XMLään

XMLään is a hypothetical XML-based schema designed to describe audio resources and their annotations within a single, interoperable document. The name blends XML with Finnish ääni, signaling its focus on time-based audio data and associated metadata. In this conceptual framework, an XMLään file can reference an audio file, store time-aligned transcripts, and group annotations into layers such as speaker labels, transcription, and analytical notes.

It defines elements such as <audio>, <segment>, <timepoint>, <transcript>, <annotation>, and <layer>. Timing information uses ISO 8601 formats for durations and timestamps to enable precise alignment with audio playback. Annotations are hierarchical and can be multi-layered, allowing several speakers, phonetic transcriptions, or discourse tags to coexist. Validation is achieved through XML Schema or other schema languages, and namespaces enable extension without breaking compatibility.

XMLään is designed to be interoperable with existing standards and tools. It can be mapped to TEI for transcripts, ELAN/PRAAT workflows for annotation, and transformed into JSON or CSV for analysis. Metadata may draw from Dublin Core, PREMIS, or other bibliographic schemas, and links to external digital resources are expressed with URIs.

As a conceptual framework, XMLään does not represent an official standard or widely adopted format. Real-world adoption would require a formal specification, reference implementations, and validation tooling. In academic discussion, it serves as a thought experiment illustrating how audio data and annotations might be integrated in XML.

Potential applications include linguistic fieldwork archives, digital humanities audio collections, language documentation projects, and media libraries that require time-stamped transcripts and layered annotations.