TL;DR: Small multiples maps are one of my favourite ways to communicate multiple variables with a quantitative and spatial dimension. This example uses small multiples to show the distribution of the most spoken non-English languages in the Toronto CMA. Scroll to the end to see the results. After seeing the excellent electoral results maps from the Berliner Morgenpost, I wanted to experiment with a similar approach for an alternative take on my maps of linguistic diversity in Canadian cities. Read more

The Confusion of Tongues, Gustav Doré, engraving c.1865-1868 Language Diversity Index The Language Diversity Index is a quantitative measure of the diversity of languages found in a given area. In a country like Canada with two official languages, a rich history of diverse Aboriginal languages, and a long history of immigration from a wide range of countries and ethno-linguistic cultures, we would expect to see a relatively high score for linguistic diversity. Read more

I’m finally getting around to starting a blog/personal site. I’ve thought about it for a long time but never set down to actually do it. There are several motivations behind this blog: I find more and more that other people’s personal blogs – as well as sites like R-bloggers and R Views – are the best place to learn new methods, learn about new packages, and to be inspired by the work of other people. Read more