"Traditional atlas format, divided into eight geographic regions, with the Americas section then subdivided. Each section contains blocks of maps, preceded by text on the linguistic history of the region, genetic relations among those languages, their linguistic structure, statistical and sociolinguistics information, and often extensive bibliographies of further resources. That information takes the form of classifications, outlines, one-paragraph descriptions of individual languages, and short encyclopedia articles. Map sections start with environment and population maps, then detailed regional maps marked with linguistic groups. Back-of-the-book language index." [Guide to Reference]
- Atlas of the World's Languages in DangerCall Number: Olin Library Reference P 40.5 .L33 A85 2010 +Publication Date: 2010An atlas of languages that extinct (no speakers are left), moribund (only a few elderly speakers are left), or endangered (to varying degrees depending on the age of the remaining speakers) worldwide with explanatory essays at the front.
There is also an online, interactive atlas, designed to complement the 2010 edition. Note: The online edition of the Atlas is complementary to the print edition It does not reproduce the regional and thematic chapters of the print version, but it offers additional information on the listed endangered languages. - Linguistic Atlas of New EnglandCall Number: Library Annex PE 2845 .L5 K96 ++Publication Date: 1972by Hans Kurath, director and editor [with the collaboration of] Miles L. Hanley, associate director; Bernard Bloch, assistant editor, Guy S. Lowman, Jr., principal field investigator, Marcus L. Hansen, historian ... sponsored by the American Council of Learned Societies and assisted by universities and colleges in New England.
- Atlas of North American English: Phonetics, Phonology and Sound ChangePublication Date: 2005Online access through ProQuest Ebook Central.
Print version: Olin Library Reference PE 2808 .L26 2006 ++
"[A] monumental work in the field of dialect geography. Although earlier projects (e.g., Hans Kurath's Linguistic Atlas of New England, 1939-43, above) published detailed regional data, ANAE is the first such atlas to provide a comprehensive view of vocalic pronunciation and phonology across the continent. Based on a 1992-99 telephone survey (Telsur) of 762 urban English speakers, its aim is to identify the features that distinguish US and Canadian dialects; to document phonemic splits and mergers, and phonetic chain and parallel shifts; and to discover and elucidate the causes of linguistic change." [Choice, 10/1/2006]
Online Language Atlases
- The World Atlas of Language Structures Online (WALS)2005- .
Open access.
The World Atlas of Language Structures (WALS) is a large database of structural (phonological, grammatical, lexical) properties of languages gathered from descriptive materials (such as reference grammars) by a team of 55 authors. - MLA Language Map: A Map of Languages in the United States.Open access.
"The MLA Language Map is for students, teachers, and anyone interested in learning about the linguistic and cultural composition of the United States. The Language Map uses aggregated data from the 2006–10 American Community Survey (ACS) to display the locations and numbers of speakers of twelve languages commonly spoken in the United States. Data from the MLA's 2016 census of enrollments in languages other than English indicate where these languages are taught in colleges and universities. The Language Map Data Center provides information about over three hundred languages spoken in the United States, using data from the 2006–10 ACS, ACS 2005, and the 2000 US Census. Comparative tables and graphs provide a snapshot of changes between 2000 and 2010 in American language communities, showing speakers’ ages and ability to speak English." [Home page]