WippDigital - GIS supported field name research in the Wipptal-area

The objectives of this project are to collect the toponyms and field names (Flurnamen) of the Wipptal-area and to analyze them with regard to their linguistic, historical and geographical content. One of the objectives is also to put on the question to what extent onomastics, especially field name research, can utilize the rapid developments in related disciplines, such as geoinformatics. A further aim of the project is to enhance data collection in quality and quantity by using new methods from these disciplines. From the point of view of an onomastician the Wipptal-area is particularly interesting: 1) The pre-Roman place names show that it is an area of early settlement. 2) There is a cluster of roman settlement names indicating that there are also many field names originating from this language layer. 3) The area was already settled by the Bavarians in their earliest phase of expansion. A combination of established traditional methods and promising innovative approaches is used to collect and analyse the field names in the study area with the greatest possible accuracy and thoroughness. In the phase of collection this includes the gathering of data, which is as complete as possible, as well as the recording of the autochthonous pronunciation. Using geographical information systems (GIS) constitutes an improvement compared to the classical methods of surveying and mapping. The analysis of names traditionally consists of linguistic evidence such as sound laws, analogies etc. Its scope is now amplified by the whole range of analysis methods provided by GIS. In this way, various linguistic and non-linguistic maps can be intersected (extension of lexemes, forms of vegetation, soil conditions, etc.) and thus, it is possible to combine data of different research for finding new results. With the help of GIS geographical conditions can be modelled substantially more exact and specific than in classical maps. So, the relationship between the single names can be clearly shown. Such a virtual model is of great importance in order to determine the plausibility of etyma, because it provides a viewpoint which is not accessible in actual field work. The results of the project will be available for free via the internet in the form of a Web-GIS application. The target audience is very broad, scientists from all involved and related disciplines as well as interested laypersons (chroniclers, teachers, tourist experts, etc.) should be able to use the results for their areas of interest.

Provincial Offices of Spatial Planning and Cartography receive standardized field names. The provincial offices made available geobasic data free of charge and receive as return service spelling proposals.Emergency services, especially the mountain rescue service, receive reliable located toponyms, ditto the disaster management.Due to the cooperation with the University project Documentation of field-names in Tyrol (hosted by the University of Innsbruck), wide-ranging synergies can be exhausted for both projects.The comprehensive cultural-historical analysis enables to utilise the results for the education sector and for the tourism.Follow-up project application and approvalBased on the project WippDigital a new project application under the title HOFa Onymische Beziehungen zwischen Hof-, Orts- und Familiennamen im Tiroler Wipptal was submitted to the Tyrolean Science Fund by Mag. Daniela Feistmantl and approved. The central goal of thisproject is to research the onymic and sociological interrelations between the name categoriesfarm name, toponym and family name in an enclosed space. HOFa is an addition to WippDigital and is based on its research area, the data, results and the electronic infrastructure.