FAQ

What if I cannot find a language name in the list?

We used language names suggested by the Ethnologue. However, in many cases, a name used by a population to refer to themselves or their language is different from names given to them by other people. Fortunately, the Ethnologue includes information on all autonym (alternative names) of languages. Therefore, to focus on a specific language, enter its name (as you know it) in the search box, or use the list of languages or countries to find out how it is listed on the Ethnologue.

Also, since the Ethnologue does not provide geographic data (language polygons) for extinct or widespread languages, these languages are not included in our database.

Are matches between contemporary and historical societies always unique?

No. The matching is based on language. In some cases, there are several EA societies that speak different dialects of the same language. Therefore, based on the criteria of linguistic closeness, it is likely that a contemporary language is matched to a group of Ethnographic Atlas societies (instead of just one) that all speak the same language, and therefore, are at the same linguistic distance from the language. In such cases, the values/categories of the ancestral variable could be the same or could be different for the different Ethnographic Atlas societies that are matched to the language. It is up to the researcher to decide how to deal with this issue. For example, for a given variable, you can choose the geographically closest society using the given coordinates and use its variable value, or you can take the average of variable values across the group of societies.

How can I compute a country-level measure?

Following Guiliano and Nunn (2018), we suggest calculating the population-weighted average of the variable for countries, using LANGUAGE_POPULATION.

How can I create a world map for a variable? How can I link the data to GIS?

First you need to obtain the shapefile of the world’s languages from the World Language Mapping System. Then, use column ETHNOLOGUE_ID to merge data on the variable with the shapefile. The shapefile can also be used to extract other GIS data, such as geographic and environmental data for the polygons.