Etymology Map Explorer
Organize your own licensed or authorized etymology notes as a directed graph. Give each proposed inheritance, borrowing, derivation, calque or influence relation a specific source title, edition/version, entry/page locator and rights note. Choose a word to follow every parent path and its descendants. This tool does not look up or verify historical etymologies.
Key features
- Directed multi-parent word history with cycle and duplicate-relation prevention
- A citation, rights note and explicit uncertainty level on every relation
- Clickable and keyboard-accessible graph plus a text list and path details
- Up to 48 forms, 96 relations and 64 displayed ancestry paths
- Strict local JSON import/export and a citation CSV for your review
- An original fictional demo rather than uncited real-word claims
How to use
- Start an empty map or load the fictional demo to learn the controls.
- Add word forms with language, period and meaning so homographs can be distinguished.
- Connect an earlier or influencing form to a later one; record relation, uncertainty and exact source location.
- Select a form in the graph or list to inspect incoming/outgoing evidence and all displayed ancestry paths.
- Correct or remove claims, then save editable JSON and a citation CSV locally.
Use cases
- Compare competing proposed origins of a word without hiding uncertainty
- Track a loanword influenced by more than one form or language
- Audit which proposed links still lack a trustworthy source before writing
Frequently asked questions
Does this include a historical etymology dictionary?
No. The app starts empty. Its optional demonstration uses invented forms and hypothetical labels. You provide sources and rights for any real research claim; the app never invents a historical derivation.
What is required in a citation?
Each relation needs a source title, edition or version, exact entry or page locator, and a permission or license note. A HTTPS URL is optional for print sources. The app checks these fields structurally but cannot verify the source or your right to use it.
Can a form have several parents?
Yes. Inheritance, borrowing, calque or influence proposals can converge on one form. Every root-to-selected path is shown, up to a 64-path display limit; an extra-path notice appears if more exist.
Why are cycles rejected?
A directed history that leads a form back to itself is logically contradictory in this view. Adding or editing a relation that creates a directed cycle is rejected and your prior map is kept.
Is the graph an expert verdict?
No. Certainty is chosen by you, citations are not checked against publishers, and the arrows summarize your notes. Dates, relationships and meanings require independent scholarly review.
Where does my research data go?
It remains in this tab unless you download JSON or CSV. Import is local, and the tool does not upload or fetch citation URLs. Following an optional source link opens that external site in a separate tab.
Privacy
All forms, relations and citations are processed in the current browser tab. No automatic upload, remote source fetch or persistent save is performed. Exported files are created only when you choose to download them.
Comments & questions