Branislav NIŽŇANSKÝ

Syntax analysis of the thematic atlases

Nižňanský, B.: Syntax analysis of the thematic atlases. Kartografické listy, 2013, 21 (1).

Abstract: The syntax analysis of more than 1 100 thematic layers which are differentiated in more than 700 maps of both: the Atlas krajiny SR (Atlas of the landscape SR 2002) and the Atlas SSR (1980) is presented in this article. The analysis forms the basis for empirical verification and development of the theory of map expression. The algorithm for syntax analysis of the thematic maps was compiled, tested and corrected based on the theory of map imaging. Table 1 and 2 is the result of testing the fifth version of the algorithm. The main syntactic types (AQJ – areal qualitative simple to FMZ – quantitative figural composed) and their groups known as the group of the thematic mapping techniques (areal symbols, areal with the line as a border, the line integrated with areal, cartogram – map diagrams, integrated methods of networks and nodes, figural – point symbols and line symbols methods) can be found in the table. The frequency and the variability of the layers (also the frequency of use of the types and the subtypes of the map syntax and their variability and divergence in the time) are the results important for the further development of the theory of map imaging concretized in the conclusion of article.

Keywords: map language, map syntax, areal symbols, line symbols, figural symbols, theory of map imaging, syntax analysis