CARTOGRAPHY AND CARTOSEMIOTICS:

INTERACTION AND COMPETITION

Wolodtschenko, A.
Institute of Cartography, Dresden University of Technology, Germany.
E-mail: Alexander.Wolodtschenko@mailbox.tu-dresden.de
ABSTRACT
Today cartography and cartosemiotics focus their research and education interests, and other activities in interaction.
There are some competitions within and with cartography, which will further progress.
The paper deals with some perspective questions of the cartographic and cartosemiotic interaction, the possible forms of
their development. The main definitions, manifistation forms and methodical boundaries of the modern cartography
and cartosemiotcs are discribed.
1.

DEFINITIONS AND POSITIONS

What is cartography in the modern society?

There are many definitions and positions of modern cartography [1]. The current ICA definition of cartography is the
following: cartography is the discipline dealing with the conception, production, dissemination and study of maps.
For the questionnaire prepared by Takashi Morita at the ICC 2001 in Beijing, I have proposed the following definition
of cartography: "Cartography in the contemporary society is a system of diverse manifestation forms with domination
of making and using of traditional and virtual (electronic) cartosemiotic models of the reality and fiction". This
definition of cartography has a cartosemiotic accent. A system of manifestations one can also present as a graphic
model (Figure 1). I call this model "Pentagram of cartography" or "Pentagram" of cartography potential [2].

Figure 1. Pentagram of cartography

Proceedings of the 21st International Cartographic Conference (ICC)

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1976

1.1 Who is a cartographer?

A cartographer is a person who engages in, or uses cartography (current ICA definition). In this context that will be a
person who deals first of all with maps only (see current ICA definition of cartography).
Which discipline deals with study and research of cartographic and map-like models (products) with the goal of
acquisition of new spatial knowledge?
1.2 What is cartosemiotics?
Cartosemiotics can be considered today within the framework of cartography as one of disciplines studying features of
cartosemiotic models (or map language from the standpoint of modelling, communication and cognition) with the goal
of acquisition of new spatial knowledge or revitalization of forgotten spatial information.

Figure 2. Cartosemiotic structural model of acquisition of spatial knowledges

Who is a person dealing with map using, atlas using, globe using, aerial image, etc.?
1.3 Who is a cartosemioticist?
A cartosemioticist is a person (any and each cartographer, geographer, hydrographer, historian ect.), who uses and/or
studies, or researches diverse cartosemiotic models. Figure 2 shows the place of the cartosemioticist in a system of
acquisition of space-related knowledge.
1.4 Which cartosemiotic models are there or can be use in practice?
Cartosemiotic models are cartographic, map-like, and cartographic-textual presentation forms (Figure 3) of the human
knowledge about earth, planets and cosmos-referred features and relations.
CARTOSEMIOTIC MODELS
(analog and digital)
CARTOGRAPHIC
MODELS

MAP-LIKE
MODELS

topographic maps,
thematic maps,
cartographic nets,
cartographic atlases

atlases,
globes,
cartographic animations,
aerial images,
satellite images,
profiles,
etc.

CARTOGRAPHICTEXTUAL
MODELS
monographics,
lexicons,
text-books,
etc.

Figure 3. System of cartosemiotic models in cartography

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2.

INTERACTION AND COMPETITION

Since more than three decades cartosemiotics has been developed in the framework of theoretical cartography and has
already its own small history. Its formation has begun in the late sixties of the 20th century. Up to the early nineties
certain cartosemiotic knowledge has been accumulated in Europe, but this process took place in a polarized ideological
space. Cartosemiotic research has experienced a fresh impetus and activities in the nineties, which were characterized as
years of its revitalization. The new cartosemiotics is a "child" of European cartosemiotics of the nineties of the 20th
century [3].
It is no accident that cartosemiotics plays a relatively important part in the modern theoretical cartography. This field,
with its various manifestations, is an important component of theoretical cartography, not only in Europe, but also in
other areas of the world. The last decade of the 20th century has been characterized by considerable research activity in
its theoretical and applied subfields [4].

Figure 4. Structural model of cartosemiotic method of research (WOLODTSCHENKO 2000)

Interactions of cartography and cartosemiotics one can examine on the selected relations, for example on cartographic
method and cartosemiotic one. Berliant [5] defines a cartographic method of research as a method of maps used for
cognition.
Cartosemiotic method of research by Wolodtschenko [3] is a method of using diverse cartosemiotic models (maps, maplike images and cartographic-textual products) for acquisition of new spatial knowledge or revitalization of forgotten
spatial information. In this context the cartosemiotic method of research includes a cartographic method of research too
(Figure 4); it is open for research with cartographic and non-cartographic traditions.

