Open-access publication of linked dictionaries for cross-linguistic comparison

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Barbara Stiebels
• Term: from 2015 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 276840710

We are planning to start an electronic journal (with open access) that publishes dictionaries of minor languages in database format, for which we need funding for a start-up phase of three years (for one scientist who coordinates the work in this initial phase). Collecting the words of as many languages around the world as possible is an important task of comparative linguistics, but there is currently no good way of publishing high-quality dictionary data of minor languages. Existing online dictionaries are not regular refereed publications and thus neither guarantee high quality nor do they contribute to career-building. They are often made available outside a stable institutional context and usually put their entries on HTML pages that emulate the format of print dictionaries, rather than exploiting the possibilities of electronic publication (database publication, using the principles of Linked Data). The technical prerequisites for a database publication of dictionaries already exist at our institutions (including guarantees for maintenance way into the future). Due to the enormous achievements of international language documentation programmes, many researchers have compiled dictionaries that they would be interested in publishing but lack serious publication options. Thus, all we need is funding for a start-up phase, to test the database format, 3 set up an editorial board, establish a workflow, publish a number of seed dictionaries and advertise the journal among the community of minor language researchers.

• DFG Programme: Science Communication, Research Data, eResearch (Scientific Library Services and Information Systems)
• Co-Investigators: Professor Dr. Martin Haspelmath; Professorin Dr. Ulrike Mosel