Quantitative Analysis of Culture Using Millions of Digitized Books

[Henk Elegeert]

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http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract


Published Online 16 December 2010
*< Science Express Index* <http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/recent>
*Science* DOI: 10.1126/science.1199644

   - RESEARCH ARTICLE

Quantitative Analysis of Culture Using Millions of Digitized Books

   1. Jean-Baptiste
Michel<http://www.sciencemag.org/search?author1=Jean-Baptiste+Michel&sortspec=date&submit=Submit>
   1<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#aff-1>
   ,2<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#aff-2>
   ,3<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#aff-3>
   ,4<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#aff-4>
   ,*<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#fn-1>
   †<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#corresp-1>
   ,
   2. Yuan Kui Shen<http://www.sciencemag.org/search?author1=Yuan+Kui+Shen&sortspec=date&submit=Submit>
   5<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#aff-5>
   ,
   3. Aviva P. Aiden<http://www.sciencemag.org/search?author1=Aviva+P.+Aiden&sortspec=date&submit=Submit>
   6<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#aff-6>
   ,
   4. Adrian Veres<http://www.sciencemag.org/search?author1=Adrian+Veres&sortspec=date&submit=Submit>
   7<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#aff-7>
   ,
   5. Matthew K.
Gray<http://www.sciencemag.org/search?author1=Matthew+K.+Gray&sortspec=date&submit=Submit>
   8<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#aff-8>
   ,
   6. The Google Books
Team8<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#aff-8>
   ,
   7. Joseph P.
Pickett<http://www.sciencemag.org/search?author1=Joseph+P.+Pickett&sortspec=date&submit=Submit>
   9<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#aff-9>
   ,
   8. Dale Hoiberg<http://www.sciencemag.org/search?author1=Dale+Hoiberg&sortspec=date&submit=Submit>
   10<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#aff-10>
   ,
   9. Dan Clancy<http://www.sciencemag.org/search?author1=Dan+Clancy&sortspec=date&submit=Submit>
   8<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#aff-8>
   ,
   10. Peter Norvig<http://www.sciencemag.org/search?author1=Peter+Norvig&sortspec=date&submit=Submit>
   8<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#aff-8>
   ,
   11. Jon Orwant<http://www.sciencemag.org/search?author1=Jon+Orwant&sortspec=date&submit=Submit>
   8<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#aff-8>
   ,
   12. Steven Pinker<http://www.sciencemag.org/search?author1=Steven+Pinker&sortspec=date&submit=Submit>
   4<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#aff-4>
   ,
   13. Martin A.
Nowak<http://www.sciencemag.org/search?author1=Martin+A.+Nowak&sortspec=date&submit=Submit>
   1<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#aff-1>
   ,11<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#aff-11>
   ,12<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#aff-12>
    and
   14. Erez Lieberman
Aiden<http://www.sciencemag.org/search?author1=Erez+Lieberman+Aiden&sortspec=date&submit=Submit>
   1<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#aff-1>
   ,12<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#aff-12>
   ,13<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#aff-13>
   ,14<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#aff-14>
   ,15<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#aff-15>
   ,16<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#aff-16>
   ,*<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#fn-1>
   †<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#corresp-1>

+<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#>Author
Affiliations

   1. 1Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
   02138, USA.
   2. 2Institute for Quantitative Social Sciences, Harvard University,
   Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
   3. 3Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138,
   USA.
   4. 4Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
   02115, USA.
   5. 5Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, MIT,
   Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
   6. 6Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
   7. 7Harvard College, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
   8. 8Google, Inc., Mountain View, CA 94043 USA.
   9. 9Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston, MA 02116, USA.
   10. 10Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., Chicago, IL 60654, USA.
   11. 11Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard
   University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
   12. 12Department of Mathematics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138,
   USA.
   13. 13Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Harvard University, Cambridge,
   MA 02138, USA.
   14. 14School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University,
   Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
   15. 15Harvard Society of Fellows, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
   02138, USA.
   16. 16Laboratory-at-Large, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.


   1. †To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
   jb.michel at gmail.com (J.B.M.); erez at erez.com (E.A.).


   1.

   ↵<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2010/12/15/science.1199644.abstract#xref-fn-1-1>
   * These authors contributed equally to this work.

ABSTRACT

We constructed a corpus of digitized texts containing about 4% of all books
ever printed. Analysis of this corpus enables us to investigate cultural
trends quantitatively. We survey the vast terrain of "culturomics", focusing
on linguistic and cultural phenomena that were reflected in the English
language between 1800 and 2000. We show how this approach can provide
insights about fields as diverse as lexicography, the evolution of grammar,
collective memory, the adoption of technology, the pursuit of fame,
censorship, and historical epidemiology. "Culturomics" extends the
boundaries of rigorous quantitative inquiry to a wide array of new phenomena
spanning the social sciences and the humanities.



   - Received for publication 27 October 2010.
   - Accepted for publication 6 December 2010.

The editors suggest the following Related Resources on *Science* sitesIn *
Science* Magazine

   - DIGITAL DATAGoogle Opens Books to New Cultural Studies
      - John Bohannon
   Science 17 December 2010: 1600.
   - Summary <http://www.sciencemag.org/content/330/6011/1600.summary>
      - Full Text <http://www.sciencemag.org/content/330/6011/1600.full>
      - Full Text
(PDF)<http://www.sciencemag.org/content/330/6011/1600.full.pdf>
   "

   ... (en) van veel woorden is niet eens de betekenis echt bekend !!!???

   Sterker nog, worden nergens omschreven. zie Full Text.

   Henk Elegeert

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