Manifestation forms of cartosemiotics and its actions within cartography

Manifestation forms of cartosemmiotics
interaction
competition
(nowadays)
(end of first
decade of the 21st
centure)
research direction
x
x
academic subject
x
x
conception
x
x
correspondence-seminar
x
x/?
ICA working group/ subcommission
x
x/?
Figure 5. Cartosemiotics in interaction and competition within cartography

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Until recently cartosemiotics was engaged in research of traditional cartosemiotic models where print (or paper) maps
prevailed. Intrusion of Information Technologies (IT) and GIS has given for the map maker and map user qualitatively
new tools - scientific and cartographical visualization and new electronic (virtual) cartographical and map-like products.
It has cardinally expanded creative borders of creation and use of traditional cartosemiotic models.
Cartosemiotic visualization is a new term and a new scientific direction in cartosemiotics and in theoretical cartography.
This scientific direction has to be connected, first of all, to using and study of various electronic (virtual) cartosemiotic
models which are typical for desktop-cartography and web-cartography.
3.

CONCLUSION

The modern cartography has a technologic face; cartography looks for its identity in Information Technologies (e.g.
GIS). It is likely to be the only way to preserve itself as technological cartography with GIScience cooperation
(collaboration) . This is one way, which many technological cartographers accept only. But quo vadis technological
cartography? Nobody knows it, but one innovation gives way to another one. We have had automation, computering,
GISing, visualization ... What will be yet?
Are there other ways? I think, yes. I dont wish to call the other way an alternative way. It can be a way (or ways) which
I call cartosemiotic one: this is a way to study and to understand map language and language of map-like models
(products) with their cultural-historical, social and comminication aspects; this is a way to research both cartosemiotic
heritage and modern cartosemiotic models of reality or fiction; this is a way for acquisition of new spatial knowledge
and/or revitalization of forgotten spatial information; this is a way for aesthetic pleasure of cartographic rarities.
Today cartography and cartosemiotics focus their research and education interests, and other activities in interaction
(Figure 5). There are some competitions within and with cartography, which will further progress. Among new tasks,
which cartosemiotics will focus on competition with cartography, its two important ones should be named [3].
The first task is elaboration of methods for research of cartosemiotic models (not only traditional or analog but also
electronic or virtual ones). The methodical boundary of using these cartosemiotic methods has to be spread not only to
colleges and universities, but in perspective to schools (gymnasia), yet better to kindergartens. Here, some European
universities, e.g. University of Genf/Department of Geography, Dresden University of Technology/Institute of
Cartography and Lomonosov University in Moscow/Department of Geography have good experience of cartosemiotic
education with cartography and geography students.
The second task is research, writing and publishing of the cartosemiotic history of cartography. There are history of
cartography and history of semiotics, but cartosemiotic history of cartography has been not yet written. Research and
writing of history of cartosemiotics is a very difficult and prolonged task. The first steps are already made [3]. It will not
be a copy of history of cartography or semiotics; it has to be the history of development and using map language and
language of map-like models (products) with cultural-historical, social and communication aspects.
Methodical field of cartosemiotic models using is wider and more diversified than map using. Cartosemiotics has a
sufficient potential for forming a new discipline for acquisition of spatial knowledge with the help of diverse (analog
and digital) cartosemiotic models of reality and/or fiction. This discipline must not have a priority for cartographers or
other geoscientists; it will be an equal discipline for all, with cartographic and non-cartographic traditions and
experiences.
4.
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]
[5]

REFERENCES
Morita, T.: Reflections on the Results of a Questionnaire on the Definition of Map, Cartography and GIS. In:
Wolodtschenko, A. /Ed./ The Selected Problems of Theoretical Cartography 2002. (Dresden) ICA, pp.39-50,
(2003)
Wolodtschenko, A.: Structural Models in Cartography. In: Wolodtschenko, A. /Ed./ The Selected Problems of
Theoretical Cartography 2002. (Dresden) ICA, pp.79-84 , (2003)
Wolodtschenko, A.: Kartosemiotik in Europa. In: Schlichtmann, H.; Wolodtschenko,A. /Ed./ Diskussionsbetrge
zur Kartosemiotik und zur Theorie der Kartographie. Band 5. Dresden , (2002)
Schlichtmann, H.; Wolodtschenko, A.: Ten years international correspondence seminars in cartosemiotics. In:
Proc. 20th ICC, Beijing/China, August 6-10, v.5, pp.3199-3203, (2001)
Berliant, A.M.: Kartografiia. Moskva , (2001)

1979

CARTOGRAPHY AND CARTOSEMIOTICS:

INTERACTION AND COMPETITION
Wolodtschenko, A.
Institute of Cartography, Dresden University of Technology, Germany.
E-mail: Alexander.Wolodtschenko@mailbox.tu-dresden.de
Curriculum vitae
Alexander Wolodtschenko
Born in 1949.
Studied cartography and geodesy at the State University of St.Petersburg (Dipl.-Ing. 1974)
Since 1979 working at the Dresden University of Technology (TU Dresden)
1987 - promotion in Institute of Cartography at the TU Dresden.
1995-1999 member of the ICA Commission "Theoretical fields and definitions in cartography" and Working Group
"Map Semiotics"
1999-2003 chairman of the ICA Commission on Theoretical Cartography
1991-1995 co-editor of the issue "Kartosemiotik/Kartosemiotika"
Since 1998 co-editot of the issue "Diskussionsbeitraege zur Kartosemiotik und zur Theorie der Kartographie"
Author of more than 100 publications, among them 5 cartosemiotic monographic works.

1980