Foundation
Database development, preliminary platform, initial collection, team formation.
About the project
Building a multimodal corpus for the cultural expressions of East Java
UB Corpora documents words and phrases that carry culture-specific meaning, then connects them with media and knowledge that explain their contexts.
Background
Why a corpus, and why multimodal?
Corpus linguistics traditionally places text at its centre. Cultural meaning, however, is rarely exhausted by text alone.
Cultural expressions may be embedded in gesture, sound, landscape, artefacts, ritual, and social relationships. This project therefore develops a multimodal corpus for the specific cultural contexts of East Java.
By combining software engineering with humanities approaches, the platform is designed as a database of textual artefacts and their non-textual dimensions.
The steps
A systematic path from cultural knowledge to digital corpus
- 01
Focus Area
Identify culture-specific expressions and language features within priority cultural communities.
- 02
Data Collection
Collect sources through systematic literature review and field documentation.
- 03
Expert Consultation
Engage academics, cultural practitioners, and communities for validation and cultural sensitivity.
- 04
Data Categorization
Organize data by domain, features, context, and artefact type.
- 05
Digital Platform
Present terms, glosses, commentary, photographs, video, audio, maps, and digital models.
- 06
Field Documentation
Document cultural events with appropriate media technologies.
- 07
Public Access
Provide responsible access for researchers, students, and the public.
Project roadmap
From foundation to institutionalization
Expansion
Database expansion, broader subcultures, public testing, stronger research workflow.
Institutionalization
Establishment of Brawijaya Corpora, university integration, and long-term sustainability.
Platform features
Technology in service of cultural context
Comprehensive Database
Organized cultural expressions with annotations, glosses, context, and sources.
Rich Media Documentation
Photographs, video, audio, maps, panoramas, and digital models as contextual data.
Advanced Search
Search by term, culture, definition, language, and entry code.
Academic Resources
Curated references and citation support for research and learning.