The role of geospatial technologies for integrating landscape in language
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Renée Sieber
Abstract
Advances in the semantic web allow indigenous peoples to seek a greater voice on the Internet that reflects how they structure their knowledge of landscape. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) – computerized mapping and spatial databases – is used to develop a culturally protected area for the Cree in northern Quebec, Canada. We first characterize GIS and then describe several GIS applications, many of which related to epistemologies and ontologies of the land. We focus on one specific application: geospatial ontologies for hydrography. We found that GIS could store and organize landscape related language and this storing and organizing allowed for mapping and modeling information. GIS was useful for ontology representation, but its utility depended on the stage of ontology development.
Abstract
Advances in the semantic web allow indigenous peoples to seek a greater voice on the Internet that reflects how they structure their knowledge of landscape. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) – computerized mapping and spatial databases – is used to develop a culturally protected area for the Cree in northern Quebec, Canada. We first characterize GIS and then describe several GIS applications, many of which related to epistemologies and ontologies of the land. We focus on one specific application: geospatial ontologies for hydrography. We found that GIS could store and organize landscape related language and this storing and organizing allowed for mapping and modeling information. GIS was useful for ontology representation, but its utility depended on the stage of ontology development.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Foreword ix
- Preface xi
- Landscape in language 1
- Ethnophysiography 25
- Exploring philosophy of place 47
- Embedded in place 73
- Philosophical issues in ethnophysiography 101
- ‘Land’ and life 121
- Landscape in Western Pantar, a Papuan outlier of southern Indonesia 143
- Hawaiian storied place names 167
- Between the trees and the tides 187
- Differing conceptualizations of the same landscape 225
- A case study in Ahtna Athabascan geographic knowledge 239
- Revitalizing place names through stories and songs 261
- Language and landscape among the Tlingit 275
- Language, landscape and ethnoecology, reflections from northwestern Canada 291
- Landscape embedded in language 327
- Navajo landscape and its contexts 343
- Navigating regional landscapes with Jicarilla personal narrative 353
- Ontology of landscape in language 369
- The role of geospatial technologies for integrating landscape in language 381
- Classifying landscape character 395
- Perspectives on the ethical conduct of landscape in language research 411
- Notes on contributors 435
- Index 443
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Foreword ix
- Preface xi
- Landscape in language 1
- Ethnophysiography 25
- Exploring philosophy of place 47
- Embedded in place 73
- Philosophical issues in ethnophysiography 101
- ‘Land’ and life 121
- Landscape in Western Pantar, a Papuan outlier of southern Indonesia 143
- Hawaiian storied place names 167
- Between the trees and the tides 187
- Differing conceptualizations of the same landscape 225
- A case study in Ahtna Athabascan geographic knowledge 239
- Revitalizing place names through stories and songs 261
- Language and landscape among the Tlingit 275
- Language, landscape and ethnoecology, reflections from northwestern Canada 291
- Landscape embedded in language 327
- Navajo landscape and its contexts 343
- Navigating regional landscapes with Jicarilla personal narrative 353
- Ontology of landscape in language 369
- The role of geospatial technologies for integrating landscape in language 381
- Classifying landscape character 395
- Perspectives on the ethical conduct of landscape in language research 411
- Notes on contributors 435
- Index 443
