jupyter notebook Text_Fabric_Presentation_SBLBERLIN.ipynb
Text-Fabric (TF) is a promising new framework for the Eep Talstra Center for Bible and Computer corpus plus (linguistic) annotations. TF is a Python 3.x software package that provides scientific, accessible and reproducible ways of processing Biblical Hebrew text data. It also allows sharing the generated data with others worldwide. TF enables Old Testament scholars with an interest in digital analysis methods to contribute to TF with their own modules. The TF data is organized as an annotated directed graph with, for example, text objects from words, phrases and clauses up to the level of bible books with many features operating on those objects containing morphological, lexical information, among others. The TF data is therefore a collection of richly annotated data sources that are stored in compact and plain text format called .tf.
After this introduction of what TF is, two examples are presented as to how TF can be applied in everyday Biblical studies research. First, PhD candidate C. Erwich demonstrates how patterns of participant shifts, i.e. shifts in person, number and gender, in the Psalms can be generated and analysed within the framework of TF. Second, Master student C. Kingham demonstrates time-span tracking in the Hebrew Bible, also with the aid of TF.
It is important to the ETCBC that the community of TF users grows beyond those who are affiliated to the ETCBC. We show that TF provides a platform for researchers to produce the fruits of their work as data. It is our hope that the TF data becomes diverse, contributed to by many, and evolves over time through user-created modules.