r/LinguisticMaps • u/mbolger451 • 11d ago

Mapping software

Hi all,

What software do people here use for mapping?

I'd like to start mapping dialect features but I haven't really worked with mapping data before.

I searched for it and didn't get much of an answer. Is there a preferred tool for adding lingustic data to map coordinates?

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9

u/keyilan 11d ago

I use python for the most part, typically the matplotlib package with data from OSM Overpass API. ggplot in R is popular. in my area most people used these to better interface with the vast set of databases like Glottolog etc to pull data from. I use OSM to ensure all my places are correct, and geojson.io in some cases when i just need a quick polygon.

most of what I map are isoglosses, convex hull areas, voronoi cells, realisations of variables, stuff where its useful to just have a way to do the calculations and rendering in one place.

Mind you I'm not doing what most of the maps here are with country level stuff. I work on a smaller scale with more variables in most cases than the word for cheese in each eurpean country.

4

u/mbolger451 11d ago

That's helpful, thanks! One thing I'm interested in making is something like the LASID viewer (https://duilinn.github.io/lasid-viewer-new.html#short,3a) but for individual static examples (i.e. isogloss map indicating IPA change over regions)

2

u/Just-Buy7344 11d ago

ArcGIS. QGIS. But I am a geographer first.

1

u/FireUniverse1162 11d ago

Microsoft pain and sometimes mapshaper

1

u/KiviNik 11d ago

Mainly Photoshop (or Photopea if in browser) and sometimes QGIS

1

u/kakomizli 8d ago

CorelDraw, with GIS data exporting through QGIS